[Please forward this excellent newsletter sample issue to everyone you know (or at least everyone you like) in the Greater Los Angeles area.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message was forwarded through the Red Rock Eater News Service (RRE). You are welcome to send the message along to others but please do not use the "redirect" option. For information about RRE, including instructions for (un)subscribing, see http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/rre.html =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 14:37:05 -0400 From: The Big Dogs <The-Big-Dogsat_private> To: la_houndsat_private Subject: ChowNews Greater Los Angeles #20 ChowNews Greater Los Angeles #20 May 24, 2002 FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO ****EVERYBODY!**** Just as an experiment, let's try to increase the subscriber lists through viral forwarding. Please send this issue to every food lover you know. GET CHOWNEWS EVERY FRIDAY FOR JUST $15! Never miss a tip. Get instant skinny on everything hyperdelicious. And enjoy a copious chowcyclopedia as the issues pile up in your emailbox! Subscribe at: http://chowhound.safeshopper.com/23/cat23.htm?528 CAVEAT EATER ChowNews presents the cream of this week's deliriously wide-ranging Chowhound.com discussion. We don't guarantee the veracity of chowtips herein; these are not the official opinions of Chowhound.com, the Big Dogs or the editors of ChowNews. What floats some hounds' boats may sink others (if so, let us know on our message boards via the included web addresses). But this is the most primo chow reconnaisance imaginable. ChowNews is brought to you by the Big Dogs at <http://www.Chowhound.com>. Time Magazine recommends us for "The best gooseneck barnacles. The worst crab-stuffed filet mignon. Well-traveled eaters size up everything from nachos to foie gras." Read other Chowhound.com press at: <http://www.chowhound.com/about/press.html> IN THIS ISSUE: *New Chinatown Farmer's Market *Sicilian *Special to ChowNews: Jerome's Top Ten *Persian Ice Cream *Banana Pancakes from the Soul *"So, Thi, You've Succumbed to the Dark Force of the Spamiverse" (Mrs. Marshall) *Hallelujah, Praise the Tea *Bananas Foster *The Undisputed King of Pastrami *Polish Food *Tres Leches Redux *Copper River Salmon is in Season *Cooking Supplies *Jiraffe *Grocery Shopping on the Cheap *Gimme a Thin Thin *Places Generally Condemned By Chowhounds *From the Archives: Koreatown And, in General Topics ChowNews... *Better Burgers *Splashy Dessert Ideas *Scorched Pan *Chicken Parts for Chicken Stock *English Party Food *Shakerato *Rice, and Plenty of It *The Best *Menus at Amazon *Something Smells Fishy *Pizza Dough *Weight Watchers Soup Divine -------- -------- NEW CHINATOWN FARMER'S MARKET Chinatown Farmer's Market [Chinatown] http://www.chinatownla.com/farmersmarket.htm 727 North Hill, between Alpine and Ord in the Unified Parking Lot Locater: http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&addr=727+N+Hill+St&csz=Los+Angeles%2C+CA+90012 LA's first ethnic-ghetto/enclave with a farmer's market. Every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. There's general produce, but they'll specialize in Chinese. And there'll be stands from Chinatown restaurants. Hope there's an Empress Pavilion dumpling stand... Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24163.html -------- SICILIAN La Fornaretta Restaurant [Pasadena-ish] 39 S Raymond Ave, S. of Colorado Pasadena 91105 626-585-9088 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=11451310&ck=4206531611 Follow the food-maker. He (or she) who makes must truly understand. Any fool with an eye for a zingy sentence can write. It takes genuine understanding to sculpt. That's why I'll take the recommendation of a favorite chef over the recommendation of a pro food writer any day. Michael Cimarusti, chef at chowhound favorite Water Grill, said (in LA Times) that one of his favorite places is La Fornetta, for good, authentic Sicilian. Chowhounds give full agreement. *Gloomcookie*: "I love this place! It has a pasta dish, whose name I forget, with bits of scrambled egg, sauteed sweet onions, and - I think - peas, and it is a wonderful array of flavors. There's also a really delicious salad with pinenuts and shaved cheese." Hope the notice doesn't kill it. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24204.html -------- SPECIAL TO CHOWNEWS: JEROME'S TOP TEN Atole/Tamales Ladies [Koreatown] Irolo and Eighth Locater: http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&addr=Irolo+and+Eighth&csz=Los+Angeles%2C+CA Quanjude Beijing Duck Restaurant [San Gabriel Valley] 8450 Garvey Ave Rosemead 91770 626-280-2378 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9346561&ck=136261037 Tsukasa [Little Tokyo] a.k.a. Shibucho 333 S Alameda St # 317 Los Angeles 90013 213-626-1184 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9020206&ck=1728418166 Bronco Restaurant [Central San Fernando Valley] 4378 Woodman Ave Sherman Oaks 91423 818-990-4961 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9286406&ck=4068823174 Taco's El Jerrecano [Central San Fernando Valley] 5937 Hazeltine Ave Van Nuys 91401 818-909-9548 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9277761&ck=4242523588 Robin Hood British Pub [Central San Fernando Valley] 13640 Burbank Blvd Van Nuys 91401 818-994-6045 