Rustic Canyon

It’s my two-year blogging anniversary, and I have been thinking about all my culinary adventures. Out of my 71 blog posts I have picked 11 favorites that are worth mentioning again.

November 2015 – Newberry Springs was the last stop on our Route 66 Road Trip. Buffalo Burgers at the Bagdad Café. I loved “Standing on the Corner in Winslow Arizona”. It was very cool even though it had nothing to do with eating. November 2016 – a friend’s birthday celebration at Fogo de Chao in Beverly Hills – Elaborate sides and salad bar with waiters serving meats on skewers the size of small swords. February 2017 – The Whiskey Bread Pudding at the Side Door in Corona del mar, served with raisins and whipped cream, is scrumptious. June 2017 – Freshly baked muffins with our coffee at The Butcher, Baker, and the Cappuccino Maker (what a great name) in West Hollywood. The patio was so lovely we could have stayed there all day. Dinner that same day at Rustic Canyon. This gets bolded because we were served one of the best meals I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Shared plates is a great idea here because everything on the menu sounded so good…… even the luscious lavender almonds served with our cocktails.

November 2017 – Puesto Irvine serves Equisto, a delicious grilled corn with chile, lime, queso and crema. Saint and Second in Belmont Shore in January 2018 was a very pleasant experience from food and service to atmosphere. I especially liked the Apple Pear Shrimp Salad. My lunch on May 21st was a complete surprise. Benji’s is a coffee shop in Tustin that has been in operation for many years. The food was pretty traditional but very good. The Lemon Marscapone Cake the waitress insisted I order was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted!!

April 29 craving something Cuban called for a trip to the Porto’s in Buena Park. Their Chicken Tamales have the lightest, tastiest masa ever!. During my month long birthday celebration on June 9th at Republique on La Brea in Los Angeles, we were surprised that seating was community tables (not my favorite way to enjoy food). It was very noisy, and the service was slow. The food was good though – especially the Prime Dry Aged Ribeye Cap. Shared plates is still very popular.

I must include Willie Mae’s in New Orleans on my list because they really do serve the “best Fried Chicken in the nation!” It certainly is the best I have ever tasted by far!!!

The Other Thing – Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer-prize winning food critic for the Los Angeles Times passed away on Saturday, July 21st. His annual “101 Best Restaurants” has been my guide. I didn’t always agree with him but he always paid attention food trucks and the little mom and pop operations. He wasn’t always a fan of the “snooty” and ridiculously expensive restaurants. I have only tried 10 out of the 101 but I’m working on it. Mr. Gold will be greatly missed.

Coffee in Studio City at Alfred’s, dinner at The Tasting Kitchen in Venice, breakfast at The Butcher, The Baker and the Cappuccino Maker in West Hollywood, another dinner at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica and our final breakfast at Hampton 818 in Sherman Oaks.

Jeff and I were looking forward to dinner at The Tasting Kitchen but were disappointed in our meals. Everything began well with mussels and clams in a delicious broth accompanied by freshly baked bread with a crunchy crust and soft in the middle. The entrees, however, were interesting but lacking any levels of real flavor. I had a shredded lamb with fig coulis over torn whole wheat pasta topped with shaved parmesan. Good idea but something was missing. Jeff’s pork served with cheesy polenta was slightly underdone. Since the menu changes often, we might give it another try.

The next morning, our breakfast at The Butcher, The Baker and the Cappuccio Maker was a delight. Great outdoor atmosphere complete with trees, granite tabletops and linens.

A basket of fresh muffins to go with our cappuccinos, then eggs benedict for Jeff and a seafood frittata grilled in a skillet. This place is definitely a keeper. I can see having morning coffee and hanging out for a while enjoying the sun.

A little Summer Shandy for me At Rustic Canyon

There were four of us for dinner, and it was a culinary experience to remember.

The menu features shared plates. Our feast included…. Lavender Almonds (sounds weird but they were delicious!!)

Persian Cucumbers with black olives, tomatoes and burrata

Chicken Liver Mousse with pickled rhubarb, poppy seed and grilled bread

Masumoto Stone Fruit with beet gazpacho, almond and chevre

Grist & Toll Polenta with fresh ricotta, strawberry-pinenut sofrito and basil

Local Rice Porridge with duck leg carnitas, cherry, savory and macadamia

Roasted Chicken with summer squash, hazelnuts and curry sauce

Strauss Grass-Fed Hanger Steak with tomatillo and padron peppers

Pavlova for dessert – Strawberries, yogurt with a white chocolate crust

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On to Hampton 818 the next day for another memorable breakfast. This place has a very unassuming entrance with a delightful surprise inside. It has an outside atmosphere complete with hanging lights, crystal chandeliers, live plants in small pots on the tables. The wall behind the bar contains a real fireplace.

Breakfast specials of the house are the French Toast and Egg Benedict so that seems like the wise choice for our first visit. Jeff’s toast had cornflake breading and served with berries. I had the vegetarian benedict with grilled tomatoes and spinach. Both tasted as good as they looked.

This Blog-a-Thon was also a great time with my son. I checked my blog journal to determine which of the 100 restaurants Jeff and I both had not tried. New dining experiences for both of us as well as a chance to spend time together.

This, That, and The Other Thing

Tag

Food Faves

Blog-a-thon with My Son