Unfortunately I forgot to check the name of this place. It's the tamale stand at the Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica. They've been there each Saturday for the past month so hopefully next time I go I'll remember to make a note of the name. We got one of each tamale, 8 total, for $17. At ~$2 per tamale, these are surprisingly large. We've tried 5 so far, which have all been good, but the chicken with jalapeños and the corn were extra tasty. The former would make a great meal, with the latter as dessert. The corn tamale was basically a sweet cornbread wrapped in a tamale. The salsa they provide is also good, with a tomato and maybe red bell pepper initial flavor (very fresh), with plenty of heat coming on after. I'll probably go here again and it's definitely a great value for good quality.
I also picked up an amaretto mocha from the espresso stand. It was hard not to get the espresso con panna again, but this said it was a special and I've never had the combination before. Looked pretty easy to put together, so maybe I'll try making it myself at home. Very tasty. Now that I've had it I'm surprised I haven't seen it on menus before, but I guess I'm surprised that mint mocha frappachinos aren't explicitly on the menu at Starbucks too.
Also had a croissant with swiss cheese from the cafe laurent stand. Extremely good as always.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Georgian Hotel
Georgian Hotel: This morning was spent at the Santa Monica Pier, where I went with the simple approach to picking a place to eat of going with whatever looks most popular. The Georgian Hotel has a small veranda of something like ten 2 and 4-person tables that was popular enough that it had people waiting to sit on it throughout the time we had breakfast there. We ate inside since there wasn't any wait for the inside tables. The staff were rather busy, a bit hectic, but seemed to have everything almost under control. And the food was delicious. Fresh squeezed OJ...mmmm. A good espresso (definitely intense and hot). For some reason I ordered the French Toast souffle without realizing that it would be bread pudding. I like bread pudding, and this was probably the best bread pudding I've ever had, but I was still just a bit surprised to have it for breakfast. Not a bad idea for breakfast though. Just replace the rum sauce with strawberries and sliced almonds and add a side of syrup and dessert becomes breakfast.
Anyway, this bread pudding had the best texture I've experienced: tender bread (no dryness anywhere) with very smooth eggy bits (not rubbery at all) and some flavor. Three slices of bacon were crispy and flavorful, though not especially thick like the best bacon. A wedge of watermelon and a slice of orange were both liquid gold in my mouth. In all, a wonderful meal, even if it did cost more than I'd been planning to spend on breakfast before I laid eyes on the place.
Anyway, this bread pudding had the best texture I've experienced: tender bread (no dryness anywhere) with very smooth eggy bits (not rubbery at all) and some flavor. Three slices of bacon were crispy and flavorful, though not especially thick like the best bacon. A wedge of watermelon and a slice of orange were both liquid gold in my mouth. In all, a wonderful meal, even if it did cost more than I'd been planning to spend on breakfast before I laid eyes on the place.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Normandie Bakery and Noah's Bagels
Normandie Bakery in/near Culver City: This was recommended to me, and otherwise I wouldn't have stumbled on it. The mini muffin was excellent; I think it used buttermilk. The croissant was rather good, but not as flavorful as Breadman's or Le Pain Quotidien's. The blueberry scone was actually a muffin...very disappointing. The jam-topped butter cookie was quite good, with a full berry flavor and a buttery flavor. The baguette has an extremely crispy crust, but the crumb has poor texture, and there's no flavor. Not what I'm looking for in a bread. This bakery is the cheapest I've found in the area, though, as all the above cost less than $7.
Noah's Bagels in Marina del Rey: Very close to Mother's Beach, we stopped for a frozen blended caramel coffee that was weak and too sweet. Basically, it tasted like sugar, not coffee or caramel. The blueberry bagel poppers were pretty good, though with an unnecessary sugar coating. I would definitely get a regular (not coated with sugar) bagel from them.
Noah's Bagels in Marina del Rey: Very close to Mother's Beach, we stopped for a frozen blended caramel coffee that was weak and too sweet. Basically, it tasted like sugar, not coffee or caramel. The blueberry bagel poppers were pretty good, though with an unnecessary sugar coating. I would definitely get a regular (not coated with sugar) bagel from them.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Cafe Bellagio and Rocker Wagner Bakery
Cafe Bellagio: While exploring the 3rd street promenade this morning I got a mocha and a chocolate croissant from Cafe Bellagio. I've had excellent espresso from there previously, and the mocha was pretty good. The coffee was relatively strong, with a subtle chocolate flavor. The croissant, on the other hand, was apparently made from a bread dough...something that reminded me of fruitcakes. It wasn't a winner and about a third of it went in the trashcan.
