Author: eatdrinklovejen

I used to frequent the South Bay quite often, but because of a recent job change, my visits have decreased. I am so behind on the South Bay food scene! I hate it! It has been rapidly evolving for the past couple of years and I feel like I am missing the best of it!

Most recently, I visited a friend that still lives in the area and let her pick the meal. She had been frequenting a semi-new restaurant smack dab in the middle of Hermosa Beach, and she had been wanting to take me there for awhile. The Hook and Plow is a  wonderful hidden gem tucked between classic and new businesses on the main stretch of Pier before the slope down the hill to the actual pier. The space is small, without being too small, and Pinteresty without looking DIY. On a sunny day, this would make a great brunch or dinner spot with your best girlfriends.

We ordered the Furikake Fries which I had never had before, so I was a smidge hesitant. They were awesome! The seaweed seasoning gave it the perfect amount of salty and the truffle oil wasn’t overwhelming.

Next, we shared the Grilled Pear and Burrata Salad. This might have been my favorite dish of the entire meal! The creamy Burrata with the pear and arugula was the most decadent combination. I almost wish I didn’t have to share it with my dining companion; I could’ve eaten it all to myself!

Next, we split the Hermosa Club Sandwich. As you can see, we started eating it before I could get a photo. The chicken was perfectly moist packed with a lot of flavor for a lightly seasoned protein. The veggies were beyond fresh and complimented the chicken. I only wish that they would’ve toasted the Sourdough a little bit more because I’m a sucker for crispy toast, but now I know for next time.

Dessert. Oh. Dessert. I’ll be honest with you. For once in my life, I didn’t really want dessert. I was very happy with our late lunch and was contently full. We had the luxury of keeping the table for a bit while we chatted since there wasn’t a wait. After a half hour, we gathered the courage to finish off our meal. This Goat Cheese Cheesecake was next level delicious! The berries were the perfect topping and the crust was perfectly crunchy, crumbly, and thick.

Click here to learn more: http://www.thehookandplow.com/.

First of all, let me apologize for the quality of this photo. The room was dark, the BBQ kings were in the dining room, Roy Choi was near and I was sitting next to Drew Barrymore. I didn’t really want to disturb those around me with a flash.

Last Monday, I was lucky enough to snag one of the last reservations for the #AustinMidnightDinner pop-up at Animal in Los Angeles. Adam Perry Lang, who frequents the Jimmy Kimmel backlot in the warmer months, teamed up with Aaron Franklin of the famed Franklin BBQ in Austin, TX. They were both going to be at Animal in Los Angeles for a pop-up event thanks to Roy Choi’s movie Chef. The success of the movie has spawned several pop-ups in the last year, but this one was definitely the best to date! The fact that I didn’t have to go to Texas to experience Franklin BBQ is still so surreal! People wait hours and hours for his smoked creations, and I only had to drive an hour. My BBQ palate has expanded exponentially in the last couple of years, and I’m glad because I think it allowed me to fully appreciate this experience.

The meal was served family style. The tray placed between my boyfriend and I contained a flavorful potato salad with the most perfect hint of dill, a pickled veggie slaw, baked beans, the most perfect spiced corn-on-the-cob, and delish pickles! Most importantly, it also contained meaty sausage, moist pulled pork, and the best brisket I have ever had in my life. Seriously.

Believe me, I didn’t want to love it as much as I did. I wanted it to be hyped. I wanted to come out of it being like ‘OK, that was good. I’m glad we got a res.’ Instead, my thoughts were more along the lines of, ‘Wow. I can never eat BBQ anything from anywhere else again. Cool.’

If you have an opportunity to attend any future pop-ups involving Roy Choi, the guys from Animal, or any aspect of the movie Chef, I highly recommend it!

How did it take me this long to discover Carreras Cemitas? Why have I been living my life without  these Cemitas? Long story short, I read various articles talking about the La China Poblano truck from the pre-Kogi food truck days in LA, and then I read about the owners opening this place in an unlikely neighborhood of Long Beach. As soon as I found out this classic favorite of Jonathan Gold and Russ Parsons was right in my backyard, I had to give it a try, PRONTO!

I could only eat so much, so for now, I definitely recommend their “off-menu” tacos which you can get with any of the meats that they offer. The green salsa on the tables put these babies over the top! Of the amazing and numerous Cemitas choices, I’d go with the Carnitas for your first go around. It was delish and stuffed to the brim with Oaxacan cheese, avocado, onions, and a little spice. Click here to see the Anatomy of this Pueblan Sandwich!

I can’t wait to go back and update you all on their burrito game 😉