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bacon

Water Grill - DTLA Brunch

April 11, 2017

Just in, Water Grill (Click for location) spotted in Downtown Los Angeles is not serving brunch. Located on 544 S. Grand Ave, you will find popular brunch items such as Poached Salmon Rillettes (love), to Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (amazing), and Crab Benedict (jumbo lump blue crab yo).

Aside from a tasty menu, they are also serving delicious brunch cocktails worth getting your day spinning. Their popular jaw dropping WG Bloody Mary dressed with an old bay salt rim, chilled blackened shrimp, and thick cut bacon will make you order another just for more bacon. Another popular cocktail is their Ramos Gin Fizz with gin, fresh citrus, egg white, orange blossom, milk/ shaken with vigor and charged with soda. The First Class Flight is a bottle of bele casel extra dry prosecco with carafes of oj, grapefruit & daily agua fresca.

Water Grill DTLA 544 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90071

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320 Main - Seal Beach

November 26, 2016

What I love about trying different restaurants is the different destinations it leads me to. 320 Main is located on Main street along with many small business shops to check out. It feels like the matured version of downtown Long Beach. Just a local friends and family gathering scene though I could be wrong during the evening Happy Hours.

We came to 320 Main during brunch, and it was such a pleasant surprise.

What's a brunch without a cocktail? This simple mixture is nothing short on flavor. Pimm's with some lemon, ginger and cucumber. I had a cold, but this ironically made me feel etter. Must be the ginger.

These were jumbo shrimps cooked perfectly. Extremely plump and flavorful. Cooked with andouille sausage with some good ole cheese grits.

This dish was ridiculous. It's every pig lover's dream. A huge pork chop with seared crispy fat served with some potato hash, sunny side, and an apple fig jam with crunchy toast. This is what brunch is all about. Great to share, but I devoured this all by myself.

They also serve great food to pair with drinks like duck poutines.

320 Main Seal Beach CA, 90740 562-799-6246

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The Counter - Seasonal Burger

November 6, 2016

Gobble Gobble! It's that time of year again when we can all get excited for Thanksgiving foods. Now, I'm not a fan of turkey. You won't find me ordering a turkey sandwich, ever. But, I did try the seasonal burger at The Counter last week called "The Giving Bird".

To start, I had their deviled eggs.

You can't go wrong with this as an appetizer. I like to enjoy these, and the whole meal, with a glass of Allagash from their draft selection.

The Giving Bird100% natural turkey topped with pomegranate molasses glaze, fried sweet potato strings, crispy kale, cranberry relish, whole wheat bun, and a housemade pomegranate bbq sauce. — **The Giving Bird**
100% natural turkey topped with pomegranate molasses glaze, fried sweet potato strings, crispy kale, cranberry relish, whole wheat bun, and a housemade pomegranate bbq sauce.

I've had turkey burgers before and most of them were gamy. I don't do well with gamy meats. I can handle it to a certain extent, but it's never my first go to choice if I see it on the menu. However, this turkey from The Counter was actually not gamy at all. I was able to eat this and enjoyed every single bite. I loved the toppings. The pomegranate molasses glaze with cranberry relish really made this fit for November. The crispy kale and fried street potato strings were a nice touch. Surprisingly, their wheat bun was also tasty. It was toasted perfectly and didn't feel too dry or bland like some other wheat buns I've had.

They are located everywhere. Find your Counter Burger here.

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Weho Bistro - West Hollywood

August 9, 2016

Weho Bistro is a low key French-inspired restaurant located on the corner of La Cienega and Holloway drive. With a large variety of selections on their menu, I am delighted to share a few items from our dinner. Our dinner was accompanied by great friends, Frances, Hugh, Rob, and mi amor John.

1040 N La Cienega Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069

High Valley Vineyard 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon - Excellent red. Full bodied with a smooth finish.

Bread, herb olive oil & balsamic, and olive tapenade.

We planned ordered family style. A few items from their shareables were avocado and burrata toast, escargot, Cheese and pate board, mushroom soup and french onion soup.

Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Mushroom sauce

Angus filet, wrapped in bacon, seared till golden and medium rare, topped with crispy onions, served with a side of potatoes dauphinoise and tomato provencal . The mushroom sauce was killer in this dish. Each bite of the filet gets a glorious dip with a slather of mushrooms.

Duck breast with a cognac and honey sauce. The duck was cooked beautifully. Crispy skin which soaked up the decadent cognac sauce. Also served with potato dauphinoise and their tomato provencal.

Six sauteed JUMBO tiger shrimp drenched in a garlic, basil, shallot, and tomato sauce served with a basmati and wild rice medley and sauteed garlic green beans. Anything drench in the sauce described above is an absolutely hands down "GIVE IT TO ME" dish. I can't help but eat the tails as well.

Dessert crepes, tartetatin, ice cream sandwich and banana creme brulee to end our dinner extravaganza.

Parking is available shared with CVS. That's right, free parking in West Hollywood. So surreal.

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Claudine - Encino

June 15, 2016

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

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.

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.

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

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Wine & Dine

Water Grill - DTLA Brunch

320 Main - Seal Beach

The Counter - Seasonal Burger

Weho Bistro - West Hollywood

Claudine - Encino