Rocken Wagner Bakery: Then I stopped by another bakery in the area purely on account of how the pretzels looked. Thankfully they lived up to their appearance. Nice color, good flavor, and chewy. They've got just a slight baking soda taste to them, not as much as my homemade pretzels but that's probably a good thing. I also picked up a plain croissant there that was pretty good, though not as flavorful as (for example) the Breadman croissant I had this past weekend. I hope to go back to this bakery and try their sandwiches made with pretzels for bread. Now that I know the pretzels are good they're pretty enticing.
Penzey's Spices: Not pre-made food, but a store full of wonderful spices. I bought some robust peppercorns, a chili powder blend, and some vanilla extract. I can't wait to try them out. I'm not sure how often I'll go back, but it's a great store to visit occasionally and sample the finer spices in life. (How often do I need more spices? And would I be willing to pay top dollar instead of buying supermarket spices?)
Rocken Wagner Bakery: Then I stopped by another bakery in the area purely on account of how the pretzels looked. Thankfully they lived up to their appearance. Nice color, good flavor, and chewy. They've got just a slight baking soda taste to them, not as much as my homemade pretzels but that's probably a good thing. I also picked up a plain croissant there that was pretty good, though not as flavorful as (for example) the Breadman croissant I had this past weekend. I hope to go back to this bakery and try their sandwiches made with pretzels for bread. Now that I know the pretzels are good they're pretty enticing.
Penzey's Spices: Not pre-made food, but a store full of wonderful spices. I bought some robust peppercorns, a chili powder blend, and some vanilla extract. I can't wait to try them out. I'm not sure how often I'll go back, but it's a great store to visit occasionally and sample the finer spices in life. (How often do I need more spices? And would I be willing to pay top dollar instead of buying supermarket spices?)
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Wiseguys Pizza
Wiseguys Pizza in Orange: After hanging out at Irvine Park for a while, dinner was at a nearby pizza joint. We started with a horrible surprise: the "fresh house made lemonade" is Minute Maid crap. The manager argued that it *was* lemonade (he's the one that told us it was Minute Maid...we were guessing Crystal Light), but it was barely drinkable so I don't think he knew what he was talking about. Thankfully the meal trended sharply upwards (I haven't walked out of a restaurant in over three years and it would be depressing to do so again). The house salad was relatively standard, though with nice bacon nibs. The appetizer pretzel wasn't bad, though the pretzel itself wasn't special the sauce was a very flavorful marinara. The pizza itself (Milan), had a medium-thickness crust. Not greasy, but not really special. It was topped with sausage of a very good/soft texture though a bit bland, and carmelized onions that were so sweet I couldn't taste anything else. In a pizza like this I expect the sauce to steal the show, a meaty, spicy tomato sauce...having the sweet flavor or carmelized onions overpower everything was odd. Shaking red pepper flakes on top at least made the heat better, at least. Not a bad pizza, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. Finally, for dessert we had a cookie pizza, which was a large, very chocolate-y cookie topped with a good helping of (vanilla?) gelato of good consistency and not bad flavor (though very overpowered by the cookie), chocolate sauce drizzle, and whip cream on the sides (didn't seem like fake whip cream, but didn't seem quite authentic either). A wonderful note to end the meal on.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Santa Monica Farmer's Market (Arizona & 3rd)
Tried the other Saturday Farmer's Market this time, at the 3rd St promenade.
Breadman: Excellent pastries. The croissant appears to use only butter and was full of flavor with a pretty good texture. Of course it would've been better hot out of the oven, but they do not have a shop so no chance of that. Also got a poppyseed pastry, seemed to be made out of challah or brioche dough, very moist and a wonderful taste of poppyseeds. I also got a loaf of 9-grain, which isn't bad but isn't special either...some nutty flavor, no crust to speak of, like a hefty sandwich bread.
We also bought tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella from various vendors and put together caprese sandwiches/salads at home. All three ingredients were excellent, but the cheese really takes the cake. We got it from the goat cheese vendor and he said it is made from water buffalo milk. It's the first mozzarella I've had with depth of flavor. It has a very smooth start, slight tang in the middle, and just the hint of a sour aftertaste. I keep wanting to say it tastes like grass, but I've had many grass-tasting cheeses, and this is nothing like that. Really a most amazing cheese. Add a bit of 10-year aged balsamic vinegar from Zingermans, and the combination is too good to put on bread.