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9277743&ck=4208968444 Shibucho [East Hollywood] 3114 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles 90057 213-387-8498 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9078473&ck=1113554473 Shula & Esther Restaurant [Fairfax Village] 519 N Fairfax Ave Los Angeles 90036 323-653-9024 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9058659&ck=1613452461 Shahrzad Flame (a.k.a. Flame) [Wealthy Westlands] 1442 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles 90024 310-470-9131 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=11982322&ck=2040366747 Canetti's Seafood Grotto [OC Beaches] 309 E 22nd St San Pedro 90731 310-831-4036 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=11030255&ck=2932756570 Fisherman's Outlet Market [Downtown] 529 S Central Ave Los Angeles 90013 213-627-7231 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9019099&ck=3511880656 Cole's P E Buffet [Downtown] 118 E 6th St Los Angeles 90014 213-622-4090 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9021089&ck=1772242012 Manhattan Beach Brewing Co [Beaches] 124 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach 90266 310-798-2744 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9127821&ck=2048697643 Beverly Soon Tofu Restaurant [Koreatown] 2717 W Olympic Blvd # 108 Los Angeles 90006 213-380-1113 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9008867&ck=2575346437 *Jerome* has encyclopedic knowledge, been everywhere, loves every variety of food. I asked him for a Top Ten list: "Ten fave dish experiences - these aren't the most elegant, the rarest or the trendiest places - these are just things that I, that's me, just like a great deal. They all taste great, and they're all fun. And most aren't that expensive. 1. Atole and tamales from the ladies on the corner of Irolo and Eighth in Koreatown. 2. Duck at Quanjude, in Rosemead. Lamented dish from same: duck tongues in aspic (shuijing yashe, no longer served). 3. Sushi at Tsukasa, either at the bar or the specials at the tables. 4. Getting fresh extracted carrot juice and a seafood campechana cocktail at Bronco on Woodman and Moorpark in Sherman Oaks. 5. The menudo (with the pata) at El Jerezano on Hazeltine near Burbank Blvd. 6. The draught Guinness and feathery-light fish and chips at Robin Hood on Burbank Blvd. 7. The ankimo at Shibucho on Beverly Blvd. 8. The hamin/cholent at Shula and Esther's on Fairfax (yemenite/Moroccan Jewish homestyle food). 9. The bread and the estamboli polo at Shahrzad flame on Westwood Blvd (and the eggplant with kashk appetizer). 10. A tie for fish and atmosphere at Canetti's Seafood in San Pedro and Fisherman's Outlet on Central near 5th in Downtown LA. Honorable mentions: french dips at Phillippe's (double-dipped) and at Cole's P.E. Buffet, armadillo eggs at Manhattan Beach Brewing, and soon du-pu at Beverly Soon Tofu (yeah there are probably better places but I like it)." -------- PERSIAN ICE CREAM Mashti Malone Ice Cream & Ice [Hollywood] 1525 N La Brea Ave, above Sunset Los Angeles 90028 323-874-6168 http://67.105.126.42/default.htm Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9050828&ck=3456298479 Rose Market [Wealthy Westlands] 1912 Westwood Blvd, between Santa Monica and Olympic Los Angeles 90025 310-470-2121 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9046694&ck=1154634679 Mashti Malone's Persian ice cream has been mentioned in passing many times, but never got a full write-up. So I (editor Thi Nguyen) did one (see link below). Here are some excerpts: Generally: absolutely pure, happy flavors with no muddiness/over-sugaredness. Saffron Rosewater Pistachio ice cream (confusingly referred to alternately as the saffron ice cream or the pistachio ice cream, but it's the same thing): tastes very much of saffron. Surprisingly warm, like a roasty vanilla - which rides happily hand-in-hand with the pistachios. Ginger Rosewater: like all the rosewater flavors, in their lightness and aroma, it's very comfortable being ice cream. Creamy Rosewater: My favorite. Very good rosewater, balanced with the right amount of sugar, and it is quite creamy, though not too fatty. Chocolate: too intensely chocolatey. Faludeh: recommended by *Erin*, who says the "'noodles' mixed into this sorbet of potent rosewater give it an interesting consistency and crunchiness that doesn't leave you feeling heavy like ice cream. You also have the option of adding a strong, sweet lemon syrup that has the flavor of lemon curd, which I like or, a strong cherry syrup, which is too sweet for me." Mashti Malone's ice cream is available in almost all area Persian markets. *Twinpooks* suggests another source for this sort of ice cream: a great little Persian market called Rose Market makes great Golo Bol Bol. "The owner is VERY proud of his ice cream and faloodeh, and has recently started to make other flavors that are interesting -- cucumber, rose, etc. - though that saffron/rosewater/pistachio/cheese ice cream mentioned above is the greatest." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24107.html -------- BANANA PANCAKES FROM THE SOUL Soul Folks Cafe [Downtown] 714 Traction Ave Los Angeles 90013 213-613-0381 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9019116&ck=3713359186 Banana-wheat products - banana-nut muffins, pancakes, etc. - depend, I think, on the precise harmony between banana and dough. Because both are mild, sweet, and so similar, one could just disappear into the other. But if they are distinct but harmonious, it's like every great rising vocal line in every Beach Boys song. *Gloomcookie* sends us to Soul Folks for banana pancakes. The service is truly awful - one hour waits - but, "if you're brave enough to try it, give the banana pancakes a whirl -- they spill over the side of the plate in a gooey delicious mess." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24207.html -------- "SO, THI, YOU'VE SUCCUMBED TO THE DARK FORCE OF THE SPAMIVERSE" (Mrs. Marshall) Loft At Lahaina [South Bay] 17311 Yukon Ave Torrance 90504 310-523-3373 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=13969828&ck=3746476667 Aloha Food Factory [San Gabriel Valley] 2990 W Valley Blvd Alhambra 91803 626-308-0215 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9359755&ck=3404031034 I (editor Thi) had a little visit to Loft at Lahaina's, and it was (as I posted) "mostly absolutely terrible - acrid teriyaki sauce and overcooked meat and ickiness - but the spam musabi made me really happy. Just right - the mushy rice against the crisp, salty spam, the acidity of the teriyaki in a good balance to the excess fattiness and saltiness of the Spam." Read more of my Spammy musings at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24105.html *Mrs. Marshall* is a fellow traveler. "I too seek out a good musubi whenever I'm feeling down and out, far from home, or just plain craving that delicate balance of a sweet, salty, chewy, mushy, mmm...just plain yummy treat." She recommends the spam musabi at Aloha Food Factory. Get it musabi style (wrapped up in seaweed, roll-style), and not sushi-style, which is way too messy. *Mrs. Marshall* adds the following helpful link to SoCal Hawaiian plate lunch places: http://alohaworld.com/platelunch/county/county.html Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24217.html -------- HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE TEA Antique Family [Koreatown] 3465 W 6th St # 160, near Alexandria in the Chapman Market Los Angeles 90020 213-383-4994 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9035694&ck=3759141769 *david* says he is "accepting Antique Cafe's green tea shake as my savior." It changed his life for a mere four dollars. Open late. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24402.html -------- BANANAS FOSTER Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen [South OC] 1590 S Disneyland Dr, in Downtown Disney Anaheim, CA 714-776-5200 http://www.rbjazzkitchen.com Locater: http://losangeles.citysearch.com/map?mode=geo&lat=338227&lon=-1179239&id=11437164&fid=2 Dal Rae Restaurant [++] 9023 Washington Blvd Pico Rivera 90660 562-949-2444 http://www.dalrae.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9175379&ck=265743668 The New Orleans beautiful banana bomb. *Elle* explains: "Just in case y'all are not familiar with it, Banans Foster is a dessert that originated in New Orleans with bananas fried in banana liqueur, rum, brown sugar and butter and then set aflame and served with ice cream." Good places for it: Of the stranger places to go for food: Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney. Owned by the Brennan family (of New Orleans' Brennan's), whose insight has survived delivery to the Dante-esque damnation of Downtown Disney. Most of the stuff at Jazz Kitchen is merely good, but the Foster is "sublime," says *Oohlala!* Del Rae, a pricey Brat Pack kinda place, has incredible Foster, under the name "Bananas Flambe." A closely-kept secret of a few chowhounds until now. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24230.html -------- THE UNDISPUTED KING OF PASTRAMI Langer's Delicatessen [Rampart District] 704 S Alvarado St, at Olympic Los Angeles 90057 213-483-8050 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9078432&ck=1046444028 Langer's Deli is on the best corner in the world: Olympic and Alvarado. You've got Guatemalan on one corner, Cuban on another, the end of black LA on a third, and, square in the middle, you've got Langer's. Says *Russkar*, "Yes it's the UNDISPUTED CHAMPION of PASTRAMI in the USA , according to some group named JAMES BEARD, NY. They are the ONLY DELI to ever win the Best in the USA Pastrami award." *Griller 141* adds, "They would have won best corned beef (even the lean version is acceptable) on rye, too, if such an award was given." Parking is half a block past the restaurant on 7th, east of Alvarado. Warning: it's a rough part of town, though it depends on your perspective. *Mr. Grub* says it's fine, "lively and very safe," but adds that he lives in South Central and is as big as a Coke machine. *Russkar* says, "At Langer's it's the 'roll the dice' dash from car (knowing I'll probably never see it again with the wheels attached) get through the front door, eat a Pastrami Sand, analyze how to get back to the car, alive! How relaxing." As for myself: noting that I think East LA and Crenshaw and Little Saigon are totally safe and mellow, that Koreatown and Ingelwood are mostly safe, and that I'd go into Compton during the day for BBQ but not, say, on a Friday night, I think the Rampart area is a little antsy - I go there, but I keep alert. Never had any trouble, but I get the creeps there sometimes. But that may be a particular thing for Asians - most ethnic enclaves in LA are quite rainbow-happy-harmonious, but the non-Korean ethnic areas right outside of Koreatown are a l! it! tle antsy for Asians, I've found. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24295.html Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24319.html -------- POLISH FOOD Warszawa Restaurant [Beaches] 1414 Lincoln Blvd, below Santa Monica Santa Monica 90401 310-393-8831 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9143900&ck=3703876067 *Renee* likes the food at Polish Warzasawa. "Candles, white walls, different rooms, great vintage Polish posters and perfect vodka martinis. We usually start with bacon-wrapped plums with candied walnuts and with light-as-air potato pancakes with plum applesauce and sour cream. Great salads as well. Then perfect lightly-fried white cheese and chive pierogies, asparagus dumplings, stuffed cabbage, schnitzel, lamb dumplings and beef stroganoff are all entree choices to die for. For dessert we manage to stuff in a few nibbles of lemon crepe with raspberry sauce." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24156.html -------- TRES LECHES REDUX Porto's Bakery [East San Fernando Valley] 315 N Brand Blvd Glendale 91203 818-956-5996 http://www.portosbakery.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9228920&ck=2267152103 Lupita's Bakery [East L.A.-ish] 2761 E Gage Ave Huntington Park 90255 323-582-6114 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9123702&ck=3064398045 Lupita's Bakery [Koreatown] 2546 W Pico Blvd # A Los Angeles 90006 213-384-1662 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9007832&ck=2987475486 Lupita's Bakery [South L.A.] 1848 W Florence Ave Los Angeles 90047 323-752-2391 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9073112&ck=1109193114 Last week, we had a big write-up on Porto's Bakery's tres leches cake. This week, another contender, from *Gloomcookie*, who reports that Lupita's Bakery's tres leches "was the best thing I had ever eaten, and it got better as it sat in the refrigerator for a couple of days (it was huge) soaking up the different kinds of milk with which it was laden...Heaven!" Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24568.html -------- COPPER RIVER SALMON IS IN SEASON Santa Monica Seafood Co [Beaches] 1205 Colorado Ave Santa Monica 90404 310-451-8844 http://www.santamonicaseafood.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9147791&ck=3025581407 Santa Monica Seafood Co [South OC] 1700 N Main St Orange 92865 714-921-2632 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9626038&ck=454019255 Santa Monica Seafood Retail [South OC] 154 E 17th St Costa Mesa 92627 949-574-8862 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9548032&ck=4234281428 Water Grill [Downtown] 544 S Grand Ave Los Angeles 90071 213-891-0900 http://www.watergrill.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9093856&ck=3172423945 Josie Restaurant [Beaches] 2424 Pico Blvd Santa Monica 90405 310-581-9888 http://www.josierestaurant.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=15311476&ck=1910549529 Explains *russkar*, be careful what you buy. Most supermarkets stock Sockeye Copper River Salmon. You want King. It's significantly more expensive ($23 a pound, as compared to $15), but worth it. One place to find some is Santa Monica Seafood. Good places to have Copper River Salmon prepared for you: Water Grill does an extraordinary version. *Mark* says Josie's had it last weekend. "Paired with white asparagus, morel mushrooms and fresh peas it was sublime!" Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24438.html -------- COOKING SUPPLIES Surfas Restaurant Supply [Culver City-ish] 8825 National Blvd Culver City 90232 310-559-4770 http://www.surfasonline.com/index.html Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9109837&ck=3773079654 Sur La Table [Beaches] 301 Wilshire Blvd, at 3rd St Santa Monica 90401 310-395-0390 http://www.surlatable.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=13125354&ck=1115090693 Sur La Table [Pasadena-ish] 161 W Colorado Blvd Pasadena 91105 626-744-9987 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=11426086&ck=3365088695 Sur La Table [West San Fernando Valley] 4050 E Thousand Oaks Blvd Westlake Village 91362 805-381-0030 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=15312871&ck=2218590487 Sur La Table [OC Beaches] 832 Avocado Ave Newport Beach 92660 949-640-0200 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=13572614&ck=3829578976 Gourmand Of California [Culver City-ish] 3051 La Cienega Blvd Culver City 90232 310-839-9222 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9109893&ck=3605303456 Cookin' Stuff [OC Beaches] 22217 Palos Verdes Blvd Torrance 90505 310-371-2220 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9157237&ck=2714884235 Star Restaurant Equipment [East San Fernando Valley] 6178 Sepulveda Blvd Van Nuys 91411 818-782-4460 http://www.starkitchen.com Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9284717&ck=3636806085 Where to go for your own cooking supplies? Surfas and Sur La Table for the well-known, high-end stuff. Surfas has a great fancy ingredient selection: dried porcini, varietal arborio rices, etc. You can taste the range of artisanal olive oils. Cooking demos on most Saturdays. Sur La Table is the best for high-end cooking gear. Best selection of knives and pots and pans. Gourmand is a similar place, largely catering to professionals. A good middle-line, well stocked shop for cooking gear is Cookin' Stuff. *Eliot* recommends Star, a restaurant supply store. "There's no glamour or foodie tourists, but tucked in with the yellow plastic water glasses and squat napkin holders are exactly the same zesters and pizza peels and baking pans for 10 or 20% less. They don't carry Global knives, but they do stock an inexpensive line of stock pots that cost half of the ones at Surfas (meaning 1/3 of what Sur La Table charges)." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24433.html -------- JIRAFFE JiRaffe Restaurant [Beaches] 502 Santa Monica Blvd Santa Monica 90401 310-917-6671 http://www.jirafferestaurant.com/index.htm Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9145848&ck=3775613900 Chowhounds like this "small and cozy place with nice food, decent prices" (*Tissue*). "The French waiter with the spiky blond hair is really nice and gives great service. He's usually pretty honest with me about what is good and what isn't." Appetizers typically are nice farmer's market fare. Most agree: meat dishes are better than the fish. Especially recommended: venison, beef. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24162.html -------- GROCERY SHOPPING ON THE CHEAP Costco [Citywide] http://www.costco.com Sam's Club [Citywide] http://www.samsclub.com Trader Joe's [Citywide] http://www.traderjoes.com Growers Direct [South OC] 101 E 17th St, at Newport Costa Mesa 92627 949-681-7880 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9547656&ck=3345189213 Farm To Market [South OC] 30190 Town Center Dr # G, Crown Valley & Alicia Laguna Niguel 92677 949-363-0123 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=17392551&ck=1502511162 Farm To Market [South OC] 32382 Del Obispo St San Juan Capistrano 92675 949-493-0005 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9573320&ck=3031271228 Growers Ranch [South OC] 2016 Newport Blvd Costa Mesa 92627 949-642-6025 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9545673&ck=4013746392 Thrifty shoppers conclude: Farmers' markets are the way to go for produce, especially in SoCal. Fresh, cheap, delicious produce. And, says Your Editor Thi, when you start hitting farmer's markets regularly, you get into the swing of the seasons. Urban-dweller me never had this experience before. You can figure out how to get absolutely perfect produce without paying an inch more than at a low-rent supermarket. Costco and Sam's club memberships are good, as long as you can resist the urge to overbuy. Costco is especially good for meats. Trader Joe's. I (Thi again) posted that I like TJ's "for cooking cheeses, pre-made stocks, dried fruits. Avoid their fresh veggies. Also very good cheap alcohol. Costco has the cheapest handles - good for parties - but they don't have the really great stuff. Just the name-brand stuff. Seagram's, fer instance. TJ's has a really great selection: to name a few, Macallan 12, Maker's Mark, etc. for at least 25% cheaper than anyone else. And REAL SMIRNOFF, FROM FREAKING MOSCOW FOR GOD'S SAKE, FOR $9 A LITER. Nothing like American-bottled Smirnoff. The Moscow stuff tastes of potato and clawing-up-from-misery. Great. Also Plugra - holy French-style cooking butter - for 1/4 the price of Bristol farms. Really. Seriously. 1/4." Down in Orange County: Grower's Direct (a tantalizing name!): *torta basilica* writes, "I always am hauling huge bags, 5 or more, of wonderful stuff out of there for under $25. Eggs - jumbo @ .99/doz, great mangoes, berries, etc. Caveats: eat any berries immediately - very short shelf life; don't buy the celery - the only yuckky thing there. Tasty grapes, tangelos, corn, etc, etc. Just try and get out of there with under 5 bags!" Farm to Market for cheap, quality produce. Growers Ranch - a major supplier for OC restaurants. Has a wholesale department, too. Coupon strategy: note that the Sunday LA Times has two coupon sections. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24097.html -------- GIMME A THIN THIN Domenico's Italian Restaurant [Pasadena-ish] 236 W Huntington Dr Monrovia 91016 626-357-7975 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9215633&ck=3816466976 Domenico's Italian Restaurant [Pasadena-ish] 2411 E Washington Blvd Pasadena 91104 626-797-6459 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9222316&ck=3241389400 Domenico's Italian Restaurant [Pasadena-ish] 251 N Santa Anita Ave Arcadia 91006 626-574-7433 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9211542&ck=2919195647 Special thin thin pizza at Domenico's. Listen, my friends, to *Chino Wayne*: "When our waitress Marie initially went in to the kitchen I heard her call out our order, and when it came to the pie, her words to the line cook were 'a large thin, thin pizza, double pepperoni and sausage'. I have come to believe that the turn of phrase 'thin, thin' is key to everything. Normally a Domenico's pizza is prepared with a thin crust; however, their standard thin crust is much too much doughy crust for the Mrs. and I. I think the un-houndly masses probably go for it because they don't know any better, and it is a cheap way to fill up. When Domenico's produces a 'thin, thin' pizza it is Heaven on Earth. Our thin, thin crust pizza arrived hot from the oven, and the crust was truly thin, maybe 