I Am Fortified

"I Am Present" Bruschetta - toasted whole wheat
baguette, cashew mozzarella, roma tomatoes,
fig-balsamic dressing, fresh basil

Until recently, I had a volatile relationship with vegan food. I'd had one too many bad experiences that left a bitter taste in my mouth (literally). But after giving hipster mecca Café Gratitude a second shot, I feel like a whole new woman. I first heard about Café Gratitude from my yoga instructor who insisted that eating vegan was the way to go. My carb and cheese loving self was naturally skeptical, but Café Gratitude is the perfect place for transitioning vegans or anyone who wants to give vegan food a shot. Knowing what to order can be tough, so I suggest you take along a vegan friend or simply order one of the many delicious bowls. (The "I Am Gracious" is my favorite).

"I Am Fortified" - sautéed seasonal veggies and kale,
brown rice, quinoa, sesame garlic-tahini sauce.

The up-lifting and self-empowering menu: each item
 is named after an affirmation.  

Sugar Overload

I've been eating very healthy lately...

salted caramel. matcha green tea. rose. earl grey. violet.

red velvet pancakes at Larchmont Bungalow.

pear, Meyer lemon, pistachio pancakes with vanilla creme at Square One.

fancy chocolate from Koko.

Mmm Mmm Mmm at Cha Cha Cha

I'm obsessed with these rustic secret-garden-esque
 entrance doors. 

I surprisingly haven't come across many Caribbean restaurants in the diverse cuisine hub that is LA. So I was thrilled to try Cha Cha Cha during a work lunch a few months ago. That fateful day, I tasted the perfectly prepared pollo mole, which confirmed that I needed to take my gourmand/gastronome boyfriend there. The food at Cha Cha Cha is the kind of good that induces silence at the table, so as not to miss a chance to relish and savor a single bite. The sangria was sweet and dangerously easy to drink. But most of all, our eyes were glued to the hodgepodge decor. Trinkets, religious paintings, prints, and original murals adorn the walls in no apparent order or fashion. But it works, nonetheless. The comforting food and authentic ambiance of Cha Cha Cha will warm the soul. 

no chance for boredom in the festive and brightly decorated dining room. waiting for the food to arrive has never been so entertaining.

Pollo Mole - boneless chicken drenched in cocoa-infused mole sauce, beans and rice spiced to perfection, fried plantains

Gambas Negras - jumbo shrimp sautéed with black pepper sauce, served with the same sides as the Pollo Mole. 

the interior of the fancy entrance doors

"What Do You Mean You Don't Eat No Meat?"

Most of my friends are well aware of my tendency to incessantly quote lines from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." You have a bug bite? Spray some windex on it. Give me any word, and I'll tell you the root word is Greek. You're not hungry? I'll make you something to eat. So when I saw the poster below at Papa Cristos, I felt right at home. Papa Cristos is a Greek market/restaurant bursting with an incredible assortment of baklava, deli cuts, hot plates, and imported jarred foods from the motherland. We paid homage to the movie by feasting on lamb souvlaki and gyros, saganaki, and spanakopita. They were all delicious, but the tzatziki was exceptionally garlic-y and pita-chip worthy.

Left: The lamb souvlaki and kebab with greek salad and potatoes

Right: The salty saganaki was perfect with the fresh veggies while

 the spanakopita was perfectly seasoned.

Looking forward to trying the spanakopita pizza next time.

The ambiance transports you to Greece - blue and white tablecloths, walls plastered with practically every Greek poster known to mankind, while Zorba music blares in the background. Some may think it's borderline obnoxious, but I love it.  

Post-dinner language lesson.
Who needs Rosetta Stone? 

And I leave you with the inspiration for this blog post title - one of the most memorable scenes from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

I ♥ DTLA: Olvera Street

The original city of Los Angeles at dusk on a warm March day.

I finally visited Olvera Street for the first time this past weekend. I'm a born and raised Angeleno, so some might consider it a travesty that it took me almost 24 years to trek just 6 miles from home to visit the original Los Angeles. A travesty indeed...but only because I didn't realize I was missing out on the epic delicious-ness of Mr. Churro's cream-filled churros. I could go on and on about these churros (and the bombastic and very famous taquitos from Cielito Lindo which preceded our churro experience). Never in my life have I tasted such a perfect churro - piping hot, perfectly crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, dredged in the perfectly proportioned mixture of cinnamon and sugar, and oozing with a rich and thick custard cream. 

the ultimate street food dinner

Left: famous taquitos drenched in avocado sauce -- the signature dish of Cielito Lindo, located at the street-side edge of Olvera Street. Their horchata was also delicious and surprisingly light.

Right: self-explanatory

From My Sweet Valentine

two dozen 'Lette assorted macarons. i'm in heaven.
thank you to my sweet valentine.

Mō Fōnuts Please

top: blueberry earl grey fōnut
bottom: strawberry buttermilk fōnut
i love fōnuts!

Move over Krispy Kreme, because fōnuts are in town. Fōnuts are donuts minus the guilt because they're baked, which means they're super duper healthy (not)! This little boutique bakery is perched on trendy 3rd St. and is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth. With a variety of innovative flavors like PB&J and Maple Bacon, fōnuts are less like donuts and more like mini, moist cakes. Next time you need an afternoon "pick-me-up," pair your choice flavor fōnut with a cup of freshly brewed Lamill iced tea, and you'll be good to go.

fōnuts and freshly-brewed and steeped Lamill tea

fōnut rug. oh yeah.

mmmm. more fōnuts.

Street Trash = Street Art

making a statement - a somber perspective of a great city.
medium: spray paint on old mattress canvas.