Breadman: Excellent pastries. The croissant appears to use only butter and was full of flavor with a pretty good texture. Of course it would've been better hot out of the oven, but they do not have a shop so no chance of that. Also got a poppyseed pastry, seemed to be made out of challah or brioche dough, very moist and a wonderful taste of poppyseeds. I also got a loaf of 9-grain, which isn't bad but isn't special either...some nutty flavor, no crust to speak of, like a hefty sandwich bread.
We also bought tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella from various vendors and put together caprese sandwiches/salads at home. All three ingredients were excellent, but the cheese really takes the cake. We got it from the goat cheese vendor and he said it is made from water buffalo milk. It's the first mozzarella I've had with depth of flavor. It has a very smooth start, slight tang in the middle, and just the hint of a sour aftertaste. I keep wanting to say it tastes like grass, but I've had many grass-tasting cheeses, and this is nothing like that. Really a most amazing cheese. Add a bit of 10-year aged balsamic vinegar from Zingermans, and the combination is too good to put on bread.
Friday, August 21, 2009
House of Thai Taste
House of Thai Taste in Westside LA: Delivery for dinner tonight. We've been craving Thai food lately so we dug through the 5 or so fliers that have been left at the house in the past two weeks. Based on online reviews we picked House of Thai Taste and was quite pleased with the result. Food was delivered in about 35 minutes. We got Heavenly Shrimp (shrimp in crispy egg noodle), Wild Ocean soup (lemon grass base with a variety of seafood), Pad Thai, Roasted Duck Curry (red curry), brown rice, and a Thai iced tea. The two best dishes were the curry with its tasty duck covered in a just-right red curry, and the soup with a fresh lemongrass flavor soaking some very tasty seafood bits (including lobster, mussel, and scallops) along with bursts of cilantro. The Thai iced tea was pretty good, relatively standard, but without the layering of coconut milk like usual. The Pad Thai had good flavor, but without any peanut and with so-so noodles. The shrimp was odd...the texture of the crispy noodles didn't work with the shrimp and the shrimp didn't have enough flavor, so the sweet and sour sauce was necessary, but then why get something with shrimp in it in the first place? In all, a very tasty meal.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Literati Cafe
Literati Cafe: I'm a bit stumped by the acclaim this place gets. Maybe it's the sandwiches or breakfast foods. Apparently it can be a good place to people-watch. I got a latte, ham & cheese croissant, and a 5-grain raisin scone. The clear favorite is the scone, with the raisins providing good flavor while the five grains add a subtle nutty counterpoint and some texture...the bread part itself isn't bad either. The latte is rather bitter with a weak aftertaste. It's almost like it's got tannin in it because the back of my tongue feels like it's puckering. The puff pastry has no flavor and isn't flaky.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Banal Fail
Or maybe Huckleberry Fail, since this is a food blog.
Tried to stop by the Literati Cafe today, but didn't want to park in the valet lot and didn't want to risk getting towed due to parking at Ralph's nearby. Next time I may brave the valet, but it seems silly to pay $2.50 (?) plus tip just to park to get a coffee...food reviews seem mixed. Street parking is an option before 4pm...
Then stopped by Jack & Jill's and Read Food Daily Bakery. Jack & Jill's was closed...their menu says they're open from 11am until closing (it was close to 5pm). Real Food Daily's bakery had some cakes and a couple cookies, all of which looked pretty, but I didn't find any of it especially appealing. No bread, no pastries. They had a coffee machine, but I couldn't find coffee listed anywhere for purchase so I just walked out without buying anything. The menu for the restaurant looks interesting though, so I may be back sometime.
Tried to stop by the Literati Cafe today, but didn't want to park in the valet lot and didn't want to risk getting towed due to parking at Ralph's nearby. Next time I may brave the valet, but it seems silly to pay $2.50 (?) plus tip just to park to get a coffee...food reviews seem mixed. Street parking is an option before 4pm...