1/4 of an inch thick on the outer edge, much, much thiner towards the center. The outer edge had the consistency of a very nice, warm, golden brown, cracker.So the taste sensations that came through,! w! ere of a nice dry crackly outer crust, a softer, but not doughy or gummy inner crust, and a perfect melding of tomato sauce, melted cheese, pepperoni and Italian sausage. I would rate Domenico's 'thin, thin' pizza the best I can find in the greater L.A. area except for D'Amore." Additional note: appetizers. Italian fried morsels make me dribble and drool. Good ones always explode in my mouth. Fried cheese, almost reduced to pure liquid, flavor-power barely contained in breading, christ, I'm losing control over my words. And the thought of fried RAVIOLI. Listen to *Wayne*: "The fried ravioli at Domenico's is pretty good though. It consists of cheese raviolis, dipped in bread crumbs and deep fried. I can taste a hint of chile in these and believe they may add a little chile powder to the bread crumbs. The fried ravioli, as are the other fried appetizers, is accompanied by a nice little bowl of Domenico's marinara, and I do enjoy the way the fried appetizers and marinara complement each other. A combo appetizer is one in which you may choose any three items (out of ravioli, zucchini, poppers, calamari and I think something else, which escapes me as I write this)." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24274.html -------- PLACES GENERALLY CONDEMNED BY CHOWHOUNDS Chadwicks. The food is bland, cold, and just depressing. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24156.html Stinking Rose. "One word - disgusting," says *Sonia*. About six other posters agree. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/24413.html -------- FROM THE ARCHIVES: KOREATOWN Dong Il Jang Restaurant [Koreatown] 3455 W 8th St Los Angeles 90005 213-383-5757 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9006874&ck=1366952719 Chosun Galbi Restaurant [Koreatown] 1040 S Western Ave Los Angeles 90006 323-732-5000 http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/chosungalbi/index.html Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9008186&ck=563562415 Chung Ki Wa [Koreatown] 3545 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles 90019 323-737-0809 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9033771&ck=132878821 Sa Rit Gol [Koreatown] 3189 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles 90006 213-387-0909 Locater: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?&tuid=9008485&ck=2745094193 I discovered this lovely post (lightly edited here) from a while ago by *Charles Kim*. It hits a lot of Korean places that haven't been discussed much on this board, recommends alternate dishes for some places we know well, flexes some knowledge of Korean eating culture, and he seems to know his stuff. "(1) Dong Il Jang on Eighth, just east of Western, on the north side of Eighth, is an excellent barbecue place. I recommend ordering their unmarinated meat offerings, rather than the usual kalbi or pulgogi. Choson Kalbi on Western, on the east side of the street, south of Olympic is also a good BBQ place with good panch'an. Both are on the pricey side. The former is a little more cozy, with the smell of many years of barbecue ingrained in the upholstery, etc. Depending on whether or not you like this might help the decision making. Also, I'm not sure if this is common knowledge on Chowhound, but when eating Korean BBQ, a common combination is eating meat first, then having a cool bowl of naeng-myon afterward. Since portions of both meat and noodles are large here in the US, if you get the naeng-myon, I recommend splitting between two or three people one bowl. My experience has been that waitstaff will split it up for you in the kitchen. Choson kalbi is unique because you can! a! ctually order small-sized naeng-myons. (2) there's a place on olympic a ways west of western on the north side of the street. I think it's around crenshaw. It's roughly across the street from the big car wash. on the sign is written 'certified black angus beef' or something like that. It has good panch'an all around and their fish stews are also very good. bbq is also very good here. [Editor's note: I believe this is Chung Ki Wah] (3) there's a little place called San, located on 8th, either just east or just west of Vermont, on the south side of the street. it's in a small strip mall on the easternmost part; there's a chinese restaurant on the westernmost part. Can't give better directions, except that it's east of Jons market. Anyway, it's a tiny place with just a few tables that does a lot of to-go orders. Their samgye t'ang (chicken stew) is quite good. (4) Gilmok on James Wood, a block or two west on Vermont, on the NW corner is one of the original Korean BBQ places in LA. Both panch'an and meat are just average, to be honest, but the prices are good and the portions are large. Nonetheless, I enjoy eating meat here because of its atmosphere - it feels like a classic, down-home kogi-jip in Seoul. If you do have meat, eat quickly because the grilltops are of poor quality and the meat burns quickly. Again, i recommend the non-marinated meat types. You have to order lettuce separately. You get a huge 'bouquet', if you can imagine a bouquet of lettuce. Last but not least, they make a good bowl of tong ch'imi kuksu (noodles). It's another form of cold noodles. The soup is a type of kimch'i (tong ch'imi) that's not spicy. It seems like a lot of people don't have a taste for the branch of briny, water-based kimch'i of which tong ch'imi is a type, but it's excellent in the summer and it's worth going to Gilmok, just for them. Porti! on! s are enormous, so it definitely should be split between 2. If you tell the waitress beforehand, she'll put it into 2 bowls in the kitchen." Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles1/messages/2567.html *c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w* Follow Jim Leff's chowhounding exploits around the NY Tristate area and well beyond (recently: Las Vegas and SF Bay). Funny, evocative reports and essays, and some good non-food advice too (on travel deals, great movies and books; just all manner of good stuff). See a sample issue at http://www.chowhound.com/chowalert *c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w* GENERAL TOPICS CHOWNEWS! (comments/corrections to generaleditorat_private) -------- -------- BETTER BURGERS Tips and tweaks for hamburger making: Use fresh ground chuck, or grind your own (*Ben F*) Pack meat loosely for a juicy burger, and don't press with the spatula while it cooks. (*Tatyana Gourov*) Make a thin patty and cook on a griddle, diner style. (*Ben F*) For outdoor grilling: Use 1/3 to 1/2 lb. to form a patty 3/4" thick and 4-5" around. Make sure the patty is well formed, so it won't fall apart. Preheat grill to medium-high, add burgers, cover grill and cook about 4 minutes. Carefully slide the spatula under the patty (it shouldn't stick) to flip. Recover and cook another 3 minutes or so, to taste. (*Linda W*) A gorgonzola dolce "stuffed" burger from *Hunter*: Make 2 thin patties seasoned with S & P, oregano, and steak sauce. Grill until one side is done, put some gorgonzola dolce on one patty, top with the other, pinching the edges of both together. Grill until done. *Catherine* makes a similar burger by sandwiching blue cheese between thin patties before cooking. Adding these ingredients to the meat adds flavor and keeps it moist, says *cypressstylepie*: ketchup yellow mustard Peter Luger steak sauce dried chopped onion (not onion powder) dried basil cubes of cheddar hot chili powder or hot sauce Condiments and toppings to add atop: Mayo, pickles, salt and pepper, sauteed mushrooms, potato chips (*Linda W*), juicy tomatoes and hefty slices of raw sweet onion, such as Texas 1015, Vidalia, or Walla Walla (*Bruce*). Peter Luger Steak Sauce http://www.guilianos.com/shop/itm00198.htm Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35296.html -------- SPLASHY DESSERT IDEAS Make a rosewater-scented meringue and fill with a pistachio ice cream, garnished with rose petals and finely-chopped pistachios. (*Saucyknave*) Baked Alaska. Use ice creams and sorbets of your choice. Delicious and dramatic. (*M.K.*) Boccone Dolce. Make three 8" meringues, spread melted chocolate on two of them, and layer them with 1/2" whipped cream, topped with fresh, sliced strawberries. Top with remaining meringue. Frost entire cake with whipped cream and decorate with more fresh strawberries. Get as fancy as you like. Refrigerate 24 hours. (*Marilayne*) "Chocolate Damnation," from the Trellis cookbook, includes a layer of chocolate cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crumb crust and two layers of chocolate cake with chocolate-raspberry mousse in between. Each layer gets a coating of raspberry puree, and the entire cake is then frosted in chocolate ganache." (*LBQT*) "The Trellis Cookbook," by Marcel Desaulniers http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671748424/ChowhoundcomA Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/34967.html -------- SCORCHED STAINLESS PAN A serious mess. Before tossing that pan in the trash, read on! Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to some water and boil in the afflicted pan. (*GG Mora*) Linda W*. makes a paste of baking soda and a little bit of water, spreads it on the scorch, and lets it just sit overnight. Mixing a strong solution or paste of dishwasher detergent and a little water will loosen up burned-on gook. Leave overnight. (*Plano Rose*) -------- CHICKEN PARTS FOR CHICKEN STOCK Suggestions for the richest stock. Chicken feet...'cuz they add gelatin! (*Tom Meg*) *Lindsay B.* watches for free-range Bell and Evans chickens to go on sale. Buy two! Cut off the wings, and bone the rest of the bird. Freeze the meat and make a stock out of bones, necks, wings and giblets (if you don't want to go to the trouble of boning out the drumsticks, toss them in meat and all). Freshly-cut carcasses yield much richer stock than pre-cut parts. "We save/freeze every chicken bone or part and when enough have accumulated, we make a stock, using saved vegetable scraps (also frozen)." ( *Lew P.