the space is absolutely gorgeous! there is also an outdoor patio area as well.
they roast their own beans.
latte. mango pudding. chai latte. kouign amann
everything is made fresh daily!
love the decor. i am also in love with their marble plates.
the food is beautifully plated, not to mention quite delicious.
a few recs:
the spaghetti is simple yet tasty. the noodles are on the thicker side and not too saucy.
the small potato bites are like crispy seasoned home fries.
you can’t go wrong with a red & golden beet salad. the goat cheese complements the beets well and the fried beet chips add a little texture to the dish.
can’t wait to try some of these beans! [colombian dark. sumatra espresso. guatemala medium]
also, i need to go back during brunch hours. their ricotta pancakes look amazing.
tip: there is F R E E parking behind the building [sunset plaza].
I have had this place bookmarked for YEARS and I was so glad that I finally got the chance to try them.
It’s not a retail store with cookies on display but they do allow walk-ins; you would have to choose from whatever they have available at the time and sometimes they sell out so it is probably good to call before heading over.
If you call a few hours ahead during nonpeak days, they may be able to prepare the cookies you want! Shhh!
this is where you pick up the cookies. (it is their HQ.)
this is the stairway that leads to their offices/pick-up location/kitchen.
love the handmade hat box. perfect for gifting.
classics
cinnamon brûlée
chocolate decadence
chocolate chip
oatmeal raisin
peanut butter
peanut butter chocolate
couture (changes seasonally)
white chocolate macadamia nut cranberry
ginger spice
chocolate peppermint
red velvet chocolate brownie
butterscotch blondie
vegan
vegan gluten-free chocolate chip
special edition
chocolate bing cherry (Spielberg’s fave!)
These DeLicious DeLuscious cookies are available for pick-up, hand delivery, and they even ship internationally.
I also like that they also do a lot of charity events; they give back to the community.
My faves: chocolate chip, cinnamon brûlée, chocolate bing cherry. They are crispy around the edges and chewy in the center. The bing cherry surprisingly goes well with the chocolate.
Owner, Lydia Shayne, is a self-taught baker who takes pride in her cookies. She does not use preservatives and uses the best ingredients possible in these hand-crafted cookies. FYI, the bing cherries used the the chocolate bing cherry cookie are from washington. She also creates her own blend of quinoa and rice flours for the gluten-free options.
I will definitely be back to try more of their flavors.
Missin’ LA so here’s a post about what I ate the last time I was there. I tried a few new-ish spots mixed in with some old regular spots.
Day 5 Eats:
Chosun Galbee (my favorite KBBQ place)
I usually get their Chosun Galbee, or their flower meat. All prime cuts. melts in your mouth!
Homibing
very cute presentation. not sure if i loved the mango shaved snow, though.
Choe Kang Jip
another celeb chef baek jong won restaurant. the spicy jok bal is spicy for most and has an herbal-y taste. not enough meat and a lot of bone and skin. the sundae guk was not impressive.
The Kimbap
Processed with Snapseed.
the owner of gaju kimbap opened this new place and their tuna kimbap [add cheese] is still good!
they modernized the decor and also updated their menu.
Day 6 Eats:
M Grill
an oldie but goodie. better than other Brazilian BBQ spots. all the meats are well seasoned and not salty. pictured is their top sirloin. love their pão de queijo and their grilled pineapple is a MUST!
I am sooo behind! But here is my photo diary [day 4] from my last trip to my home [LA! I refuse to call it anything else] . I tried quite a few new places… well, new to me at least!
Relax & Go Cappuccino [chamomile, lavender, espresso, condensed milk] I thought this was lovely if you love lavender and a little sweetness to your capp.
they revamped the old jinju gomtang into a healthier version using organic ingredients. it is not the original owner but from a former employee who got permission to open shop.
A photo posted by Hee Jin [Bay Area + LA] (@hungryhungryheejin) on
Don’t you just hate it when the boba to drink ratio is off? Well you don’t have to worry about that here because this truck has a self-serve toppings bar. I added boba, aloe, chia, basil seeds & lychee jelly!
I’ve been craving simple Korean food and Han Bat always hits the spot. Beef broth, rice, and kimchi.. It’s the best!
Their kkakdugi is always SO good. I need two bowls to myself.
***
I had dinner at Spice Affair in Beverly Hills. It’s on restaurant row.
The food is upscale Indian and all the dishes were LOADED with spices.
My favorite was probably the Coco-li-flower which is an appetizer consisting of crispy cauliflower in coconut sauce. It’s one of the very few vegan dishes I like! I am a total carnivore, if you haven’t figured that out already. HAHA.
This is what I do before every meal. My friends know that they have to wait.
I got to sample A LOT of food as well as desserts for lunch. My favorite dessert was probably the Street Churros, and my favorite food booth was Dino’s.
***
Dinner was in The OC @ South Coast Plaza.
