Category Archives: Santa Monica

September 18, 2015 · 10:00 am

Carnivorous Consumption

Belcampo Meat Co. is one of my favorite stalls at Grand Central Market downtown. It’s an upscale butcher shop (part of a Northern California chain) that also serves some of the best burgers in the City. So I was really excited when I heard they were opening another location in Santa Monica that included a full-blown restaurant.

The new Santa Monica eatery has the feel of private club dedicated to hardcore connoisseurs of exotic game. Located behind the butcher shop, the windowless, dimly-lit dining room is sleek and art deco-esque with “animal hide” art hanging on the walls. A large illuminated bar is manned by gregarious hipsters who craft unique and tasty cocktails such as a House Bloody Mary with clarified tomato juice, bacon pepper vodka, celery ice cubes and candied bacon garnish, and a BBQ Old Fashioned garnished with housemade beef jerky.

But while Belcampo’s ambiance and menu signal an exotic food adventure, it has unfortunately been a disappointing one for me each time I’ve gone. I absolutely hated the fishy-tasting Beef Tartare made with smoked oysters. The bland Lamb Tartare was a little better, but I wouldn’t recommend that either. Other disappointments included the Grilled Beef Heart, a dish I’ve enjoyed before at other restaurants but missed the mark here, and a very gamey plate of Mutton Chops. My recommendation if you visit the restaurant is to sit at the bar and order the super tasty Cheeseburger with Beef Tallow Fries. Sometimes simplest is best.

Belcampo Meat Co. is located at 1026 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica. Its original Los Angeles location is still Downtown in Grand Central Market. A third location serving mainly burgers and hot dogs recently opened at 8053 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles (Mid-City).

Lamb Tartare with Turmeric Oil, Spiced Yogurt & Papadum

Pork Ribs with Apricot & Hot Mustard Sauce, with Jicama Slaw

Grilled Beef Heart with Roasted Fennel & Peppers, Mizuna and Salsa Verde

Meatballs with Pickled Fresno Chiles & Vietnamese Coriander

Mutton Chops with English Peas, Pomegranate and Mint Chutney

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with House Chorizo, Tequila & Apple Cider Vinegar

Belcampo Cheeseburger (this one is from the stall in Grand Central Market)

Banana Cream Pie

Butcher shop upfront

Knife covers!

Not a fan of the decor

Although the bar is cool…

The 10 Best Burger Joints in Los Angeles

If there’s one food that we excel at in Los Angeles, it’s hamburgers. There are no shortage of excellent eateries in this city at which to celebrate the holy marriage of grilled meat patty and bun, preferably with a thick slice of melted cheese, a whole mess of sautéed onions and a couple strips of bacon in between. It has been a life-long mission of mine to identify the very best of these local burger establishments. Here are my top ten favorites:

“The Burger” from Golden State with Harris Ranch Beef, Fiscalini Farms Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Arugula and Ketchup

10. The Golden State (426 N. Fairfax, Los Angeles) This little gem lies in the middle of all the hip hop shops and Jewish bakeries on Fairfax. All ingredients in their awesome burgers and other menu items are locally sourced from California including high-end Harris Ranch beef and award-winning Fiscalini cheddar.

Piku “Fig” Burger from Pono Burger with Housemade Drunken Caramelized Fig Jam, Organic Beef Patty, Fermier Brie Cheese, Niman Ranch Bacon and Crushed Hazelnuts

9. Pono Burger (829 Broadway, Santa Monica) The funky looking metal structure that houses this joint (it looks like a mini airplane hanger) will draw you in. The Hawaiian-style burgers, sweet potato fries and salted caramel shakes will keep you coming back.

Chef Katsu’s Original California Roll Hamburger with Snow Crab Salad, Avocado, Sushi Ginger, Boston Lettuce, Tomato, Nori, and Wasabi-Shoyu-Mayonnaise

8. 26 Beach Restaurant (3100 W. Washington Blvd in Venice) There are several places that have an extensive menu of over-the-top themed burgers such as a Peanut Butter & Jelly Burger. 26 Beach is the best of that lot. They are especially known for their “Sushi Burgers” including a California Roll Burger, and Spicy Tuna Burger and a Mori Eel Burger.

Cheese Burger from Pie ‘n Burger with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing, Pickles and Lettuce

7. Pie ‘n Burger (913 E. California Blvd, Pasadena) This old school diner with a long winding counter is a mandatory stop for me when I go to the Rose Bowl or am otherwise in Pasadena. As you can glean from the restaurant’s name, you’re missing out if you don’t order both a hamburger and a slice of one of their amazing pies.

