The Backhouse - Koreatown

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The Backhouse - Koreatown

I love Los Angeles. It's a blessing to live in such a multicultural community. We literally have culture right here in our own turf. There's nothing that you can't find to eat. We have Vietnamese food, Oaxacan food, all kinds of Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Cuban, French, Italian, etc.

Yakitori is something that is widely eaten in Japan and something that I preferred to have when I was there a few years ago. But grilling meats on a stick isn't just a Japanese thing though they did perfect some of the best versions I've had. You will find more yakitori houses located in Torrance. But since we are so diverse, there are more and more locations now serving up cuisines locally so you won't need to venture off too far.

The Backhouse serves items you would find at your typical Izakaya. From yakitori, to sushi, and to many fried nibbles, to lavish ramen noodles to soak up the alcohol you spent drinking all evening. But that's really how you do it anyways.

3500 W. 6th St.Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Here are the few, many items that we had.

Corn Tempura

Our appetizers were a seared Salmon and Albacore Carpaccio. The Albacore Carpaccio wastopped with crispy garlic, onions, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic ponzu. The Salmon Truffle Carpaccio was topped with truffle shaving, japanese pickle, ponzu sauce, and white truffle oil. What's not to love about truffles right?

The corn tempura, however, was so amazingly delicious. The dipping sauce, which I believe was some sweet garlic miso, was velvety and oh so perfect with the crunchy tempura. Great beer food.

A few yakitori samples here to show. Shiitake, cheese tsukune, beef tongue, and rib eye. Everything tasted delicious and memorable. The special beef tongue was very tasty.

Other items we had were negima and grilled jumbo sweet shrimp. The negima was made with chicken breast instead of dark meat.

The sushi sampler we received was a very fancy one featuring some of their best fishes they had to offer for that evening. I can't complain about any of this. They had special uni creations such as their scallop and uni combination topped with caviar.This needed to be devoured in one bite. No exceptions.

 

Other Uni creations were Uni with Red Snapper wrapped with shiso. I'm in love with shiso. I can eat almost anything that involves shiso leaves. It's so aromatic and fragrant. There's just isn't anything that reminds me of it or can come close to what this taste like. Again, topped with caviar that automatically creates a one bite experience.

Delicious lamb chops grilled and served with a sweet miso butter sauce. Just give me a big bowl of rice and I will be a very happy happy girl. Cooked medium, just the way I like my lamb to be. I find it more gamey tasting when it's closer to rare.

Dessert was a giant crepe filled with vanilla and bananas, topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, brûléed bananas, fresh fruits, and mochi ice cream.

The drive wasn't that bad on a Friday night coming from Pasadena. I recommend an early arrival to grab a table. Seats do fill up fairly quickly with EMC Seafood downstairs.

Eat, drink, eat some more and drink some more.

3500 W. 6th St.Suite 301

Los Angeles, CA 90020

 

 

 

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Spread Mediterranean Kitchen - DTLA

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Spread Mediterranean Kitchen - DTLA

Spread is a new restaurant opened in DTLA that serves a fresh idea on Mediterranean food. A group of foodies and I got to sample some of their menu items along with a few cocktails to highlight the concept of this restaurant. Parking was pretty forgiving if you come early enough to get lucky with meters. There are also local lots you can pay for a flat rate that averages $8.

Spread offers lunch that's no more than $11, but also serves dinner that is both casual and sophisticated at the same time. Cocktails you will find at Spread would be no more than $9. They want to make grabbing lunch a necessity and not so much of a burden. It takes them hours to prep the food before it takes just a few minutes to fulfill after your order. But what you have purchased is quality. They want to make the ease of grabbing lunch a less burdensome part of your day, but also a great place to hang out for happy hour and dinners.

Here are just a few items you will find available. As you can see, they have casual items such as a Harissa beef braised wrapped in a freshly made flatbread to a more sophisticated Falafel Hash that I like to it a Falafel "Crab Cake". They have bright dishes such as a watermelon feta salad with a yogurt mint dressing to a Za'atar fried chicken that won't make you fall asleep.

Dinner is proposed to smaller dishes which makes snacking and drinking at the same time that much more fun. Come with a few friends and try a few dishes with cocktails, wine, and beer. Yes, you should have it all.

334 S MAIN STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013

 

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Sushi Roku - Pasadena

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Sushi Roku - Pasadena

I've been dining at Sushi Roku for over 6 years now. Sushi Roku is not just a place for food, but also a great place to have parties, celebrations, dinners, brunch, or whatever you want to call it. I've sat at this place for hours. With drinks. And friends. I'm not a weirdo, I swear.

I went to Sushi Roku last week to try a new item on their menu. Well, it's not really a new item, but something that is enhanced for the true connoisseur. Their executive chirashi. This was made, because not everyone wants the regular plain oh chirashi bowl. Don't get me wrong. It's still good. But if I can get a larger variety of premium fishes for lunch prices, I would jump all over this like you know, fat kid love cake kind of deal.

