June 2014

Playing at the Packing House

June 25, 2014June 24, 2014Leave a comment

I finally made it to the Anaheim Packing District! I was out of town for the grand opening on May 31, and have been wanting to visit ever since. Luckily, I had a Friday off of work, so I made lunch plans with my dad to visit the new marketplace. I knew I wanted my first time there to be on a weekday, because weekdays would be so crazy since it is so new. Well, the joke was on me because it was still PACKED! To preface, I will be updating this post, once I visit again later this summer, as not everything is open yet. However, I did very much enjoy the merchants that were available.

The layout of the entire Packing District is very interesting. The parking is a bit confusing and there is an entire strip of grass in between the Packing House, where all of the merchants are located, and the Packard Building, which houses the Anaheim Brewery Tasting Room and an Umami Burger. Currently, the grass area offers a Farmer’s Market on Sundays from 10AM-2PM.
Upon walking in to the Packing House, you are greeted with a beautiful contemporary rustic decor complete with light wood and white accents throughout. Each merchant runs into the next with very little seating dedicated exclusively to that merchant, which I liked. I liked that I could grab food from multiple places and sit wherever I wanted without feeling like I was bringing outside food into another establishment’s territory. After a quick walk around, we noticed that at least 5 merchants are not open yet, but there was still enough options to choose from without being disappointed. We ordered food from The Kroft and The Chippy Fish and Grill. I wanted to try everything on The Kroft menu, but settled for the Short Rib Sandwich and Jalapeno coleslaw. The sandwich was a good size for us to share and the meat was perfectly braised and very juicy. Along with the sandwich, the coleslaw tasted fresh and crisp with just the right amount of kick.

After that, we enjoyed the 3 piece and chips special and an order of Calamari Rings from The Chippy. The batter on the fish and calamari was light, but crunchy, and the quality of fish was superb.

Along with our meal, I enjoyed a lovely mocha from Cafecito Organico. It was the perfect balance of bittersweet cacao, whole milk, and light foam.

Next, we enjoyed the Popbar for dessert. This popsicle bar is the best dessert concept I have seen in a while. It is original, fun, and they have something for everyone. With yogurt, sorbet, and gelato based options, you are able to top any flavor with drizzles or chunky toppings. I chose the coffee with small hazelnut chunks and my dad chose the chocolate covered banana. We both enjoyed our popsicles and they tasted exactly what they were supposed to taste like.

Unfortunately, we were too full to try some of the other merchants, but the Black Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar will be my first stop when I come back. The menu looked so unique and delicious!

I can’t pick a favorite part of our visit because everything was enjoyable. I can’t wait to return to try the other merchants that have yet to open. This is a wonderful new addition to Anaheim and won’t be a hidden gem for much longer.
For more information, visit http://anaheimpackingdistrict.com/

Bludso’s: BBQ Heaven

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014Leave a comment

It is officially summer, and when I think of summer, I think of BBQ. When I think of BBQ, I think of Bludso’s. I have been to both the original location in Compton and the newer location on La Brea in Los Angeles. They are very different from one another. I don’t necessarily have a preference, but there is an occasion for both.

My first trip to the Compton location was a fun one. Not knowing what to expect, we pulled up at 7PM quickly realizing there wasn’t a place to sit, so we quickly arranged the back of the 4Runner to accommodate the feast we were about to embark on. We ordered the Rib Dinner with Baked Beans and Coleslaw, Beef Brisket, and the Pulled Pork on a Bun with a side of Mac & Cheese and extra Cornbread. They ran out of a couple of menu items that we wanted, so that is something to remember the later you go. The Mac & Cheese didn’t really do it for me, but everything else was exceptional. The quality and preparation of the meat was unlike any other BBQ I have had.

Now on to the La Brea location. If you are looking for the same great food, but completely opposite atmosphere, this is the location for you. The interior is full of long tables and booths made for big groups, televisions lining the walls, and a beautiful bar boasting specialty cocktails. The menu is much more condensed in comparison to the other location, and in reality, is more expensive for the portion sizes. However, this doesn’t deter me. Why? Simple. People dining on this trendy stretch of La Brea will pay the asking price to enjoy the atmosphere and the top-notch BBQ. Once again, we enjoyed the Pulled Pork, Pork Ribs, and Brisket with Mac & Cheese and Baked Beans. The ribs were just as delicious as the other location. The meat just falls off of the bone and the rub is superb. The Pulled Pork is more chunky than stringy, but more delicious than any other pulled pork I have had of recent. The best, though, is the Brisket. The meat is so tasty and tender without becoming chewy. Also, I am very particular about my cornbread, and this is definitely in my Top 3.