A Dose of Red Medicine

Coconut Bavarois - the most unique dessert I've ever had.

Any place that's been approved by Anthony Bourdain is a certified winner in my book. Red Medicine is a dim Vietnamese restaurant discreetly tucked away in the heart of Beverly Hills, and it was the perfect spot to top off a Dine LA girls night out. The ambiance at Red Medicine is dark and sultry and - surprise surprise - the room is accented with a ton of red lights. We chatted over drinks at the bar but couldn't resist ordering this one-of-a-kind dessert - a coconut, halva, thai basil, and peanut concoction that's pretty impossible to describe. The odd pairing of creamy and buttery halva with coconut bavarois and droplets of thai basil somehow resulted in a fabulous dessert with only a subtle hint of sweetness. Definitely not your average dessert, but perfect for open-minded dessert enthusiasts because the flavors and textures are sophisticated and anything but traditional.

No house like Doghaus

the downtown dog: bacon wrapped hot dog 
with an extra egg sunny-side up 

Doghaus takes the concept of making hot dogs to an extreme level. Sure, there's nothing like a plain old hot dog with the standard ketchup and mustard. But DogHaus knows how to amplify and maximize the hot dog experience by throwing in some of the unlikeliest ingredients - avocados, eggs, coleslaw, and tater tots, just to name a few. My boyfriend loves to over-order every time we eat out, so naturally, we had a sampling of practically the entire menu. Two giant hot dogs, chili cheese fries and sliders (not pictured) later, we were stuffed. The result was a massive pig-out. But it was well worth it.

the Sooo cal: mixed greens, diced tomato, 
tempura fried onions, spicy basil aioli, avocado.
the best chilli cheese fries ever.

Left: Stacks upon stacks of sweet hot dog buns.

Right: The open kitchen and the 80s nostalgia music sets the perfect mood for the ultimate comfort food.

Between the hot dogs, we chatted up the friendly owner, who told us that most people find DogHaus irresistible because the sweet buns and the salty dogs complement each other perfectly.

Mother Dough

I'm always on the hunt for new and delicious pizzerias, so after reading this article, I had to check out Mother Dough. Let me tell you. This is probably the best neapolitan pizza I've ever had, and it's all because of the dough. The mother dough, that is. 

burratta salad. perfectly seasoned arugula with seasonal heirloom tomatoes. 

Apparently, the secret to pizza perfection is to incorporate day-old dough into fresh dough and top with only the freshest and finest ingredients. The mother dough married with fresh Italian buffalo burrata shipped straight from the motherland is a recipe for success. Literally. The secret is clearly working because these pizzas are irresistibly delicious and surprisingly lighter than your average grease-fest(no paper napkin dabbing required at Mother Dough).

The minimalist space is simple and industrial-esque and if you grab a good table, you can watch the pizza master make the pies right under your nose. For people like me who can never decide what to order, the menu is conveniently short, making the perpetual problem of "what should I order?" much easier. But these you must try - the Burrata salad and the Margherita pizza. If you're ruthless like me, go with a few (non-dieting) friends and order the entire menu.

margherita and zucchini pies. 

arugula and prosciutto pie.

Mother Dough
4648 Hollywood Blvd.

Little Next Door

I've yet to explore France, but something tells me Little Next Door perfectly embodies casual Parisian dining. The waiters speak French, the menu consists of staple French dishes (Croque Monsieur, Beef Bourguginon, Escargot), the outside patio magically transports you to a European bistro, and they have macarons, macarons and more macarons. For all you diehard foodies in need of Julia Child-approved French fare (you know who you are), you're better off trying the neighboring Little Door or, better yet, Comme Ça. But in the mean time, Little Next Door is on my current list of cute weekend brunching spots. Did I mention they have macarons?

the way to my heart.

fig, brie, arugula pressed sandwich. light, sweet & savory. 

Din Din A-Go-Go: Lake Street Creamery

If you like food trucks and live anywhere near Los Feliz, start clearing out your Monday night dinner plans. Located on an empty church lot, Din Din A-Go-Go is a food truck mecca that attracts zealous food truck followers every Monday night for some good grub. Check out the weekly truck schedule here and be sure to save room for dessert at Lake Street Creamery.

The 411: Din Din A-Go-Go, Mondays, 5:30-9pm, 2060 Vermont Ave. (see link above for additional locations) 

no boring flavors (or descriptions) here. the special of the day was the "don draper" - bourbon, smoke, and caramel concoction.

the california zephyr. lemon and mint infused vanilla bean ice cream served in a waffle bowl that actually holds up. 

An A for A-Frame

furikake kettle corn. buttered blazin' j's hawaiian style. tastes like clam chowder flavored popcorn and should come with warning label that says "highly addictive."

It's kind of unfortunate that I live so far from the Westside. Santa Monica and Culver City are home to so many great restaurants that are visibly lacking in my part of town. Though I've practically tried every restaurant in neighboring Los Feliz and often find myself in the heart of Silverlake, I still have a lot of exploring to do on the Westside. And that's exactly what I did last week at A-Frame. Brought to you by the owner of delicious Chego, A-Frame is housed in a cozy tiny space in the shape of, what else, an A. A-Frame serves up some novel American-Asian fusion dishes, and on a Saturday night, this place is perfectly dim, noisy, and crowded. But it's likely you'll be sharing your table with another party, so get ready to make some new friends while you grub. 

the grandaddy of all root beers.

baby back ribs. possibly THE best ribs i've EVER had.

double cheeseburger. tomato confit, pickled red onions, butter lettuce, hot sauce sharp cheddar, and sesame mayo on a buttered brioche bun.

12565 W. Washington Blvd. 

Culver City, CA 90066