The Other Thing

The Hive, Costa Mesa

What is new and cool in Costa Mesa – THE HIVE! Located on 3333 Susan Street, it is a creative office campus with three newly built buildings, one of which is the home of the Los Angeles Chargers. The foyer of the adjacent building looks like someone’s very nice living room.

Between the two buildings and connected by a glass enclosed hallway, is The Lost Bean Organic Coffee and Tea. This is my new go to place for caffeine and conversation. The atmosphere inside and out is exciting and relaxing at the same time. There are lots of gathering spots, lounge chairs and umbrellas. I notice that the building next door even has bicycles for rent.

Charlene is the coffee officionado. She says the beans are roasted just right, and the flavor is rich and full. My drink of choice is Chai Latte which they made iced for me with almond milk. It leaves a gentle tang (perhaps nutmeg) on the tongue that suits me just fine. The baristas are friendly and act like they really enjoy working there! This place is definitely a keeper!!

The Other Thing – Its called The Hive for a good reason. When the word gets around about The Lost Bean, this campus will be buzzin’!!

July 27, 2018 0

Food Faves

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.

July 23, 2018 1

Dozza, Italy

Interpro Travel is the best, and not just because owner Roberto Torrini is a friend. Our itinerary always include an unscheduled surprise. The one our group experienced on the 2013 Food and Wine Tour of Northern Italy was a very special treat.
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Dozza is a small community in the Emilia-Romagna region in the province of Bologna. It is known for its festival of the painted wall, which takes place every two years in September. During this festival, famous national and international artists paint permanent works on the walls of the houses. Our tour bus was too large for the narrow streets, so it parked down below and we walked up the hill. The art, of course, is very good. It is charming and colorful – quite a feast for the eyes.

There was lots of time to walk through the town, look at the art, relax at a little café with a glass of wine and just enjoy the day.

The Other Thing – Dozza has a website if you understand Italian. To see more art, and in more detail, go to http://www.marcocavallini.it/dozzaeng.html. It’s all pretty amazing!

July 19, 2018 0

New Orleans Eats – Part 2

The Milk Bar is so much fun you don’t know whether it’s the food or the atmosphere that is so engrosing. The food is served in a paper bag so you can take it with you or eat it there. How could I resist a sandwich called “Clooney’s Choice”? It was made with marinated chicken, avocado, tomato, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, cilantro and lemon mayo. The “Occidental Oriental” was Kaitlynn’s choice and apparently her “usual”. It was like a Chinese chicken salad on a bun. You can’t leave without experiencing their milk shakes or malts. Billed as old fashioned and hand dipped, they are huge and all under $4.00. “Chocthunder from Downunder” shake for Kaitlynn and the “Caramel Carama” malt for moi. The Moo Crewe was very friendly and accommodating. The entertainment is on the wall in the form of Cow Economics from around the world. For a good laugh, check out their website.

P.J.s Coffee is the Starbuck’s of New Orleans and Kaitlynn’s favorite hangout. The first one was founded in 1978. There are two cafes on the Tulane campus and one right across the street from Kaitlynn’s apartment. Their summer featured coffee is Southern Wedding Cake Iced Latte. That was my order every time.
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We had a fancy brunch on the 24th to celebrate both our birthdays. Ralph’s on the Park is across the entrance to City Park which is four times larger than New York’s Central Park. Our table was decorated with a red ribbon to indicate there was a birthday to celebrate. A handsome older gentleman was playing the piano in the bar – wonderful old songs from the 30s and 40s.

First course was a Pomegranate Sparkler for me and a Shirley Temple for Kaitlynn accompanied by Cream Biscuits with seasonal fresh made jam. Second course was Turtle Soup for Kaitlynn and Corn Tomato Bisque with a corn relish float for me. Entrée choices for us were Southern Schnitzel – paneed chicken breast, scrambled eggs, chicken sausage cream gravy and red bean puree, AND Crawfish Cakes & Poached Eggs with smoked tomato butter sauce, arugula and Cherry Tomato Salad.

Dessert turned out to be a real party. We ordered Banana Bread Pudding and Chocolate Doberge. Then while we started in on those, the waitress brought us each a chocolate birthday with a candle. Four desserts at one meal – A chocolate-lover’s dream!

After a St. Charles street car ride and a tour through the National WWII Museum and Ogden Museum of Southern Art (more about those later), we ate lunch at Flamingo Go Go – what a kick!! It was a Monday so I had to have my Red Beans and Rice. It was served with smoked sausage. I also had to have the drink of the day, it seemed only right. The frozen margarita tasted so good on a day that reached 90+.