Then stopped by Jack & Jill's and Read Food Daily Bakery. Jack & Jill's was closed...their menu says they're open from 11am until closing (it was close to 5pm). Real Food Daily's bakery had some cakes and a couple cookies, all of which looked pretty, but I didn't find any of it especially appealing. No bread, no pastries. They had a coffee machine, but I couldn't find coffee listed anywhere for purchase so I just walked out without buying anything. The menu for the restaurant looks interesting though, so I may be back sometime.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Izzy's deli and Vienna pastry
Izzy's Deli in Santa Monica: This diner was recommended by a friend as the one place he knows in Santa Monica. Parking was hard...I'm starting to realize that it will be easier for me to assume parking will be hard and instead note when it's easy. There's a deli/bagel/pastry counter, and a diner seating area. I was there for breakfast, so it was too early to see any of their sandwiches. The pictures on the menu looked "mile-high" with meat, and their tagline said "If our sandwiches are too large, invite a friend."
The meal was almost Texas-sized. Delicate corned beef hash with a light flavor but quite addicting. Two eggs, scrambled, toothy but not springy and a consistent texture...very good though a plain flavor. Too bad the pepper was pre-ground, even if fragrant. I don't get what's up with that; pepper is always much better ground on-demand, so why isn't that the standard? I also got a bagel (perfectly toasted, not painful on the roof of my mouth) with truly excellent cream cheese, creamy but a bit sour, not as thick as usual cream cheese and with a smooth aftertaste. The coffee was solid diner coffee. I also tried some buttermilk pancakes: light, fluffy, and tasty. Unfortunately, they didn't have any fancy syrups, not even maple syrup.
On the way out I bought a slice of apple strudel (a bit soggy, flavored with cinnamon, raisins, corn flakes, and some spice I can't identify...tastes German...overall a bit heavy but not bad), and a slice of a custard (delicate...forgettable). Next time I think I'll try a slice of pie because they looked good.
A+ for the staff. They were very attentive. The seating area was only half full at 9:20 am on a Monday. All in all, an excellent experience.
Vienna Pastry in Santa Monica: Lots of pastries, some breads, and desserts. The plain croissant is quite good. Not quite the best flavor I've had in the past week or two, but there's definitely butter in there, and the texture's pretty good (flaky on the outside and a tiny bit chewy on the inside...not stale but not quite fresh). If I were walking by this patisserie, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in and grab a croissant, but if I were driving specifically in hunt of croissants I might pick another destination.
Also had some cheese curds (with garlic), purchased this past weekend at the cheese booth at the Farmer's Market. Great stuff. It's hard for me to describe. Heavy garlic flavor up front, but the finishing taste is like a mild cheddar or maybe provolone. The consistency is something like fresco queso and it comes in thumb-sized nuggets. Highly recommended. The lemon quark is also great, a very lemony soft cheese spread. We also got some cultured butter there, which has good flavor and a consistency slightly thicker than brie.
The meal was almost Texas-sized. Delicate corned beef hash with a light flavor but quite addicting. Two eggs, scrambled, toothy but not springy and a consistent texture...very good though a plain flavor. Too bad the pepper was pre-ground, even if fragrant. I don't get what's up with that; pepper is always much better ground on-demand, so why isn't that the standard? I also got a bagel (perfectly toasted, not painful on the roof of my mouth) with truly excellent cream cheese, creamy but a bit sour, not as thick as usual cream cheese and with a smooth aftertaste. The coffee was solid diner coffee. I also tried some buttermilk pancakes: light, fluffy, and tasty. Unfortunately, they didn't have any fancy syrups, not even maple syrup.
On the way out I bought a slice of apple strudel (a bit soggy, flavored with cinnamon, raisins, corn flakes, and some spice I can't identify...tastes German...overall a bit heavy but not bad), and a slice of a custard (delicate...forgettable). Next time I think I'll try a slice of pie because they looked good.
A+ for the staff. They were very attentive. The seating area was only half full at 9:20 am on a Monday. All in all, an excellent experience.
Vienna Pastry in Santa Monica: Lots of pastries, some breads, and desserts. The plain croissant is quite good. Not quite the best flavor I've had in the past week or two, but there's definitely butter in there, and the texture's pretty good (flaky on the outside and a tiny bit chewy on the inside...not stale but not quite fresh). If I were walking by this patisserie, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in and grab a croissant, but if I were driving specifically in hunt of croissants I might pick another destination.
