Food & Drink

blue stove santa monica

I know some people may look at me and say “He looks like the kind of guy that eats dinner at the mall,” but I’m here to tell you it’s usually not true.

However, this past Friday I let my lady friend convince me that it would be acceptable to spend part of our Friday evening listening to a back end developer give a talk about web programming at General Assembly in Santa Monica. That was great and all (and there are a lot of cool classes coming up there soon) but afterward we were not willing to walk too far for dinner. I had recently heard about the Blue Stove in the Santa Monica Place Mall, inside Nordstrom.

So yes, in this one case, I did eat dinner at the mall.

It was interesting. As you can see from the photo above, our dishes were all fried. The things I’d noticed other patrons raving about were the Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, the Salt & Pepper Calamari, and the Short Rib Poutine so we went with that.

The Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos were good, crunchy and fried, but tasty. I don’t ever really need fried food and I was hoping this would be a little fresher, but they did the job. They were tiny and came in a set of 4.

I ordered the Short Rib Poutine because I haven’t had poutine since I last visited Montreal years ago and I could not resist. Plus I just sat through an hour presentation about PHP, Python and Ruby on Rails so I needed the food equivalent of hiding under the covers for a while. This worked.

The calamari was also good. I’m from Rhode Island and I’ve had fried calamari with about 85% of the meals I ate growing up, and I will tell you that this was as good if not better than most I’ve tried.

Blue Stove also has a full bar and extensive wine list so this could be a good hiding place for anyone that happens to be married to a real Nordstrom enthusiast.

One selling point here is that Nordstrom apparently has a lot of amazing shoes, so if you’re an anxious shopper like me, maybe head to the Blue Stove and put yourself into a food coma before wobbling around the shoe section. I have my eye on some red dock siders.

Blue Stove
222 Broadway St
Santa Monica, CA 90401

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Mohawk Bend BreakfastTo raise awareness for Share Our Strength’s successful Breakfast in the Classroom program, Mohawk Bend & Golden Road Brewing will host a “Breakfast in the Bend” on Saturday, May 18 in anticipation of this year’s Taste of the Nation.

Choose from breakfast specials like the Bend Breakfast Burrito and pair ‘em with a pint from Golden Road Brewing.  $1 from each pint and $5 from each breakfast special will be donated to Share our Strength.

Mohawk Bend & Golden Road Brewing host a “Breakfast in the Bend” to raise funds for Share Our Strength. All Golden Road beer will be available for just $4, and three Share Our Strength specials will be available for $10.

· Chili-Cheese Baked Omelet (NV)

· Bend Breakfast Burrito (V or NV)

· Mohawk Waffle with fresh berries and choice of syrup (V).

*$1 from each pint and $5 from each breakfast special will be donated to Share our Strength.
Saturday, May 18

Mohawk Bend
2141 West Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-2337
9:30AM-12:30PM

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Check it out:

More here

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80s Night Los Angeles

Bigfoot West
10939 Venice Blvd  Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 287-2200

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26

Finally a trivia night I can possibly win. I’ve longed for the return of Rock and Roll Jeopardy for years. Now you can flex your rock muscles against what I can only guess will be the most knowledgeable crowd around, the people of the Rainbow. I am going to study up.

via press release:

The Rainbow Bar & Grill’s Rock Science Trivia Night

Hosted by KNAC’s DJ Will

Every Sunday night from 9:00 PM – 1:30 AM.

Test your rock n’ roll education upstairs at the Rainbow!
Are you a Rock n’ Roll “Poser,” “Fan,” or “Rock Scientist”

Win prizes from Rock Science
“The Rock Game of the Century”

The Rainbow Bar & Grill is located at 9015 W. Sunset Blvd.,

For additional information please visit www.rockscience.tv

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dunkin donuts los angeles

After having this Google News alert set up for years, I can finally type – DUNKIN’ DONUTS IS RETURNING TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

Via press release:

“This past year was an exciting one for Dunkin’ Donuts’ growth in the United States, and we are delighted to begin 2013 with the long-awaited announcement that Dunkin’

Donuts will be opening restaurants in California, where there is already incredible passion for our brand,” said Nigel Travis , Chief Executive Officer, Dunkin’ Brands and President, Dunkin’ Donuts U.S. “Expansion to California has always been part of our plan to grow Dunkin’ Donuts’ presence in the U.S. We have maintained our disciplined approach to expand steadily while focusing on initiatives to improve restaurant economics and franchisee profitability. These initiatives include our recent agreement with our franchisee-owned and operated distribution and procurement facility, which ensures the same cost of goods to franchisees in both established and new markets by 2015.”

