food – Page 10

Painting the Town Pink with Walk With Sally

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014Leave a comment

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a local organization has partnered with local brands and businesses to paint the town pink, for a good cause. Walk With Sally‘s mission is to provide mentoring and support services to children that have a parent or sibling with cancer or have lost a parent or sibling to cancer. The mentors are outstanding individuals that have lost a close family member or have survived cancer themselves, and they help guide the children in the program through the trails, tribulations, and grief. The founder’s mother, Sally, passed away from breast cancer when he was young. Many of the children in the program have lost their moms to breast cancer. There are two mentors who are breast cancer survivors. It is safe to say that October is especially meaningful to the organization. Their partnerships entail different events and promotions throughout the month in which a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the organization. These partnered businesses are their Breast Friends.

They recently hosted a Paint the Town Pink event in Downtown Manhattan Beach, where businesses like Trina Turk, Bella Beach, iRunMB, and more, hosted mini-parties featuring sweets, drinks, giveaways, and sales. I had a great time shopping last week at this event! In addition, they are hosting month-long promotions; some of my favorites include, Strawberry Glazed Donuts from Two Guns Espresso, Pink Velvet Cupcakes from Cake Backe Shop, and a cheeky card from Julie Ann Art.

I encourage you to take a look at their campaign and participate in one of their events or promotions if you are local.
For more information on the participating businesses, visit http://www.walkwithsally.org/breastfriends/

In Roy Choi We Trust

October 11, 2014October 11, 2014Leave a comment

Between 3 Worlds Cafe, Kogi, Chego, A-Frame, Alibi Room, and Sunny Spot, you would think that Roy Choi would be tired. Whether you have watched recent interviews or have read about his complete take-over at The Line Hotel, you quickly realize that Roy Choi is only getting started in revolutionizing the culinary scene and answering to no one. I fell in love with his other hotel installation, Pot, earlier this year, but haven’t been back during the LA heatwave. Recently, my family and I had the pleasure of indulging in his beautiful greenhouse creation, Commissary.
First of all, the menu is full of fun drawings with very little written guidance. This not only symbolizes Choi’s idea of reinventing basic ingredients (mostly veggies), but also the commitment that diners need to make in order to fully enjoy the experience, TRUST THE CHEF.
We started off with the Eggplant, Figs, Carrots, Bok Choy, and a side of brown rice because I had read a review beforehand suggesting it for the Eggplant dish, as it resembles a Jade Curry. The Eggplant reminds me of a curry dish, a very spicy and very delicious curry dish. The Figs were served with fennel and the restaurant’s signature Rainbow Sauce, consisting of nuts, garlic, and chilies. The sweet and savory combination was perfection. We all ate the Carrots before I could get a photo. The Carrots were roasted and served with the Green Sauce which consists of tomatillo, garlic, and cilantro. I think that this dish was gobbled up so quickly because it looked the most approachable, but we were all surprised by the depth of flavor that was hiding in the Green Sauce. The Bok Choy was served with Green Beans, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Chilies, and a Brown soy sauce. The combo of Bok Choy and Green Beans was deliciously crunchy and the garnishes and chili flakes gave this dish the most asian fusion flair.

My mom ordered the Scallops which were lightly seared and served in the Green garlic sauce. This dish was a huge hit with everyone. Scallops need to be cooked perfectly in order for them to be enjoyed, and these were cooked perfectly.

My dad asked the waitress to surprise him between the Tuna Melt and the French Dip. We were surprised at her choice of the Tuna Melt, until we took a bite. The cheese to tuna ratio was a great balance and the tuna was not at all fishy, but quite rich.

My boyfriend ordered the Burger. After we heard it was a combination of pork and Wagyu beef, how could he not order it?! I was upset that I only got one bite. The garnishes were subtle and the size was not too big, not too small, but just right.

Finally, I had the Schnitzel. The cutlet was juicy and the breading was not too heavy, but had the perfect crunch to it. Served with mustard, horseradish, and topped with fresh arugula, it was definitely a different take on schnitzel, but I absolutely loved it!

Our meal was definitely a crowd-pleaser. My parents and boyfriend can’t wait to come back to try more of the dishes and cocktails!
Do yourself a favor, grab a drink from the bar downstairs, grab another drink when you get to Commissary, order delicious veggies and entrees, and grab a dessert at the caFe in the lobby, and you will have had the perfect evening.

Commissary is now open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. For more information or to make a reservation, visit http://www.eatatpot.com/#home

*Top Photo from Eater.com

Food Truck Friday: Rolls and Buns

September 19, 2014September 19, 20142 Comments

Since the Kogi BBQ Taco Truck paved the way for the gourmet food truck, there has been an influx in the industry. With a new food truck popping up every other week, it can be hard to keep up. When you’re confronted with a whole lot of them, it can be hard to choose just one, let alone the right one. Oh yes, there is a right and a wrong choice when it comes to food trucks. Some charge too much for their portion, some are inconsistent, and honestly, some just don’t have good food. This is where I come in. I have been eating at food trucks, Kogi specifically, since the beginning, and I haven’t stopped. I will highlight some of my favorites in my Food Truck Friday posts, so keep a look out. For today, I am going to talk about two food trucks that I’m obsessed with right now.

If you love lobster, The Lobsta Truck is for you. Years ago, the founders took a trip to Maine and went on a lobster roll trek. After enjoying countless New England Lobster rolls they knew that they couldn’t come back to California without sharing their experience. They compared the lobster roll stands in Maine to the taco stands here in Los Angeles. They knew if they could nail the flavor, Angelenos would eat it up. They get their bread and lobster fresh from New England, which is an amazing fact. They truly brought the Maine lobster experience to California. Pricey, but not pricier than competing restaurant offerings, they stuff the roll with lobster meat. Stuff to the brim. You can choose between butter or mayonnaise, but I always stick with butter. In addition to the lobster rolls, the truck also serves Crab Rolls and New England Clam Chowder. I have had it all, but the Lobster Roll is the best. Out of towners might look at you funny when you tell them your favorite lobster roll comes from a truck, but it’s their loss if they don’t believe you.
For more information on the truck or their LA and SF schedules, see http://la.lobstatruck.com/.

Last week was the first time I saw the Steamed Bun Munchies truck. They rolled out earlier this year and will soon be expanding their menu, but for now their offerings speak for themselves. When you get to the truck, there are a couple of different combination options. I chose the 3 bun and 1 drink combo. I opted to try one of each bun, instead of doubling up. I had the Fried Chicken Bun, the Short Rib Bun, and the Pork Belly Bun. The Fried Chicken Bun is topped with carrots, cilantro, slaw, and a togarashi vinaigrette. The Short Rib Bun is topped with caramelized onions, cilantro, gocujang vinaigrette, and roasted peppers. The Pork Belly Bun is topped with cilantro, cucumbers, salt and vinegar. My favorite was the Short Rib Bun. The caramelized onions with the roasted peppers provided a nice bite and complimented the short rib. I didn’t know what to expect from the fried chicken because I’m pretty picky when it comes to the common comfort food, but it held up and was the perfect size and crunch for the small bun. A close second to my favorite, the Pork Belly Bun was delicious! The pork belly was cooked perfectly and the cucumber provided a nice crunch and crisp flavor to the bun. I’m excited to see what this food truck has up its sleeve in the future.
For more information on the truck or their menu, see http://www.steamedbunmunchies.com/.