Stay tuned for New Orleans Eats – Part 3, The Grand Finale

July 1, 2018 0

Republique

Republic is listed as #19 on Jonathan Gold’s 2017 101 Best Restaurants. My first impression was a little disappointing because I was unaware that this place had communal dining. This arrangement makes conversation difficult, and the dining experience not as intimate. Jeff, Mickey and Erin seemed fine with it though.

We ordered small plates to share which increases tasting opportunities for which I am always appreciative. The potato and leek beignets were delicious. They were bite size so you got that burst of flavor from the gruyere and horseradish aioli. We ordered the Foie Gras Torchon Toast because we thought we should. Cauliflower with charred cucumber, yogurt, crispy falafel and mint. was pretty tasty. The Prime Dry-Aged Ribeye Cap was served with California green asparagus, maui onions, chanterelle mushrooms was excellent. The pasta was Corn Agnolotti with brown butter, parmesan and basil. We ordered it as it seems cooking in brown butter is the latest “in” thing. Mary’s Organic Roasted Chicken was baked and served in a skillet with brentwood corn, green and yellow wax beans, sungold tomatoes, and roasted jus. What a convenient coincidence that it was carved in fourths.

Dessert is always a treat no matter what dinner is all about.

The food was very good but there were no OMG moments. Jeff said that maybe because we have eaten in so many fine restaurants in the past and have had diverse dining experiences, the bar has been raised too high. Number 19 or not, it’s only one person’s opinion, and it’s all subjective anyway, right?

The entire weekend was an early birthday celebration from my son. Laurel Point, The Last Bookstore, Hotel Figueroa, Republique and a fabulous Sunday brunch prepared by my son’s loving hands. Bloody Marys accompanied by Jennifer’s famous charcuterie tray – a watermelon salad with arugula, feta cheese and berries – granola with fresh fruit, nuts and almond milk – eggs baked in a ramekin with cheese and herbs, followed by a cup of that really tasty Nespresso coffee.

The Other thing – When I texted Jeff the next day to thank him again for the great weekend, he said, “You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed it. Next time it’s Bestia (#17 and Providence (#2).”

June 17, 2018 0

City Doings

There was so much going on last weekend with my son that I have to break up my blog posts. So in Jeff’s neighborhood, this is what was going on. Friday night, after a lovely limo ride from Costa Mesa, Jeff, Mickey and I went to Laurel Point for dinner. It is on Ventura Boulevard walking distance from Jeff’s apartment. It was a warm night, so we sat on their covered patio.

This was probably our most relaxing time as the weekend had just begun. Dinner was very tasty. As appetizers, we shared a half dozen Oysters, Spicy Tuna Roll and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Good so far, huh?

Jeff ordered clam chowder and the Caesar salad with crispy chicken for his entree. Mickey and I broke the sharing rule and both had the John Dory. It was pan seared with pressed lemon butter and served with market vegetables. We broke another rule and did not order dessert.

FYI – It’s Lobster Mondays at Laurel Point.. You get a 1-1/2 pound lobster for $39. I can’t remember the last time I had lobster.

Then lunch in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday at the totally renovated Hotel Figueroa. It was originally built in 1926 as a YWCA. It is Spanish Colonial and located 7 minutes from Staples Center. There are 3 bars and 2 restaurants (Breva and Veranda) conceived by a James Beard award nominee.

We were a little early for lunch at Breva so we had cocktails in the cozy lobby. Cocktail waitress was not having her best day, but our waiter at lunch was very friendly and on the ball. Lunch entrees were very good but we must have been really hungry. I have no photos. The table settings were beautiful – fine china with delicate flower designs. The dessert was worth a photo though just to show off the plate on which it was served.

The Other Thing – So many restaurants, so little time. It’s such fun to be a foodie. I’m no expert on anything food related but I know what I like. Dining (not just eating) is one of my favorite things to do. There are a lot of people out there who only eat to live. I think they are missing something.

June 16, 2018 0

EATALY L.A.

Located in the newly renovated Century City Mall, Eataly occupies multi-levels at one end. It was a Sunday and crowds were everywhere. Eataly L.A. is a duplicate of the one in New York City. It seemed to me that it was a contemporary version of Mercado Centrale in Florence, Italy. The one in Italy though is an incrdible feast for the eyes down every aisle and on every corner. The only area here with any semblance of color is the vegetable and fruit market. This is a place where you need time to stroll and savor what is going on. It would need to be on a week day – less hustle and bustle and more interaction with the vendors.