America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, and one of the fastest growing quick service restaurant (QSR) brands based on unit growth, announced today that it is expanding to Southern California. Dunkin’ Donuts has been strategically expanding in contiguous markets across the country with a long-term goal of having more than 15,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the United States alone. In addition, the company will continue to open new restaurants in existing markets.

Specifically, the company is recruiting multi-unit franchisees for Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura and Orange counties and expects restaurants in these markets will begin to open in 2015.  The company is also interested in identifying qualified food service operators for a wide range of non-traditional venues including colleges and universities, casinos, military bases, supermarkets, airports and travel centers.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1ywki)

Fingers crossed the new locations have drive thrus because I do NOT leave my car for a Coolatta.

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The former owner of more Boston-ized Sonny McLean’s has a new bar in the Palms area of Los Angeles, and Angelenos like me that have made the long trek from Boston are early fans. I stopped by The Garage this weekend to check out the Pats/Texans game. I think Pats fans have a new home base.

One side of The Garage has a open, loft-like, bright/sunny vibe, while the other side is darker and cozy. I believe this darker room is called the “Motor Club.”

This burger was great, as were the lobster roll sliders. I will be going back again and again.

the garage motor los angeles

More info about The Garage here: http://www.facebook.com/garagemotorave

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Steingarten LA: It’s a sausage fest

by Jon on December 10, 2012

I kinda hate myself for that title, but I’m sticking with it. Over the weekend my ladyfriend reminded me that she purchased a Groupon for Steingarten LA. We’d been there a couple times before, both times when it was raining. It’s a pretty zen experience, gazing out the front window at a rainy Pico Boulevard, sausage in one hand, Words With Friends in the other. It’s gotten to the point where I crave sausage every time it rains.

Well this past weekend it was not raining but this Groupon was jonesin’ to be spent. We headed over to Steingarten LA around 1pm for some lunch. We didn’t grab our usual front window seat because there was a solo act over there (that’s what I call someone that dines by themselves and spends the whole meal eavesdropping on my conversation.)

I’ve been trying not to drink too much (early New Year’s resolution most likely to be broken before the ball drops. God damn there is a lot of innuendo in this post already) so I decided to replace those calories with the Korean BBQ Nachos. These nachos were pretty amazing. Sliced red bliss potatoes, short ribs, scallions. If I were a marathoner I would eat this once a week. Instead I run on a treadmill maybe a few times a week tops so I need to space these visits out.

Sausage time. I always walk into Steingarten LA thinking I’m going to order something Anthony Bourdainish. The alligator and pork sausage? The salmon sausage? The rabbit and spirit? As interesting as it would be to eat a part-bunny/part-ghost sandwich, I always feel overwhelmed and end up going for a safety sausage. This time it was chicken and apple, but, on a pretzel roll!

The chicken, apple, and cinnamon of the pretzel roll went together like a 2 year old’s birthday party. Everyone’s smiling, sharing, complimenting each other and having a great time. I’ve never been to a 2 year old’s birthday party but I’ve already typed that example and I don’t feel like thinking of another.

My ladyfriend, henceforth known as Lady Sausalot, had the vegan chipotle sausage. She said it was “super good” and she ordered it topped with grilled peppers and chopped onions. She also ordered a couple really hoppy beers so I wouldn’t be tempted to sip/drink half of them. That was nice of her. Good ol’ Sausalot.

Steingarten LA is a pretty cool space. We’ve already covered the big front window, but there’s also a friggin’ sunroof and a back patio that features some sort of flaming terrarium. You’ll have to see it yourself and give me a better description. The staff is really friendly, the menu is overwhelming in a good way, and the price is right.

And that, is 460 words about me eating sausage.

Steingarten LA
10543 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 441-0441

http://www.steingartenla.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SteingartenLA
https://twitter.com/SteingartenLA

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Friends, subscribers, long-tail searchers,

These are busy days in West LA. When the days are busy, the nights are tired. When the nights are tired, I cannot be expected to even microwave a burrito. I must be catered to at a local eatery or at the very least, a friendly Grubhubber, LA Biter, or Seamlessian must arrive at my door within 45 minutes with brown bags full of greatness.

Luckily, there are plenty of options in all directions of my Sawtelle neighborhood. Over the past couple weeks, we have taken full advantage. I need to start checking in on Foursquare before I leave these places, I keep missing out on deals.