I went to AnQi, [another House of AN Restaurant] located in the Bloomingdale’s building. I was lucky to have an eight course tasting prepared by the chef.
My absolute favorite dish was this Pan Roasted Lobster with their famous garlic noodles.
There was nothing I didn’t enjoy. The table-side ice cream with a giant cookie was a fun and interactive experience.
I got to try out Munchery, a SF-based food delivery service. They are available across various cities in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington D.C.
I saw on their website that they have cooking kits, where you can cook a meal for two in 15 minutes. I must try that next time and see how it turns out.
The price point is pretty good for the quality of food you get. To keep prices low, they charge a subscription fee for members.
I ordered my meal two days ahead of time because I REALLY wanted the CAWxMunchery Gold-Flaked Chocolate Cake! It was sold out the last time I tried to order it so when I saw it on the menu, I just had to jump on it.
A plus is that you can pick your delivery window. (I chose 4-5p.)
The food comes chilled in compostable containers and in a paper bag so it is ideal if you are home or will be home when the food gets there.
This is what I got this time.
Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll $9.95
They have rolls & nigiri too!
For me, the spicy tuna crunch roll is a light snack, or appetizer to start off my meal.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken $8.95
Spanish-Style Tri-tip Steak $10.95
1/2 Roast Chicken with Squash $9.95
And got my favorite dessert! Of course, I had to get TWO. Sadly, I shared one.
Overall, the food is well seasoned and tastes pretty healthy; they try to avoid using preservatives when possible. My friends agreed that for the quality you get, the price is pretty amazing.
If I’m not in the mood too cook and I don’t feel like fast food, I would definitely order from them again, especially when the CAWxMUNCHERY chocolate cake is available. Haha!
It’s been a couple months since my last visit H O M E.
Yes, I still call LA my home even though I’ve been living in the Bay Area for about two years now.
First stop:
San Francisco-based Mr. Holmes Bakehouse just opened up a location in LA, Highland Park to be exact. They have a location in Seoul as well!
Went for a media preview & got their DONUTS, of course! [Thanks, @dailyfoodfeed for the invite.]
I definitely recommend the donuts, but depends on the filling. I usually like the cream-filled ones.
They did not have Cruffins for the preview but that is what they are known for, so you should try them at least once. It’s similar to the Cronut in texture and taste, but shaped like a muffin.
***
Afterwards, I was STARVING. I love donuts and all, but I needed something more substantial.
So I decided to go to Szechuan Impression.
I have been wanting to try this place for the longest time.
Impressive Cold Noodle.
It was impressive, indeed. Good texture on these noodles as well as the spicy flavor.
Lamb on Toothpicks.
I love cumin lamb and their version was flavorful. The meat was really soft.
Sautéed Spicy Crab
I try not to get crab too much because I don’t like cracking them. I wish the meat was already taken out of their shells but oh well. They left the best part intact, which is the crab eggs + the tomalley. I hate it when they take that out! The dish was #SPICYBUTNOTSPICY for me but I loved the numbing spice.
I was pleasantly surprised. I would go back to try other items on their menu.
When I think of Crustacean’s, I think of their famous roast crab & garlic noodles.
If you don’t know already, the An Family owns multiple restaurants in SoCal & SF. Their first restaurant, Thanh Long, which I have been to, is located in the Outer Sunset.
I was excited to attend this event to watch Chef Helene An cook something up in front of our eyes… And also because I was secretly hoping that she would cook us up some garlic noodles. Hehe.
Here is the menu of the items from her new cookbook that she previewed with us.
Part of the spread, all from the cookbook.
[top left cw: Vietnamese chicken coriander cabbage salad, caramelized salmon, coconut spare ribs, filet mignon shaken beef]
They brought out so many extra dishes besides the ones that were listed.
[above are from the actual restaurant menu: crab puffs & jumbo prawn wontons]
We had a lot to eat! That’s a very Asian thing, which I L O V E.
In most Asian households, there are alwaysleftovers; no one ever leaves hungry.
My favorite dish was this FRENCH ONION PHO WITH BEEF RAVIOLI. The mini bone marrow added richness to each bite. The broth tasted super clean. This is definitely not your average pho. I am going to try and recreate this dish from the cookbook, one of these days!
My Second favorite dish from the cookbook was probably this SPICY CHICKEN & SHRIMP RAMEN IN COGNAC XO SAUCE. If you know me, you know I NEED spice in my life.
***
And just when I thought, they weren’t going to bring out the garlic noodles….
…they did!
The book is written by Chef Helene An & one of her daughters, Jacqueline An. I had the pleasure of meeting both of them and they were really nice! They personally signed each book, which I thought was very thoughtful.
She was really tired, but I had to bother her for this selfie.
[A photo of Chef Helene and I with THE Dog Filter.]
I loved listening to the An sisters, sharing their family’s story and memories associated with the food that inspired them. You, too, can read about their stories in their cookbook.
