Food Adventures
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Los Angeles
I like coming to Dr. Sandwich (Kosher) before headed to LACMA. My favorite thing to order is their Chicken Shawarma stuffed in a pita with all the fixes. The small restaurant is located in a small plaza on Olympic Blvd. It's only valet parking, but you could probably find street parking if you're lucky.
9113 W Olympic Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90212
A little bio on Claudine,
"Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop is the collaborative effort of Chef Anthony Jacquet and Pastry Chef Lea Newton, whose combined skills and culinary passions have led to the opening of a globally-influenced neighborhood café and bakeshop in the San Fernando Valley. Named after Jacquet’s late sister, the driving force behind his decision to become a chef, Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop is a full service restaurant, bakeshop, coffee bar, and grab n’ go deli. Serving only the highest quality food made with local and sustainable ingredients, Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop features an assortment of breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes.Highlighting the bounty of local and seasonal produce in California, the restaurant’s menu draws inspiration from the many cultures and people who have shaped the city."
16350 Ventura Blvd., Suite F, Encino, CA 91436
Stone IPA
Located on Ventura Blvd in Encino is where you will find Claudine. From the outside, it blends it with the neighborhood Chipotle which sits in the same center. But walking inside, the expectations are blown away by how adorable this place is. Open kitchen with tons of baked goods ready for you to hover over. Everything is made fresh daily, so if you see low inventory, that's a good sign.
Michelada
Claudine also serves wine and beer which is always a plus. I started with a Stone IPA. They also carried a few specialty cocktails like sangrias and micheladas.
We had a few dishes to sample, all delicious. They make their own house cured lox on toast. The salmon was not overly salty served on top of some preserved Lemon Cream Cheese, Pickled Shallots, Cucumber and Capers. Their Briana's Short Rib Grilled Cheese is also a must order. Stuffed with Stout Braised Onions, Roasted Mushrooms, ‘Merican Cheese, Black Vinegar Teriyaki, and russet wedges. Get your napkins ready.
Cianna's Naan-Zza
They also make their own naan pizzas. We've tried 2 and fell in love instantly. Cianna's Naan-Zza: pesto, buratta, bacon, mushrooms and asparagus. Serrano Ham and Olive Naan-Zza: fresno chile, buratta cheese and oregano. The Lea's Lightened Quiche was a winner all around. Custard made with spinach, basil, and only one egg with salad greens (SO GOOD).
If you are not sure what to do about your life, order the Malted Milk Pancakes. Cinnamon-Blueberry compote, salted honey butter, Warm Maple Syrup and Bacon. Sandwich this baby together and eat it with pride. Lot's of it.
16350 Ventura Blvd., Suite F, Encino, CA 91436
To continue on with celebrating John's Birthday, we went to Intelligentsia after our brunch at Gjelina. I find the location in Abbot Kinney much more sophisticated than the one is Pasadena when it comes to flavor. Cappuccinos are always our go-to at a roaster like this. I love the dairy ratio here compared to what I received in Pasadena. I wouldn't say I am a connoisseur, but I am confident to say I am pretty close to one. There were days when we used to have nothing to do but hit up local coffee shops in Los Angeles. Those days of drinking caffeine for fun is something I truly miss... so this was definitely a treat not just for John, but for me as well.
Walking in, you will see a glass filled with baked goods. Go ahead, pick something.
Step up to a barista when you are ready to order and they will be more than happy to get your drink on the way. The smell of fresh ground coffee beans just does something to me that I can't explain. I always find the smell to be intoxicating. I love getting into a car that has the smell of hot coffee sitting in the cup holder. Or that first brew you make when you are trying to get breakfast ready. It's kind of like, potpourri that wakes you up. I love every bit of it.
Americano on top, cappuccino bottom
I like to add a little raw cane sugar to enhance the espresso. Watch it get swallowed up and sucked in like a black hole.
Stir. Love. Enjoy.
1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
My supervisor took me with her to a Vendor lunch today for new partnership opportunities in our broadcast department. I love going to Smitty's for a good cocktail, shrimp cocktail, more cocktails, and endless conversations.
Glancing through the menu, I really didn't feel all that hungry. But for some reason, I ordered a burger. I should've ordered a salad, or seafood. Something that screams I'm not that hungry. A burger? What was I thinking?
In no time, our food came in a snippy.
Smokehouse burger
Applewood smoked bacon, grilled onions, white Vermont cheddar, and rattlesnake bbq sauce.
Umm hey guys I know it's the first time you are meeting me... And I should've ordered something cleaner.. But. BURGER! Get in my BELLY NOW! Of course these guys have no idea what a foodie I am. And I only got lucky with this photo because my supervisor brought up my love for food (thanks Kathy!)
The burger was not just big, it was juicy, good greasy from the cheese and bbq sauce. Each bite that I took needed to be followed by licking my fingers. Extra napkins is mandatory. White or beige pants especially, should have a napkin over, with the dirty on top of that.