Griddled Cheeseburger from Ledlow with American and Cheddar Cheeses, Red Onion, Dill Pickle, Dijon and Garlic Aioli

6. Ledlow (400 S. Main St in Downtown) The newest restaurant of local superstar chef Josef Centeno (Baco Mercat, Bar Ama, Orsa & Winston), Ledlow is more than just a burger joint. However, their Griddled Cheeseburger seems to be the speciality of the house and has quickly drawn much-deserved acclaim from LA foodies.

Double Double from In-N-Out Burger

5. In-N-Out (all over Los Angeles) Yes, it’s a fast food chain, but don’t hold that against it. At $3.60, the Double Double is the best deal in town and is better than most of the pricey burgers at nice restaurants. I like to add toppings from their secret menu, including chilies, grilled onions and pickles.

Hickory Burger from The Apple Pan

4. The Apple Pan (10801 W. Pico Blvd in Westwood) This 68-year-old diner is an LA landmark. All seating is at a U-shaped counter, where you’re served by uber-efficient grumpy old men. It’s super fun, especially late at night, and their Hickory Burgers are awesome.

Cheeseburger from Belcampo with Dry Aged Grass Fed Beef with Cheddar and Caramelized Onions

3. Belcampo Meat Co (317 S Broadway in Downtown; also 1026 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica) It’s perhaps more of a gourmet butcher shop than a burger joint, but the cheeseburgers sold at this stall in Grand Central Market are phenomenal. They’re made with a special Wagyu-Angus meat blend and are served on fresh sesame seed buns. Belcampo just opened a fancier restaurant in Santa Monica where you can also get a burger, but I’m partial to the ones served downtown.

The Hatch Burger from Umami Burger with Roasted Hatch Chilies, House Cali Cheese and Roasted Garlic Aioli

2. Umami Burger (multiple locations) In a short period of time, this revolutionary burger restaurant has expanded into a ubiquitous chain throughout Los Angeles and has been widely emulated. Their burgers are made from specially seasoned meat blends and their Portuguese-style buns are sweetened with milk and honey. It’s a toss up for me as to which of their burgers is the best: the decedent truffle burger or the spicy hatch burger made with four types of green chilies.

Cheeseburger from Cassell’s Hamburgers with House Ground Prime Beef Patty and Cheddar Cheese on a Parker House Bun.

1. Cassell’s Hamburgers (3600 W 6th St in Koreatown) This is my new favorite burger joint in LA. First established in 1948, this restaurant recently reopened in a cool retro space in the historic Hotel Normandie. Now under new ownership, their burgers have some similarities to the ones which made Cassell’s an LA institution, but are significantly improved. They are now the perfect combination of gourmet excellence and classic style.

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Filed under Burbank, Canoga Park, Downtown, Fairfax, Glendale, Hermosa Beach, Hollywood, Inglewood, Koreatown, Los Feliz, Marina del Rey, Mid-City, North Hollywood, Northridge, Panorama City, Pasadena, Porter Ranch, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Tujunga, Van Nuys, Venice, West LA, Westlake Village, Westwood, Woodland Hills

May 7, 2015 · 12:12 pm

Love Me Some Poké Mon

Swimsuit season is just around the corner. Time for spinning, pilates, cross-fit and the sad reality that getting in shape is going to involve some serious restraint in feasting for the next month or two. Fortunately, LA’s hottest food trend is a great way to eat healthy and ultimately shed some LB’s.

Hawaiian poké joints are all the rage right now in Los Angeles. For those unfamiliar with this Polynesian delicacy, poké is a raw salad usually made with fish. My favorite new poké place is Sweetfin Poké which opened in Santa Monica a few weeks ago. It’s a fast food concept specializing in bowls of super fresh, cubed and sauced ahi, albacore, snapper and salmon prepared by Top Chef alum Dakota Weiss.

You can choose from one of Sweetfin Poké’s signature bowls or have them build you a custom version from an extensive list of ingredients. My favorite signature bowls are the Spicy Tuna Bowl with Creamy Togarashi Sauce, Hijiki and Avocado, and the Mango Albacore Bowl with Ponzu-Lime Sauce, Macadamia Nuts and Ginger. Each concoction is served on top of your choice of Jasmine Rice, Citrus-Kale Salad, or my favorite — super-low carb Kelp Noodles and Cucumber Slaw.

I recommend enjoying these Hawaiian delicacies with one of the restaurant’s housemade unsweetened infused ice teas or coconut waters in flavors such as Banana Date, Orange Mint, Guava and Coconut Basil with Lemongrass. Their crispy taro chips are not going to aid in slimming your waistline, but are delicious nonetheless.

Sweetfin Poké is located at 829 Broadway in Santa Monica.