Also had some cheese curds (with garlic), purchased this past weekend at the cheese booth at the Farmer's Market. Great stuff. It's hard for me to describe. Heavy garlic flavor up front, but the finishing taste is like a mild cheddar or maybe provolone. The consistency is something like fresco queso and it comes in thumb-sized nuggets. Highly recommended. The lemon quark is also great, a very lemony soft cheese spread. We also got some cultured butter there, which has good flavor and a consistency slightly thicker than brie.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Bay Cities, King's Cafe
Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica: I heard about this on chowhound in a 256 post forum about best sandwiches in Los Angeles. The forum said it had long lines and to order online for pickup, but I showed up at 2pm on a Sunday expecting the line to be reasonable. Parking was tough, but I don't mind walking a block or two for a good sandwich.
First off, the store is packed like sardines, particularly at the door/checkout area, but push through and you'll find a wonderful selection of cheeses, olive oils, pastas, imported cookies, etc. As well as a counter surrounded by 30+ people. When I got a ticket, #85, the current number being called was #19. I stayed around 15 minutes and they got up to about #30 when I decided to go home, order online on their website, and utilize the very quiet pick-up counter. That worked great and I highly recommend ordering online. I don't think a little counter-time detracts from the sandwiches at all.
The Godmother is the sandwich to get, apparently, and I also got a roast beef sandwich. The meats (Genoa Salami, Mortadella Coppacola, Ham, and Prosciutto on the Godmother) are high quality, fresh, and flavorful. For that matter, so was everything on/around the meats. Bright cucumbers, sharp onions, fresh tomatoes, and hot peppers. The italian bread has a great, crispy crust and a slightly sour taste. Wonderful texture/flavor and it goes great around the sandwich. I also got a fresh loaf (it was hot when I picked it up off the rack which made me smile) and devoured half of it on the drive home. The only downside was that the rye bread I got on the roast beef sandwich was passable, but not anywhere near as good as everything else.
In addition to the sandwiches, I picked up some incredibly soft (but not so flavorful) mozzarella in water, some excellently elegant chicken salad (such wonderful chicken flavor), and great coleslaw (if a bit heavy).
I plan on returning many times...but ordering the sandwiches online first. This isn't my favorite sandwich (that would be one of several sandwiches from the Oxford Spa in Cambridge, MA) or even the second (the cuban from Chez Henri in Cambridge, MA), but if you're looking for a really good italian sub or an honest-to-goodness deli with neat shopping, it's a great choice.
King's Cafe in Culver City: I saw a handful of people clustered around this little cafe, which piqued my curiosity. Once inside I was impressed by the laid back atmosphere, accentuated by books, boardgames (risk, chess, etc), and a guitar, all for use by patrons. I don't often see Turkish Coffee on the menu, so I jumped at the chance to get a cup, and also picked up a scone. Watching the barrista (owner?) get out a hotplate (for the coffee) brought me a burst of happiness. The coffee was great. Nice flavor, just the right bitterness, with a good amount of grounds at the bottom (if you like Turkish coffee). The scone was a mixed deal. Not only did it have many ingredients (coconut, cinnamon, chocolate chip, various nuts), but the sweetness varied (due to the sweetened coconut?) and though it was nicely crunchy on top it was dry throughout (but not old English style...too pasty). Not something I'll pick up again. If he'd had a croissant I would've tried it though because the puff pastry dough on the spinach pastry looked good.
First off, the store is packed like sardines, particularly at the door/checkout area, but push through and you'll find a wonderful selection of cheeses, olive oils, pastas, imported cookies, etc. As well as a counter surrounded by 30+ people. When I got a ticket, #85, the current number being called was #19. I stayed around 15 minutes and they got up to about #30 when I decided to go home, order online on their website, and utilize the very quiet pick-up counter. That worked great and I highly recommend ordering online. I don't think a little counter-time detracts from the sandwiches at all.
The Godmother is the sandwich to get, apparently, and I also got a roast beef sandwich. The meats (Genoa Salami, Mortadella Coppacola, Ham, and Prosciutto on the Godmother) are high quality, fresh, and flavorful. For that matter, so was everything on/around the meats. Bright cucumbers, sharp onions, fresh tomatoes, and hot peppers. The italian bread has a great, crispy crust and a slightly sour taste. Wonderful texture/flavor and it goes great around the sandwich. I also got a fresh loaf (it was hot when I picked it up off the rack which made me smile) and devoured half of it on the drive home. The only downside was that the rye bread I got on the roast beef sandwich was passable, but not anywhere near as good as everything else.