First things first, wine, DUH. I want all of you to know that I am a red wine drinker. I just had a bad night of white wine and it just kind of ruined it for me. Kind of like Grey Goose. Drank that thing back in the day with warm Sunny D that ended up NOT a great night to remember.

Butter edamame

Turning a healthy snack into a not so healthy snack. I chuckled a little with that line.

I like to think of the executive chirashi as a mashup of whatever fresh fishes the chef wants to present. Doesn't that look stunning? I got more heads turned looking at this thing than me. I mean I get it. There's no way I can compete, but the wine does help me feel better about myself.

Some of the fishes features were Amaebi (sweet shrimp with fried head), Hon Hon Maguro, Kanpachi, toro, Uni, tai, hirame, & Kinmedai. Of course fish varies from time to time, so don't expect the same. I wouldn't expect the same executive chirashi everytime. This was well worth the $36. The quality was great, presentation was exquisite (of course the gold flakes helped), and it was just an overall really tasty dish.

Sushi Roku is located in Miller Alley. The restaurant is next to Crate and Barrel if you are really lost. If you are really lost, find a security that are floating all over Old Town Pasadena. They are in the yellow polos. And if you can't find them, just go home and cry because you failed in life.

33 Miller Alley, Pasadena, CA 91103, United States

 

 

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3rd Generation Sake Bar - DTLA

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3rd Generation Sake Bar - DTLA

Located in the Heart of Downtown Los Angeles’ Financial District. 3rd Generation Sake Bar specializes in Ramen, Sushi hand rolls and popular Japanese side dishes.
— 3rd Generation

Finding a decent ramen place has never been easy. There's so much components that makes a ramen special. 3rd Generation does ramen decently for what is offered in Downtown LA. Besides ramen, the restaurant also serves handrolls, cut rolls, Poke Bowls, and many sides like takowasa to takoyaki. There are also modern spins like spicy tuna burger and pork belly bun. And of course, beer, sake and wine. So you can pretty much get an idea of what this place is like.

I would recommend getting sides and cut rolls/hand rolls. Drink a lot. Snack some more. And then order the Ramen to end your meal. I've worked at an Izakaya for 3 and a half years of my life and had visited Japan as well to say that's what I would do at a place like this. Given the menu.

All in all, it's great to have something away from the pretentious crowds. There's tons of people in Little Tokyo. Too much in my opinion. But again, the restaurant game is strong. So you can basically land on any street throughout downtown to find some great food. Here on 7th and Flower is where you will find 3rd Generation.

Our meal started with snow crab and salmon avocado handrolls. They do have blue crab which is one of my favorite things. Snowcrab was on the tasting menu today so that was what we went with. They have a 4 handroll special that comes with backed crab, salmon avocado, spicy albacore and spicy tuna. A pretty good steal for $14.

Spicy Miso Tonkotsu Ramen

The spicy miso was delicate and not overly salty like other ramen joints I've been to. The noodles were wavy and thick. The pork was cooked perfectly. Served with sweet corn, bean sprouts, green onions, spicy miso paste, tender chashu, and half a soft boiled soy egg. Not extremely spicy, but carries a subtle kick.

3G Ramen - House Tonkotsu Broth

Served with bean sprouts, green onion, soy egg, chasu, nori, fried garlic, and a black garlic oil that gives a light smokey nutty flavor to the ramen. Nothing over powering as well. The noodles were not the same as the spicy ramen, but resembled the traditional wavy noodles we are used to.

Tonkotsu broth is normally made with pork bones. Cooked down for a long period of time. Some places will cook it for a few hours while some will cook it for 24. It's insane the care that goes into the broth. I've warned many friends to beware with drinking the broth. Imagine a bowl of liquid fat just trailing down your neck. Yeah, some places make me feel dirty.

The meal was ended with one of my favorites, black sesame ice cream. Smooth and roasty, this is something I would always order when offered at a restaurant. Not a lot of places carry this on their menu so it's always a delight to see.

808 W. 7th St. Los Angeles, Ca 90017

 

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Perry's -  Dusit D2 Hotel Constance in Pasadena

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Perry's - Dusit D2 Hotel Constance in Pasadena

Was delighted to be invited to a social event by Citymenu and Damon Eats from Instagram.

Perry's is a fusion of Cal Asian flavors with seasonal ingredients sourced at local farmer's markets in a contemporary dining experience. Located in Pasadena, you will find Hotel Constance tucked away on the corners of Colorado and South Mentor Ave.

A little information on the restaurant:

Celebrated Restaurateur of the Eatery on Allen, Bacchus’ Kitchen and Claud & Co. Catering, Claud Beltran is lending his epicurean experience and culinary team to Perry’s where he creates a fusion of Cal Asian flavors with seasonal ingredients sourced at local farmer’s markets in a contemporary dining experience. Alfresco dining is available in the historic courtyard.
— dusit.com

There were a few things to try. Everything we had were bright and refreshing. From octopus carpaccio to a matcha doughnut. They also serve breakfast at 6:30AM and closes at 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on Friday & Saturdays.

928 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, USA 91106

Street parking is available, but valet is offered upon arrival.

 

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