We ate at Terra, a wood burning Italian Grill. It is on the roof (which I think is actually a 5th level) and has a great view of Century City and beyond.

Melanzana for Jennifer. It was a whole roasted eggplant with raisins, capers, pomegranate, agrodolce. Mickey ordered the Verdure Alla Griglia – wood fired organic seasonal vegetables. It did look spectacular. Jeff had the Big Eye Tonno – seared wild tuna, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fines herbes. For me it was pasta. Ravioli Primavera was house-made spring pea ravioli with mint and lemon.

We never pass up dessert no matter how stuffed. Mickey shared a very mocha infused tiramisu served in a canning jar. Quite tasty with an unusual presentation. Jeff had mixed berries, and Jennifer chose a chocolate chocolate something.

This is an intriguing shopping and dining experience if you give it some time. We might have had more traditional Italian food if we had eaten on the 2nd level at La Pizza e La Pasta. They were making the pasta fresh as we walked by.

Level 2 has La Scuola di Eataly, Italian Sweets, Il Gelato, Lavazza Coffee, and The White Moustache where you make your own yogurt with local fruit, granola and White Moustache yogurt.

Besides La Pizza e La Pasta, Level 3 has “prosciutto and cheese heaven”, the local food market, a bakery, fresh produce, La Piazza wine bar, Il Pesce Cucina fresh fish market, and a wine store.

The Other Thing – I need to give this place a second look. I know I have missed a lot.

June 16, 2018 0

The Last Bookstore

Located at 453 South Spring in downtown Los Angeles, this place is like a city of books!! Two floors are filled with thousands and thousands of books of every genre invented by man. Old and battered books, new best sellers, CDs, DVDs, record albums, scientific journals, wizardry, fantasy, science fiction and futurama – all under one very large roof. This is where all the vintage books go to be adopted or die a quiet death. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, maybe it does not exist.

There is no rhyme or reason to the stacks. There is a tunnel of books, a pile that is crooked, some defy gravity in their attempt to look interesting. It was such fun wandering around – and of course taking lots of photos. It would be easy to spend all day here.

I must mention the 7 book clubs that meet there every month. The names are intriguing. True Crime Tuesdays, The Afrofuturism Book Club, Poetry in the Labyrinth, LA Lit Fic, Feminist Book Club, The Thing in the Labyrinth, and Victorian Literary Parlour. Their marketing postcard reads “Book-Inclusive, with Snacks/Bevs & Professional Moderators”. Wouldn’t you like to be the fly on the wall during one of these meetings.

The Other Thing – The place was packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages and degrees of enthusiasm — and this interesting elderly man who was very much into the fantasy section….

June 12, 2018 0

Garlic & Chives

The 2017 edition of Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants shows Garlic & Chives as #93. As a food critic for the Los Angeles for a number of years, he uses this numbering system to rate restaurants in the Los Angeles area, with a few thrown in from Orange County.

I am not sure exactly what criteria Mr. Gold uses to determine which will appear in the annual culinary publication. This was my conundrum when having lunch with Julie at Garlic & Chives this week. Our expectations were high, but we were disappointed. Perhaps we expected too much from a restaurant listed as #93. But still – it was in the book. We ordered 3 items items to share – coincidentally the same 3 that were listed in his review. These were also recommended by our waitress when we told her that this was our first visit.

Salmon Belly battered in garlic seasonings and fried crisp, served with house special sauce. The picture in the menu showed large pieces of salmon. In actuality, they were thin strips so heavily battered we could not taste the salmon. The sauce was quite tasty though. See all those peppers? We requested no peppers.

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The Baked Corn Cheese was baked in a hot skillet and topped with mozzarella. This is supposedly a Koreatown dish, but there was nothing special about it. It tasted like it came from a can.

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The redeeming dish was the Pomelo Salad with grapefruit, shrimp, port, banana blossom, carrots, onion, mint and peanuts tossed with house vinaigrette. This was a nice blend of flavors and textures.

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In all fairness, we did not order any of the numerous entrees. The menu is quite extensive. Also, when you see Asians dining in an Asian restaurant you figure it must be pretty good. Our experience, however, did not warrant our return.

The Other Thing — Since June is my birthday month, Julie started it off by giving me a lovely lemon birthday cake and a little package that read “Your Birthday Week – Open a Gift a Day”. It looks very intriguing but I can’t open it until June 20th. Thank you Julie!!

June 6, 2018 0

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