In addition to the sandwiches, I picked up some incredibly soft (but not so flavorful) mozzarella in water, some excellently elegant chicken salad (such wonderful chicken flavor), and great coleslaw (if a bit heavy).
I plan on returning many times...but ordering the sandwiches online first. This isn't my favorite sandwich (that would be one of several sandwiches from the Oxford Spa in Cambridge, MA) or even the second (the cuban from Chez Henri in Cambridge, MA), but if you're looking for a really good italian sub or an honest-to-goodness deli with neat shopping, it's a great choice.
King's Cafe in Culver City: I saw a handful of people clustered around this little cafe, which piqued my curiosity. Once inside I was impressed by the laid back atmosphere, accentuated by books, boardgames (risk, chess, etc), and a guitar, all for use by patrons. I don't often see Turkish Coffee on the menu, so I jumped at the chance to get a cup, and also picked up a scone. Watching the barrista (owner?) get out a hotplate (for the coffee) brought me a burst of happiness. The coffee was great. Nice flavor, just the right bitterness, with a good amount of grounds at the bottom (if you like Turkish coffee). The scone was a mixed deal. Not only did it have many ingredients (coconut, cinnamon, chocolate chip, various nuts), but the sweetness varied (due to the sweetened coconut?) and though it was nicely crunchy on top it was dry throughout (but not old English style...too pasty). Not something I'll pick up again. If he'd had a croissant I would've tried it though because the puff pastry dough on the spinach pastry looked good.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Santa Monica Farmer's Market (various)
Farmer's Market (Santa Monica) today.
Mis Padres Tacos: one chicken w/ veggies taco and one beef w/ veggies taco (plus a few chips and a bit of salsa). Great all around. The corn tortillas are flavorful. The beef is properly browned/charred, the veggies are all fresh and combine into a wonderful taste. The chicken taco is put together slightly better than the beef, just because the beef could use a bit more kick...add the hot (red) salsa to really complete the beef taco. The chips are high quality and the salsas are pretty good. The red salsa is hot and very fresh tasting. The clear-ish, pink-ish salsa is mild-to-medium but not as flavorful. In all, I can't recommend this more. I would say it's better than any Mexican I had over three years in Texas.
Cafe Laurent: Peach and custard tart and blueberry muffin. The tart is just short of amazing. Beautiful and very tasty peach on the buttery pastry dough, separated by a creamy custard. Wonderful flavors, the tart is marred only by the slight sogginess where the peach juices flowed past the custard and reached the pastry dough. If I could only get these fresh! The blueberry muffin isn't bad. Not amazing like the tart, but still a good muffin. Plenty of blueberries, a good size, correctly cooked, but just not special. I talked with the salesperson again, he told me the only difference in the pastries at the farmer's market and the storefront is the environment/age, and he recommended I check out the Normandy Bakery for bread.
I think I need to update the pastry ranking because any pastry from the Cafe Laurent stall is great.
Oh, and when I last ranked pastries I forgot to mention the cheese danish/roll I got from Portos last week. I'll have to go again to remember exactly what it was like, but I do remember it was surprisingly good.
Espresso Experience: A Russian Kream Koffee. Great coffee here. Last week I got the espresso con panna and was blown away with the combination of whip cream and espresso. This week my Russian Kreme was good, but not quite great. The aftertaste was excellent, being nice and mellow. The coffee itself had good flavor, but the sweetener was a bit cloying...perhaps there was high fructose corn syrup involved?
Old Town Baking: A bag of six hand-sized ciabatta's. Not bad, they're coated in flour so that's what the mostly taste of. They're very soft with a pretty good crumb, but just don't have the flavor or texture that I'm looking for in a ciabatta. Last week's harvest loaf was great though, so I'm going to keep buying from this stand.
Mis Padres Tacos: one chicken w/ veggies taco and one beef w/ veggies taco (plus a few chips and a bit of salsa). Great all around. The corn tortillas are flavorful. The beef is properly browned/charred, the veggies are all fresh and combine into a wonderful taste. The chicken taco is put together slightly better than the beef, just because the beef could use a bit more kick...add the hot (red) salsa to really complete the beef taco. The chips are high quality and the salsas are pretty good. The red salsa is hot and very fresh tasting. The clear-ish, pink-ish salsa is mild-to-medium but not as flavorful. In all, I can't recommend this more. I would say it's better than any Mexican I had over three years in Texas.
