Kato: Simple Elevated
The 10-course tasting menu at Kato is chef’s Jon Yao’s interpretation of Asian American on a plate. His constantly rotating menu inspired by seasonal flavours is a nod to Los Angeles, Taiwanese, and Japanese fare. Food and Wine Magazine awarded Chef Jon Yao the Best New Chef in 2018. He also received a nomination for a Rising Star from the James Beard Foundation. Chef Yao and thus Kato’s popularity is inevitable. Get in before the rush hits. Their simple elevated plates will guarantee to stir your taste buds and evoke discussion. @Kato, Los Angeles: First Impressions Kato is tucked in a corner of a random mini-mall. The sign is subtle,…
Uncle John’s Cafe: The Ultimate Diner
When it comes to Uncle John’s Cafe, we’re always down. Uncle John’s Cafe is an iconic DTLA diner since 1968 serving up incredible American-Chinese fare. With reasonable prices, laid-back vibes, delicious food, and quick service, you literally can’t go wrong with this place. From experience, as repeat offenders at Uncle John’s, it has always delivered. Busy but Chill Diner Vibes We usually hit up Uncle John’s Cafe on Saturdays around brunchtime, and it’s usually bumping. Despite it being busy, I’ve never had to wait for more than 10 minutes for a table. The servers are quick, the food comes out fast, and peeps get in to dine and they’re…
ixlb Dimsum Eats: Quick, Yummy, and Cheap Dim Sum Takeout
It’ll be difficult to miss ixlb Dimsum Eats with the massive xiao long bao cartoon mural on Sunset and Bronson. If you’re looking for a quick, yummy, and cheap dim sum takeout, you definitely got to hit up this spot. With their modern delivery on classic dim sum staples, ixlb Dimsum Eats introduces an interesting concept of dim sum takeout. ixlb Dimsum Eats – Menu Items for $4.25 or $4.55 First off, ALL the items at ixlb Dimsum Eats are priced either at $4.25 or $4.55. Cheap and great eats? I’m totes in! The menu at ixlb Dimsum Eats offers an array of classic staple dim sum items. From steamed dishes like har…
Niya Sushi: Sushi Roll Heaven
The hour-plus drive from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach was soon forgotten after my first bite at Niya Sushi. This unassuming Japanese joint located in the middle of a random mall complex in Huntington Beach leads to sushi roll heaven. Its great atmosphere, friendly and smiley staff, quick service, well-priced menu, fresh sushi, quality food, and incredible sushi rolls made that long-ass drive more than worth it. Appies @Niya Every Japanese restaurant has edamame. But only Niya Sushi offers this amazing sweet and spicy garlic edamame. It is delicious, it is sweet and spicy, it is garlicky, and it is absolutely addicting. Great way to open up the meal and…
Majordomo LA: Ugly Delicious or Nah?
Majordomo is David Chang’s newest restaurant in LA. As a huge fan of David Chang, the culinary gangster of Netflix, tasting “Ugly Delicious” was a must! First Impressions Nestled within an industrialized jungle of rundown buildings and warehouses, Majordomo shines bright like a diamond. The crowd’s humming vibe alongside the facade’s nod to LA’s graffiti street art and industrialized motif perfectly set the ambiance. We were quite pleased to be seated on the patio. Elements of the natural wood and lush greenery contrasted perfectly against the industrialized feel of the cement. I couldn’t help but smile when I looked at the lights adorning the pergola. Majordomo, feed…
Central Texas-Style Barbecue: Lockhart’s
Experiencing the barbecue scene in Dallas, Texas was truly exciting and one that I have never experienced before. Before I jetted off to Dallas, I thought it would be a good idea to educate myself on some Texas barbecue facts. Within 30 minutes, I soon realized that it was way bigger and more complex than I thought. I also came to the conclusion that I knew absolutely nothing about it. So, I figured, I’ll start small and focus on a style, rather than tackling the impossible task of cramming Texas barbecue in a single blog post. Central Texas-Style Barbecue Barbeque just like many cuisines isn’t homogenous. There are plenty…
Latin Food Fest: Top 5 Memorable Bites
My boyfriend and I decided to check out the Latin Food Fest in Santa Monica. With so many stalls to choose from, we narrowed it down to our top 5 most memorable bites. Latin Food Fest Breakdown I ended up purchasing our tickets from Groupon and got a really good deal – $29/person for an earlier admission at 11 am. It totally paid off since it meant less waiting and shorter lineups for the first hour. Your ticket bought you unlimited eats of cuisines all over Latin America and all you can drink wines and spirits. For the next couple of hours, we would… Walk to a stall…
HAPPY HOUR: The Independence Tavern
One of my favorite things in life is HAPPY HOUR!!! If you love HAPPY HOUR like me, especially quality and cheap happy hour – please read on. The Independence Tavern is located in downtown Santa Monica on the corner of 2nd St. and Broadway just a block away from the ocean. The restaurant has a super chill vibe during the day and has an early happy hour from 3-6 pm. If you’re wanting to feel happy earlier, this spot is perfect. I would definitely recommend sitting by the windows to keep an eye out on the street action since cocktails and people watching perfectly goes hand in hand. Their…
Primo’s Donuts: Best Donuts in LA, you say?
I hate to say it, but I’m a sucker when it comes to advertisements. So, what do you think happened when I saw a sign that read, “Primo’s Best Donuts in LA since 1956”? Is Primo’s Donuts really the best? Primo’s Donuts is located right on Sawtelle Blvd, off the corner of National Blvd in Mar Vista. It’s a really cute and charming shop filled with a variety of freshly baked donuts. We usually judge a doughnut shop by their glaze, so naturally, my boyfriend and I gravitated to those. We were planning on grabbing a doughnut each, but after speaking with the owner Ralph, we actually ended…