Manpuku

I don’t know why I came back here. I went here for lunch last year when some guy in the office raved about their lunchtime steak deal. It was pretty eh then and it was even more eh when I went full on barbecue. My palette is not refined enough to recognize whether or not I’m getting a good deal on high quality beef and chicken when my wallet remembers getting an endless supply of both at Road to Seoul a few years ago.

Nong La Cafe

It’s not my fault, the those hunks of meat were really that blurry. I’m not the biggest pho fan, I’d rather head up the road to Chabuya any day, but the Mrs. was feeling a cold coming on, and I figured I’d take one pho the team.

Here’s the thing, we get there and she orders a banh mi. Not cool. I ordered the meatiest pho on the menu. It’s hard to tell from the photo but that bowl was the size of a Fiat. I tried my hardest to fit all the meat, noodles, veggies and broth into my stomach, but it was not happening. You win this round Nong La Cafe.

I would go back here again if they’d dim the lights a little. I haven’t gotten the whole neat noodling thing down yet. I still need some time to slurp in the shadows before I’m ready to go public.

Pig and Whistle

Well, of course I love the Pig and Whistle. I had the burger, it was great, then we walked to the Hollywood Bowl and watched Wilco. Best night ever? Maybe. I realize this isn’t in anywhere near Sawtelle. Sometimes I leave my neighborhood. Sometimes.

North End Pizza

This is my favorite delivery pizza place. My woman partner has complained in the past that if you ask for olives or anything else that could possible come in a can or jar, they will just dump the whole thing, juice and all, on top of the pizza. My response to this is: Stop complicating our pizza. Some pepperoni, maybe a tomato and some onions. That’ll do. Let’s not get fancy.

This time though, I did get fancy and I ordered the Sicilian pizza. This thing is enormous. Order it on on Sunday and you’re good for the week. Unless you’re Sicilian. I guess?

En Sushi

Moving to a new neighborhood (well, back to our old neighborhood) means choosing a new local sushi place. There are a few options on Sawtelle that we have not checked out yet, but we’d been to En Sushi in the past and it is pretty solid.

There’s a bit of a bar scene here. Most people that come here seem to head straight for the bar. Not the sushi bar, but the booze bar. There’s a cool waterfall backdrop that just helps those drinks go down that much easier. Also: Garlic edamame. Why not.

So there’s that. I’m spending the next few weeks cooking everything in my freezer so I can save all my carb loading for clam cakes and hot wieners on my trip to Rhode Island later this month. It will be worth it.

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WLA Grill Cafe – West LA

by Jon on September 19, 2012

If you’re heading to the Dolores Cafe after Rocky Horroring at the Nuart, you’ll still find the Dolores sign, but you’ll find your old greasy spoon has a new name and a little bit of flayva. I liked the Dolores Cafe just fine. It was never the cleanest, but all the clean diners in LA are ridiculously priced (ahem Early World, Snug Harbor.) In Pawtucket, Rhode Island we called that grime “charm.” You took that charm alongside a full breakfast plate for $3.00 and you liked it. You were in pain for 8 hours afterwards, but you liked it. I was there for breakfast, but the Kabob and Coke deal already has methinking about a return trip.

I had originally planned to eat at the West LA Farmers market, but didn’t find anything I was interesting in breakfasting on so I looked to Dolores. The Dolores Cafe didn’t seem like a place that would ever go anywhere. It seemed like the place you would tell your grandkids about. Hopefully the sign sticks around because nothing says “welcome home” to me after a business trip like a hi-five from the Dolores sign.

The interior is all redone. When it was still Delores, I’m pretty sure I sat on the same patched up hole in the same corner booth every time I went. This time I sat in the same booth the WLA Grill Cafe, and whoa, no hole. I think the most striking difference in interior is that there’s just a lot more space. No more carpet, hodgepodge of furniture, same counter, and a new chalkboard menu.

We went on a Sunday and spoke with the manager/server and a waitress. Both were friendly, maybe a little rushed (only two people working the floor.)

Breakfast was had: Eggs, potatoes, bacon, side of toast and side of French toast. The French toast was a little burnt, which was not great, but the rest was fine. As of right now, the WLA Grill Cafe is not my go-to breakfast spot, unless I happen to come out of the West LA Farmer’s market empty handed again. It is worth noting, however, that they’re trying to get a liquor license. If they get that license there will be a bar in the back room. I know there are plenty of other bar options in the area, but my fingers are crossed for a bottomless mimosa special within walking distance from home. If you happen to head over here, let me know what you think!

wlagrillcafe.net

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