Cafe Laurent: Peach and custard tart and blueberry muffin. The tart is just short of amazing. Beautiful and very tasty peach on the buttery pastry dough, separated by a creamy custard. Wonderful flavors, the tart is marred only by the slight sogginess where the peach juices flowed past the custard and reached the pastry dough. If I could only get these fresh! The blueberry muffin isn't bad. Not amazing like the tart, but still a good muffin. Plenty of blueberries, a good size, correctly cooked, but just not special. I talked with the salesperson again, he told me the only difference in the pastries at the farmer's market and the storefront is the environment/age, and he recommended I check out the Normandy Bakery for bread.
I think I need to update the pastry ranking because any pastry from the Cafe Laurent stall is great.
Oh, and when I last ranked pastries I forgot to mention the cheese danish/roll I got from Portos last week. I'll have to go again to remember exactly what it was like, but I do remember it was surprisingly good.
Espresso Experience: A Russian Kream Koffee. Great coffee here. Last week I got the espresso con panna and was blown away with the combination of whip cream and espresso. This week my Russian Kreme was good, but not quite great. The aftertaste was excellent, being nice and mellow. The coffee itself had good flavor, but the sweetener was a bit cloying...perhaps there was high fructose corn syrup involved?
Old Town Baking: A bag of six hand-sized ciabatta's. Not bad, they're coated in flour so that's what the mostly taste of. They're very soft with a pretty good crumb, but just don't have the flavor or texture that I'm looking for in a ciabatta. Last week's harvest loaf was great though, so I'm going to keep buying from this stand.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Legal Grind and Antequera Bakery
After stopping into Albertson's, I glanced across the road and saw what appeared to be a coffee shop, Legal Grind. It turned out to have closed at 2pm (on Friday). The first item on the menu: Coffee and Counsel $45. Apparently one can get legal advice (different types on different days?) and coffee. Looking through the window, the room looked like a nice place to hang out. The website stresses the legal advice and doesn't really mention the coffee so not what I'm looking for, but I love one of their taglines, "Thirsty for Justice?"
I also stopped by the Antequera Bakery on Ocean Park Blvd. Mexican bakery. I picked up two bread/pastry items based on the recommendation of the salesperson. A thickly sliced bread, rich but not quite as rich as brioche, slathered with butter and sprinkled with sugar. Tasty, though stale. The other bread was shaped like a croissant, with the same dough base, but with the sugar baked (?) on the outside in a pretty design. Not quite as tasty and just as stale. I doubt I'll be going back. Ethnic bakeries I stumble upon tend to suffer from stale products, presumably because they don't get enough business. It's a shame because I like the variety. I do remember one or two bakeries in Boston's Chinatown that had fresh breads/cookies. I'll have to try bakeries in LA's Chinatown...looks like there are several with at least one highly rated, The Phoenix Bakery.
Oh, and the sharp chedder "pub cheese" spread from Trader Joe's is wonderful. Head (cheese) and shoulders above any other cheese spread I've had, and it's really cheese (great ingredient list, elegant even).
I also stopped by the Antequera Bakery on Ocean Park Blvd. Mexican bakery. I picked up two bread/pastry items based on the recommendation of the salesperson. A thickly sliced bread, rich but not quite as rich as brioche, slathered with butter and sprinkled with sugar. Tasty, though stale. The other bread was shaped like a croissant, with the same dough base, but with the sugar baked (?) on the outside in a pretty design. Not quite as tasty and just as stale. I doubt I'll be going back. Ethnic bakeries I stumble upon tend to suffer from stale products, presumably because they don't get enough business. It's a shame because I like the variety. I do remember one or two bakeries in Boston's Chinatown that had fresh breads/cookies. I'll have to try bakeries in LA's Chinatown...looks like there are several with at least one highly rated, The Phoenix Bakery.
Oh, and the sharp chedder "pub cheese" spread from Trader Joe's is wonderful. Head (cheese) and shoulders above any other cheese spread I've had, and it's really cheese (great ingredient list, elegant even).