The burger had no chance. Even though I wasn't that hungry as I said, I can never leave a burger half eaten. It's just not in my character. The burger itself was huge. Had a nice smoked charrrr. Delicious smoked bacon with crispy edges. And the sauce was finger-licking good.
When I got back to the office, I went straight to the kitchen and poured myself a big cup of Joe, and chugged it like vodka.
Until next time Smitty's. When I am there to guzzle myself with endless martinis and talk like a pirate.
daisy
I got an invitation to visit the new Comoncy Cafe out in Studio City. They have a total of 3 locations: Beverly Hills, Studio City, and Scottsdale Arizona. I was recommended to check the new location since it's larger with more creative innovations on the menu to check out. I would rather head out to Studio City anyways, since LA traffic is never forgivable.
I've never been to Comoncy before, but after seeing their menu, it's something I would check out for a good breakfast. Breakfast is hard to find. Considering how large and populated with restaurants LA county is, it's hard to find that ONE, that can do it all. What I mean by that is, I hate how some cafes serve crappy espresso. Or great coffee, but terrible eggs and bacon. There's never that one place, that I can knock out all birds with one stone. Well Comoncy, I think they've done it.
Best Breakfast of 2015
The spread was pretty simple. And, there are some things that I just can't say no to. John was supportive on pigging out by having another dish to accompany this meal. And, cappuccino is always necessary. Always. At a place like this, it would be a waste to not have espresso. Trust me, it's good.
First thing first. Cappuccino.
It's like they know me
Being super stoked about the design, I used one pack of raw cane sugar. Don't be a snob to tell me you drink it straight without sugar. Good for you. But a pack of sugar can really help the notes of the espresso pop. Kind of like putting ice with your whiskey, does that make sense? The espresso was extremely good and better than I expected! Loved how this was something they highly recommended. So good, that we bought some to take home.
Huevos Rancheros
A must. I love ordering huevos rancheros, and couldn't keep my eyes off from the menu about it. It's a huge breakfast staple for me, and I assumed it will be good at Comoncy if they had the audacity to put it on their menu! THEY DID NOT FAIL! John was SO sneaky about this too. He took a few big bites, and I had to ask how it tastes before he tells me it's amazing. What a jerk! Like, does he really think I wasn't going to notice half of it missing?! Comoncy rendition of huevors rancheros were : organic eggs over easy, crispy blue corn tortilla, avocado, black beans, and ranchero sauce. Everything was perfect about this dish. I loved the black beans and the contrast it brought to the crispy blue corn tortilla. It wasn't too thick or pasty, but extremely smooth and creamy. The soft over easy eggs with the ranchero, the avocado, and everything all in a bite, made my eyes rolled back. I mean literally I think I went blind for a second. It was like, the huevos rancheros god descended from above and blessed this plate. Super flavorful, but not heavy like the others I've had. I can't say no to this. This is a must when I come back, and something that I recommend to you. Dash some hot sauce, and tell me if you blacked out too.
Steak Sandwich
Their steak sandwich was composed of : Brioche bun, prime sirloin steak, red cabbage slaw, lemon vinaigrette,organic Roma tomato, avocado, and horseradish aioli. Ok, The prime sirloin definitely gives you a run for the money. It was very tender and very flavorful. I had absolutely no trouble at all take perfect bites from this, It may look tiny, but it's loaded with steak and I love how they don't skimp. The brioche bun was fantastic. Flaky and not too eggy like some other ones I've had. I actually love how I could taste the butter in the bun. The lemon vinaigrette is not subtle as well, in the best way I can say it. Everything just married perfectly. Even the tomatoes were freaking delicious. This was one of their many lunch items that they carry. I must come back to devour more.
Comoncy French Toast
Baguette, Greek Yogurt, berries and organic maple syrup. I've never had yogurt with french toast, and thought this was another success. Fruits and yogurt with sweet maple syrup. What could possibly sound wrong with that? It was also my first time having french toast with baguette, which I didn't mind. Sometimes, brioche could be too heavy. Literally egg on egg. This was very light, but something I would share. The basil really made this dish pop. It was a little touch, but really made this bright and fresh.
At the end of our meal, I've concluded that this was the best breakfast I've had all year, and seems to stay that way for the rest of 2015. I can't wait to come back, and have more dishes. Though the huevos rancheros is going to be hard to pass up.
With that said, I hope you will find a way to make it out for a taste. Their breakfast is ON POINT along with their espressos. Which, I also highly recommend you getting. The brand is Equator and the beans are "Tigerwalk".
I'm hoping more Comoncy cafes will open more locations, as for now, I and we will have to make our trips. Let me know what you think.
STUDIO CITY : 12265 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 (323) 391-2096
BEVERLY HILLS : 413 N. Bedford Dr.Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (424) 285-8874
SCOTTSDALE: 7301 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 361-1339
Happy eatings!
Daisy
