My Favorite Place

The Mediterranean Sandwich is equal parts beautiful and delicious.

Favorite Place is living up to its name. I often frequent this lovely tea room with my sister for girly and refreshingly light lunches in a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. With impeccable service, delicious tea sandwiches and a relaxing mood, this place is perfect for lunch with the ladies. 

left to right, clockwise: a prominent display of tea sets and china makes you feel at home; their signature rosewater lemonade, a must-try; complementary lentil soup with a spicy kick; my favorite off the menu - the oriental chicken wrap

Cozy and comfy - With plush pillows and Frank Sinatra softly singing in the background, Favorite Place makes you feel like you're in mom's living room. 

This Cake is Bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

All you banana-haters out there must try this recipe! I hate throwing away overly-ripe bananas that are on the verge of attracting tiny fruit flies. So I'm always on the lookout for some innovative banana recipes because banana muffins and banana bread just aren't cutting it anymore. I was very pleased with how this amazingly moist and surprisingly cake-y (not dense bread-like) banana cake with cream cheese frosting turned out. The best part is I didn't even have to use a mixer. Also, I halved the recipe, but feel free to make a more traditional 2-layer cake with the full recipe.

 clockwise from top left: A touch of cinnamon added a nice subtle touch to the cake; the consistency of the batter was kind of odd and funky, but the mashed up bananas (I know it looks gross, but trust me on this one) loosened the batter up a bit; butter and flour the pan and the baked cake will pop right out.

chop chop: try adding the nuts into the batter next time!

I had to try really hard to not eat the frosting on its own. It's very tempting, but you must restrain yourself.

Isn't it beautiful?

Sweet San Diego

Art or food?

Spring Break means time spent catching up on my studies, but I was in such a desperate need of a break from my exhausting school schedule, we decided a San Diego trip was in order. Going back to my city of four years is always a relaxing change from the hustle and bustle of LA, and not surprisingly, our itinerary the entire weekend revolved around food and restaurants (and some of my favorite beach spots, which I'll post later). I strategically scheduled breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts so that we'd be able to hit up all of my favorites, especially the church I worship - Extraordinary Desserts. 

Left: As seen on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," the Dulce de Leche Cake is an extremely moist chocolate cake with crunchy milk chocolate layers, topped with dulce de leche. Basically, heaven.
Right: The chocolate version of my favorite Lindzer Danish also seen in this post. 

I hate waiting in line at the LA Sprinkles,
so we made a final stop for some sugar at the La Jolla Sprinkles.

Black and white cupcake from Sprinkles.

Best Late Night Snack

These white chocolate chip Nutella cookies are so addictive! Their consistency is pretty...interesting. They're super duper flat, but surprisingly chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It's mind-boggling, really. But they're perfect with a cold glass of milk, and aren't overwhelmingly chocolatey. Experiment with the basic cookie dough by throwing in some walnuts or chocolate chips.

Spring Is Here

 I kicked off the beginning of spring by whipping up a batch of lemon bars - the quintessential spring snack. I used this perfectly simple recipe and ended up with light and refreshing lemon squares. Just like spring! And for an added kick, pop the squares in the fridge for a few hours to chill. It makes a world of a difference. 

The Bootleg

I spent my Friday night among bona fide hipsters at a Memoryhouse concert at the Bootleg Theater. Memoryhouse's set was quite...memorable. But it was the venue that struck a chord with me. From the outside, Bootleg is an unsuspecting concrete building in severe need of an extreme makeover. But indoors, the dim ambiance, along with the funky ceiling art, string christmas lights, and concert posters makes you want to grab a beer and escape from the mainstream that exists outside the venue's walls. 

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