Aburiya Raku Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #64 Aburiya Raku is a West Hollywood branch of the much-talked-about Japanese izakaya restaurant of the same name in Las Vegas. The cozy spot apparently has a very different feel from the Las Vegas original, but the food is just as good and it makes Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. Aburiya Raku…

Garlic & Chives Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #62 There are typically a handful of Orange County spots that make Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list, and Garlic and Chives is one of them. There is always some debate among followers of Jonathan Gold about whether or not he should be including these restaurants on his list, as the OC is…

Kobawoo House Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #59 Kobawoo House is one of the many Koreatown restaurants on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. It is super helpful to refer to his list when deciding where to eat in this area… there are so many restaurants that it’s hard to know where to begin or imagine that you’d ever be…

Kimchi Beef Dumplings

Cookbook Club – Hey There, Dumpling! For March’s Cookbook Club, we used Hey There, Dumpling! by Kenny Lao. I made the Kimchi Beef Dumplings. You can see the whole dumpling and dipping sauce mix and match extravaganza on my Cookbook Club site. For now – my dish! The kimchi beef dumplings caught my eye because…

Salazar Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #57 I think Salazar might be the only spot on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list that he specifically notes for its website, which might seem odd until you check it out for yourself. I won’t even try to describe it, as it’s best if you just experience the awesomeness yourself. My first…

Mexican Casserole

This is my mom’s Mexican Casserole recipe. It has nacho cheese Doritos in it, so naturally I adored it when I was a kid. Actually, I still adore it now! It is cheesy, crispy, meaty goodness. You can dress it up with sides, but honestly it’s good enough to eat plain. Guessipe 20 oz cheddar…

Kobee Factory and Syrian Kitchen Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #53 I’m always looking for delicious food at a great price, so one of the things I like about Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list is that there are some $$$$ places on it. Kobee Factory and Syrian Kitchen is one such spot. It is in the middle of nowhere Van Nuys, where…

Little Sister Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #51 Little Sister is one of the few south bay establishments to make Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. It is on one of the main Manhattan Beach streets filled with beachy chic spots overlooking the ocean and catering to crowds of relaxed, sun-kissed folks who all look like they’ve just come from…

Joe’s Special

Who is Joe? I’ve no idea, nor does my mom who made this dish often throughout my childhood. I’ve occasionally seen it on restaurant menus, but usually as a breakfast scramble. My mom’s version is lighter on the eggs, heavier on the ground beef. We ate it for dinner. Guessipe 2 lbs ground beef 2…

Ahhh Comfort Food

My friend Heather threw a comfort food dinner party, which meant lots of dips and spreads, mac n cheese, grilled meats, and s’mores… it generally involved a lot of eating with your hands. And eventually progressed to sipping wine by her amazing fire pit. Sign me up! Dips and Spreads We started with an array…