*) Chicken gizzards add a wonderful quality to chicken stock, says *Wendy Leonard*. Finding Bell and Evans chickens: http://www.bellandevans.com/findus/findus.asp Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35085.html -------- ENGLISH PARTY FOOD Finger foods for Anglophiles: Scotch Eggs : hard-cooked eggs wrapped in sausage meat and fried up nice and brown. Slice them in half, pole to pole, and serve with a bit of grainy mustard. (*Deenso*) Smoked Scottish salmon and kippers. (*Celeryroot*) Cucumber sandwiches with bread crusts cut off. (*Alex*) Cream some Marmite with butter and use as a sandwich spread. (*Jon Tseng*) Chip butties (recipe from *Bigskulls*): 1. Make some chips (that's french fries for us Yanks) 2. Get some gooey white bread (Wonder or equivalent) 3. Butter the bread (marg is fine also) 4. Place chips on bread 5. Add sauce (ketchup, etc....) 6. Roll together and serve. Marmite http://www.worldhealthcare.net/marmite/marmite.html Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/34801.html -------- SHAKERATO A delicious iced coffee drink from Italy Recipe link from *Letsplay1*: http://www.mrlucky.com/html/cocktails/caffe-shakerato.html Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35133.html -------- RICE, AND PLENTY OF IT *Dave Feldman* orders his jasmine rice and sticky rice from: http://importfood.com/noodlesrice.html Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/crave/messages/9635.html -------- THE BEST A highly subjective list of the country's bests, from french fries to coconut cake, and everything (down-home style, not luxe) in between. Way too extensive to recap...have a look. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35573.html -------- MENUS AT AMAZON This mysterious page at Amazon has menus from popular restaurants in NYC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC (they'll be adding more and welcome menu donations): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/913908 Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35651.html -------- SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY If fish cooking odors linger, here are some hints to clear the air: Crank up your exhaust fan and open a window while cooking. Wipe down well the whole area where you cooked, especially when frying. A natural, orange-scented air freshener from Trader Joe's [but available widely] helps too. (*Zora*) Steam the fish. Covered cooking helps a lot. (*Dee Gustay*) A soup bowl with 1/2" of vinegar will absorb the odor while you cook. (*Gene*) Simmer citrus peels and/or cloves in water on the stove. (*Amy6*) The best odor eliminator is the Lampe Berger, an oil-burning lamp with a catalytic converter. Expensive. (*Joann S*) Take the fishy garbage out immediately. (*M.K.*) Trader Joe's locations: http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/index.asp Lampe Berger Site (in French) http://www.lampeberger.fr Lampe Berger Site (translated to English) http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.lampeberger.fr/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlampe%2Bberger%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35075.html -------- PIZZA DOUGH Make your own! The "Joy of Cooking" recipe for pizza dough works, even for novices. It freezes beautifully too. (*Miss Poste*) Pizza dough also comes out great when mixed and kneaded in a bread machine. *Chris VR* recommends the pizza dough and focaccia recipes in "Bread Machine Magic." *Lucia* has found that it's key to use relatively gluten-rich flour (sometimes called bread flour) and decent olive oil. See her detailed instructions at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35166.html The easiest of all, from *CliffA*: buy thin Boboli crust. Brush with your favorite sauce, add toppings and bake. "Joy of Cooking" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684818701/ChowhoundcomA "Bread Machine Magic" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312069146/ChowhoundcomA Boboli crusts (recipe ideas, too) http://boboli.com.au Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35165.html -------- WEIGHT WATCHER SOUP DIVINE The Weight Watchers weight-loss program assigns points to foods and gives dieters a daily point allotment. Here's a hearty soup with ZERO points, courtesy of *Kit Marlowe*. Eat hearty! Bring to a boil two big cans of chicken stock. Add and simmer together: Diced tomatoes, diced red onion, 6 T cider vinegar, cumin, cinnamon, 2 chopped chipotle peppers with adobo (right from the can), one large can of pulped pumpkin (the type used for pie), 6-7 cloves of roasted garlic minced, mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Good hot or at room temperature. "Unctuous, rich, and decadent," pronounces *GG Mora*. Read the thread at: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/messages/35623.html *c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w-c-h-o-w* YOUR CHOWNEWS WAIT STAFF Executive Editor: Jim Leff Managing Editor: Pat Hammond Copy Editor: Caitlin McGrath, Hilary Johnson Linksmen: Bob Brooks, Luke "Links" VL, a Zimnonymous and a Mannonymous New York Editor: Deven Black New York Associate Editor: Frank Leone New York Assistant Editors: Eric Eto, Dennison Lee, Christina Zompakos, Tom Meglioranza, Tom Steele, Elaine Golin, Kent Peterson and one Impondymous San Francisco Editor: Cheryl Pochapin San Francisco Associate Editors: Ruth Lafler, Limster, Melanie Wong San Francisco Assistant Editors: Gordon Wing, Kenneth Hoffman, Nancy Berry, Janet Zimmerman, Zach Georgopoulos, Judith Lessow-Hurley, Rochelle McCune, Jennifer Fish Wilson, Brandon D. Nelson, Fatemeh Khatibloo, Rochelle Foles Los Angeles Editor: Thi Nguyen Los Angeles Assistant Editors: Tom Armitage, Bob Brooks, Sam Gilbert, Chandvakl and a Brennonymous and a Simnonymous. General Topics Editor: Pat Hammond
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