Classic Tuna Poké with
Classic Sauce, White and Green Onions and Red Chile over Citrus-Kale Salad

Spicy Tuna Poké with Creamy Togarashi Sauce, Hijiki, Avocado and Chile Marinated Oranges

Red Snapper Poké with Yuzu Koshu, Chopped Serrano’s, Fresh Ginger, Mango, Napa Cabbage and Chili Marinated Oranges

Taro Chips

Orange Mint and Guava Ice Teas

In Santa Monica

The 10 Best Things I Consumed in 2014

2014 was a rough year. Escalated conflict in the Middle East, missing jetliners, and an Ebola outbreak; the hits just kept on coming. So it’s not surprising that my annual list this year of the ten best things I consumed and wrote about in the past year include mostly comfort foods. Let’s hope for greener pastures in 2015. In the meantime, here are some things to help you feel a little better:

10. Tiger Stack with Chicken and Tarragon Pie from Aussie Pie Kitchen. Foodwise, there are few things in this world more comforting than meat pies. Stack a chicken tarragon one on a mound of garlic mashed potatoes and top it with bacon-laced mushy minty peas and a ladleful of thyme gravy, and let the emotional healing begin!

9. Fresh Peach Stuffed Donut from The Donut Man. This year I went in search of the best donut shops in LA. The research, as you can imagine, was gruelling. The winner was The Donut Man, a shack located on historic Route 66 in Glendora, whose specialty is an amazing seasonal donut stuffed with either fresh strawberries or peaches.

8. Classic Butterscotch Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce from Mother Moo Creamery. This year I also set out to find the best artisan ice cream shops in LA. My top pick was Mother Moo Creamery in Sierra Madre. After sampling all of their flavors (my dedication to this blog knows no bounds!), my favorite was an insanely good Butterscotch Ice Cream, which was made even better when topped with a rich housemade butterscotch topping.

7. Brioche Toast, Cranberry Bourbon Jam and Nut Butter from Sqirl. Things that are simple but perfectly executed can often be magical. Case in point: the brioche toast with housemade jam and nut butter at hipster breakfast haven Sqirl is pure perfection.

6. Pancotto from The Factory Kitchen. Everything I’ve eaten at The Factory Kitchen has been so good, it’s hard to single out just one dish for this list. But if I had to pick one it would be this unusual homage to a peasant bread soup with duck egg, red potato vellutata, sauteed greeens, semolina bread crostone and speck.

5. BBQ Spot Prawns from Pot. LA superstar chef Roy Choi’s restaurants in the new Line Hotel in K-town are probably the hippest and most happening eateries in the city right now. My favorite dish there: these crispy BBQ Spot Prawns which I got to pick out myself before they were grilled and served on a bed of sizzling onions.

4. Uni Pasta from EMC Seafood. Creamy uni pasta is one of those go-to dishes that I always order when I see it on a menu. The version at EMC Seafood is one of the best I’ve ever had.

3. Peanut Butter Ganache, Roasted Grape Ice Cream, Griddled Pound Cake and Chocolate Feuilletine from Saint Martha. If you read this blog regularly, you know how obsessed I am with peanut butter. Saint Martha, one of my favorite new restaurants, has one of the best peanut butter desserts ever.

2. Salt and Vinegar Popcorn from The Church Key. This specially seasoned popcorn is so addictive, it should be regulated by the Federal government.

1. Crab Hand Roll from KazuNori. I am completely obsessed with this hand roll. I refer to it as “The Precious.” It is my favorite thing that I consumed and wrote about this year.

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Filed under Downtown, Glendora, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Sierra Madre, West Hollywood

November 24, 2014 · 10:59 am

The Pies Have It

People Magazine just named Australian actor and superhero portrayer Chris Hemsworth “Sexiest Man Alive,” but I’m more interested in another sexy Australian import. The hot and seductive meat pies at Aussie Pie Kitchen in Santa Monica are my latest obsession. Each has a buttery and flaky crust that melts in your mouth and encases a juicy and perfectly seasoned filling. My favorites are the Chicken + Tarragon, the Lamb + Rosemary, the Steak + Shiraz, and the unique “Surfer’s Pie” with Green Curry Chicken and Coconut Milk.

For the full experience, I recommend ordering a “Tiger Stack.” The pie of your choice will be perched on a pile of Garlic Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and topped with a scoop of bacon-laced Mushy Minty Peas and a ladleful of Creamy Thyme Gravy. This decadent concoction is best enjoyed with a sweet and spicy Bundaberg Ginger Beer and followed by one of Aussie Pie Kitchen’s high-end coffee drinks. Their “Flat White,” an Australian specialty which is similar to a Latte, but stronger, is not only delicious but will keep you awake after carbo-loading with the pies and mashed potatoes.

Aussie Pie Kitchen is located at 2510 Main Street in Santa Monica.