Cafe Laurent, The Corner, Pinkberry
Started the day with a run by Cafe Laurent in Culver City. Yesterday I stopped by late afternoon and they were closed, which was sorely disappointing because it had been two days since any (worthwhile) pastry. The cafe mocha was tasty, similar to a hot chocolate. It may have had real whip cream on top, but the coffee was too hot to verify before it melted away (not a downside, coffee is best hot of course...if I hadn't been driving the whip cream wouldn't have dispersed). For pastry satisfaction I picked up an almond croissant and a raisin pastry. After having a plain/butter croissant from their stall at the Santa Monica farmer's market (great flavor, but texture was a bit stale), unfortunately the almond croissant was a dissapointment; not as flavorful (butter-wise), even more stale, and instead of crafting an almond croissant from the start they had taken a plain croissant and dressed it up. Somehow they taste better if they start out trying to be a filled croissant instead of being sliced in two and filled at a later time. Anyway, enough of the downside...the raisin pastry was excellent and is now on my list of top pastries. The raisin pastry had raisins in each bite, but the pastry dough had excellent flavor for a wonderful balance between the two. Slightly sweet, with a great texture though just the tiniest bit too chewy for my preferences.
Top pastries (so far) around Santa Monica:
1. plain croissant from Le Pain Quotidien
2. raisin pastry from Cafe Laurent (the cafe itself)
3. plain croissant from Cafe Larent (Santa Monica's farmer's market)
4. apple tart from Amandine
Unfortunately, the server/barrista (perhaps owner?) let me know that the pastries are made in a bakery that is not accessible to the public, ruining dreams of fresh croissants. So sad, but will soldier on.
For dinner we had our first experience at The Corner in Marina del Ray, but probably not our last. Burgers made to order. The meat itself was fine-to-good, properly cooked Medium. Bread looked whole-wheat, though it wasn't the reason to go back. Sweet potato fries were tasty but not super crispy; fried pickle slices were fine (with a great apricot dipping sauce that overwhelmed the pickle flavor); and the two shakes were pretty tasty (strawberry) and ok (chocolate). But none of that is the reason I will probably be returning: the burger toppings. I went with red onions, lettuce, pickles, excellent bacon, hard boiled eggs, and sharp provolone with a soy glaze on the side. Wonderful flavor. Onions and pickles were mild...egg went even better on a burger than I had expected. Very tasty blend of flavors, and with so many toppings, cheeses, and sauces I won't be running out of flavors to try anytime soon. Perhaps carrots and guacamole next time...with grilled onions. Only low note was that so much salt made me very thirsty later in the night.
Finished off the night with a parfait from Pinkberry. My second experience and I continue to love the tart (original) flavor of the frozen yogurt and the super-bright flavor of all the fruit toppings. The parfait is recommended if you don't mind granola in your frozen yogurt and you want to try most (all?) of their fruits/berries. Pinkberry will probably be my go-to dessert choice unless I find a good gelato place like the one in Mountain View, CA.
Top pastries (so far) around Santa Monica:
1. plain croissant from Le Pain Quotidien
2. raisin pastry from Cafe Laurent (the cafe itself)
3. plain croissant from Cafe Larent (Santa Monica's farmer's market)
4. apple tart from Amandine
Unfortunately, the server/barrista (perhaps owner?) let me know that the pastries are made in a bakery that is not accessible to the public, ruining dreams of fresh croissants. So sad, but will soldier on.
For dinner we had our first experience at The Corner in Marina del Ray, but probably not our last. Burgers made to order. The meat itself was fine-to-good, properly cooked Medium. Bread looked whole-wheat, though it wasn't the reason to go back. Sweet potato fries were tasty but not super crispy; fried pickle slices were fine (with a great apricot dipping sauce that overwhelmed the pickle flavor); and the two shakes were pretty tasty (strawberry) and ok (chocolate). But none of that is the reason I will probably be returning: the burger toppings. I went with red onions, lettuce, pickles, excellent bacon, hard boiled eggs, and sharp provolone with a soy glaze on the side. Wonderful flavor. Onions and pickles were mild...egg went even better on a burger than I had expected. Very tasty blend of flavors, and with so many toppings, cheeses, and sauces I won't be running out of flavors to try anytime soon. Perhaps carrots and guacamole next time...with grilled onions. Only low note was that so much salt made me very thirsty later in the night.
Finished off the night with a parfait from Pinkberry. My second experience and I continue to love the tart (original) flavor of the frozen yogurt and the super-bright flavor of all the fruit toppings. The parfait is recommended if you don't mind granola in your frozen yogurt and you want to try most (all?) of their fruits/berries. Pinkberry will probably be my go-to dessert choice unless I find a good gelato place like the one in Mountain View, CA.
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