I will definitely go back with friends to try the signature cocktails and The Tray. For $95, you get 1/2 lb: Brisket – Pulled Pork – Rib Tips – Half Chicken – Full Rack of Pork Ribs – 2 Hot Links – All medium sides plus pickles and cornbread. That sounds like a party to me.

Pizza Tuesday: Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

June 17, 2014June 17, 2014Leave a comment

It is safe to say that I have a pizza obsession, and I don’t discriminate. Thin, thick, deep-dish, flatbread, I have had it all and love it all! It is also safe to say that my favorite pizza of all time is found at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach in San Francisco. Owner, Tony Gemignani, is no stranger to good pizza. Famed pizza tosser, he has beat out countless Italians in Naples’ World Pizza Championship. He now has several locations boasting his award-winning recipes across California and Las Vegas. I don’t know how he manages to do it all considering I always see him at one of his establishments in San Francisco whenever I’m in town. It is safe to say this man is a genius and having tried almost every pizza on his menu (regular and seasonal) I still become a bit star stuck when I see him.

Now on to the good stuff, my most recent trip might have been my favorite so far. We indulged in three exceptional pizzas, the Quail Egg, White Rose Potato, and Guanciale, the Cal Italia, and the Sausage and Stout. Part of the intrigue of the pizzas at Tony’s lies in the unique ingredients and preparation of each one. There are several different ovens that prepare pizzas at different times and temperatures, ensuring that each one is distinct and perfect.

QUAIL EGG, WHITE ROSE POTATO, AND GUANCIALE
mozzarella, white rose potatoes, rosemary, calabrese peppers, chorizo, quail eggs, guanciale (pork cheek), fromage blanc, lavender sea salt

This pizza is one of my favorites, for two reasons.

1. My mom loved it. – Let me explain, my mom doesn’t LOVE just anything. She is a very closed-minded and picky-eater, so when she went out on a limb and ordered this, I was frightened. She loved the spiciness of the peppers and chorizo, but refused to try the quail egg (which I still find unjustified and ridiculous).

2. The pizza is so unique – I loved everything about this pizza. The crust isn’t too crispy, but still doughy as to absorb the oils from the meats and eggs, and the level of spicy is right on the cusp of adventurous and enjoyable.

SAUSAGE AND STOUT

honey malted Guinness stout beer is worked into the dough, mozzarella beer sausage, caramelized onions, crushed red peppers, green onions and rectangles of fontina cheese, and drizzled in a beer salt and sweet a Guinness reduction

This was definitely a new favorite of mine, but I’m pretty sure it is seasonal, so I am trying desperately to not get too attached. I love beer and I love sausage, and this was the best fusion of both in a pizza. What more could you want? You can taste a subtle hint of Guinness (yes, the beer) in the dough with a sweet aftertaste. The beer sausage is meaty and cheesy all at once. The caramelized onions provide a buttery and richness to the pizza that compliments the large chunks of fontina and Guinness reduction drizzle. I would definitely recommend to try this before they take it off the menu!

WARNING: They only make 23 of them per day, so I recommend going for an early lunch; otherwise, you will never see this pizza in real life.

CAL ITALIA

asiago, mozzarella, italian gorgonzola, croatian sweet ﬁg preserve, prosciutto di parma, parmigiano, balsamic reduction, no sauce

Now, on to the perfect pizza. This is my favorite pizza of all time. I know that is a big statement, and believe me, I take my comments very seriously. The mix of cheeses is heavenly with the perfect ratio of each. Prosciutto belongs on everything, but it was made for this pizza. If prosciutto is Romeo, then fig jam is Juliet. The combination of the two is everything. It is life. It is love. It is everything. I crave this pizza every day of my life, so much so that my boyfriend recreated it in a grilled cheese. While it was heavenly, it fell JUST short of the Cal Italia.

TRUE STORY: I witnessed someone tear up because this pizza was so good, and they knew they would never have anything like it again. All other pizza would pale in comparison.

Don’t take my word for it! I dare you to go to Tony’s Pizza Napoletana and not walk out smiling, full, and wanting more. A word of advice, if you go for dinner, be prepared to wait at least 2 hours. This isn’t a huge issue if you walk a couple blocks down to Rogue Ale House to wait and drink with friends. If you aren’t the patient type, line up at 11:30AM and you will get a seat right when they open at noon. If you are lucky, you will run in to Tony himself!