Joan's On Third - Gourmet Marketplace

Whoever Joan is, she's a smart cookie - between the ready made food depot, cupcake and desserts, sandwiches, pastries, cheese station, and mini market - everything looks delightful and requires more than one visit to pass my final verdict.

This place is crowded hence parking and seating were obviously crappy. Once we order on any of the cashier's stations, we find ourselves a table. Indoor and outdoor seating are available but patio seems to be the popular one. Don't be surprised if celebrity popped into Joan's, we got our own celeb sighting :D

Apricot glazed ham & brie with mustard caper sauce

 Frutti de Bosco

Being indecisive on their lunch menu, I got myself apricot glazed ham & brie with mustard caper sauce sandwich and frutti de bosco. The sandwich was excellent with high quality and tasty ham, cheese and perfect dressing on soft baguette. But I wasn't so excited with the dessert - it was unexceptional. I heard good things about their cupcakes, but don't have the heart to gain extra calories for their thick icing. Oh well, maybe another day another time....

Joan's On Third

8346 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-2285

www.joansonthird.com 

Nook - Neighborhood Gem

Not only I've taken Nook for granted, but also I underestimated this hidden bistro. I always wanted to try Nook but forget it more often just because it's around my neighborhood. So I finally gave this one a visit and my impression? Nook gave pleasant surprises, consistently from start to finish.

Kurobuta pork belly with tomatillo, black-eyed peas, and shiitake - my nirvana!! Mixed of Chinese crispy pork skin with moist layered fat and Mexican green salsa sauce.

Spicy gulf shrimp with Falls Mill Stone ground grits and linguisa sausage. Blazing tapestry of cheesy grits and tangy flavor. Purrrfect!

Chocolate banana bread pudding - Warmth of melting dark chocolate and slight tartness of the banana bread pudding are phenomenal and not too sweet - I'm obsessed!!

Who would guess that this little neighborhood bistro has big flavor to offer? Lucky me, this gem is around the corner...

Nook Bistro
11628 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 207-5160

nookbistro.com

Diddy Riese - Can't Keep My Hands Off The Cookie Jar

I never thought getting squeezed in between Diddy Riese cookies sandwich is better than getting sandwiched with my galfriends on the dance floor in da club. How come the idea so simple taste so good?! Just pick two choice of your favorite cookies and a scoop of Dreyer's ice cream - BAMMM!!

 Build your own ice cream sandwich - Vanilla ice cream in between chocolate with white chocolate chip & white chocolate macadamia nut.

 Ahhhhh.....my sweet tooth fix!

Diddy Riese
926 Broxton Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-0448

www.diddyriese.com

Baby Blues BBQ - Bad To The Bone

Unfortunately, it's a literal meaning -bad to the bones-....Baby Blues BBQ didn't seem to deliver the hypes people been talking. There are hits and misses about this place, but definitely not worth the comparison to Phil's BBQ in San Diego. First of all, the ribs were not fall off the bone and not meaty. I prepare to eat a cow and all I got was a calf, the ribs was just not as juicy and succulent as I expected to be.

The hits:

Memphis Ribs - better than the baby back ribs. Still, we could use more meat rather than fat.

The porno sauce XXX hot!

Not your average dry gin, it's their top notch vinegar

Misses:

Where should I start? The corn bread isn't worth mentioning, the baby back ribs is dry and lacking of meat, the only good thing was the side: pulled pork and beans.

Beef brisket - Although well seasoned, this is a bowl full of chewy meat, no good!

Even though this BBQ pit was well reviewed on Yelp as well as Food Network as the best BBQ in LA, I'll say just drive to San Diego and get the real deal.

I feel ya, poor bastards...

Baby Blues BBQ

444 Lincoln Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 396-7675

www.babybluesvenice.com

Blu Jam Cafè - Sweet Escapade

 Blu Toast

Being a sweet tooth, brunch is all about the pancake, crepe, and french toast. Finding the perfect french toast is never easy, but clearly Brioche Blu Toast is super scrumptious. French toast with blackberry jam, cream cheese in between two slices of battered brioche slices, and complimented with fresh strawberry, blueberry, bananas, powdery sugar on top, and maple syrup on the side. The cream cheese part might sound so over the top, but everything combined is a sweet escapade.

 Hangover Burrito

On a savory note, we ordered Hangover Burrito - Eggs scrambled with beef chorizo, jalapeños, smoked chipotle, black beans, cheddar and cilantro, inside a large grilled flour tortilla, served with potatoes and side of sour cream. This thing is the best breakfast burrito ever! Spicy and zesty at the same time.

One of the thing that always draws me back to Blu Jam is the service and the atmosphere. The owner always hangs around to make sure all is satisfactory.  Despite this place is located in Melrose, there's nothing Hollywood about this place - simply modest and cozy...

Blu Jam Cafè
7371 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 951-9191

www.blujamcafe.com

Crustacean - Oh Crab!

Roasted Cracked Dungeness Crab

When you think about taking your girl for a first romantic dinner date in this upper class Vietnamese restaurant, you couldn't be more wrong, brotha! Well the Beverly Hills part is right, but who will get some romancing after cracking crab leg with bare hands and wolfing down oily garlic noodle? At least after two minty gum or rinsing your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash, you will... 

Crustacean might fool you with high-end decor, Koi aquarium underfoot, and live jazz/classic tune. But when I think about Vietnamese food I prepare to be unglamorous, Phò anyone? Oh well, let's toss all the negativity aside 'cos nevertheless, I worship their garlic noodles and roasted crab, they're FANTABULOUS!

 Garlic Noodles

To make me look less barbaric while eating them combo, I chow down some garlic noodle first and midway swift my gear to cracking and licking crabs. Because holding a crab leg on my left hand and forking some garlic noodles on my right at the same time might be the last thing that my boyfriend would like to see...

Crustacean

9646 Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 205-8990

www.houseofan.com

California Roll Factory - Low Key

One of my favorite sushi joint in West area, mainly because this tiny place has endless list of fusion sushi rolls with creative names and creations. Nope, it's not authentic Japanese rolls, more like Americanized style where cream cheese and tempura batter dominated the menu. But I'm not gonna refuse to good taste, gigantic portions, and decent price. Other pluses: very near to my habitat and the 99¢ DVD rental is next door to this baby.

Usual lowdown:

Vizzy // baked crab, baked salmon, smelt egg, eel sauce

Bang Bang // spicy tuna, smelt egg, baked scallop

Harvey // deep fried salmon, albacore, tuna, secret sauce

Tokyo Nacho Chip // albacore, tempura crumb, crispy seaweed

Sushi snobs might look down on you, but when the end of the month is near and deprived, we'll salute you CRF!

California Roll Factory

11629 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 996-2366