Champagne Brunch

The weather is warming up, and what better way to celebrate than to have an outdoor champagne brunch! It was a wonderful way to enjoy the sunshine and do some cooking and drinking with these lovely ladies. Of course, no champagne brunch is complete without… champagne! We had plenty flowing, with options to drink it…

Eat-Olympics 2018

This year was the 2018 Winter Olympics. The Olympics is a competition all about bringing people from around the world together. And what better way to bring people together and celebrate diverse cultures than through the window of food? So we had a party to watch the opening ceremony, and everyone brought food from a…

Bludso’s Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #55 When I saw that Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list included a BBQ place in Compton called Bludso’s, I tried several times to convince my vegetarian friend who lives in Compton to go with me. Unsuccessfully. I don’t suppose I can really blame her, given the meat-heavy BBQ menu, but I was…

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…

Bombay Frankie Company Restaurant Review

As you know, I’ve been documenting my quest to work my way through Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. Of course, I eat at places not on his list as well, and occasionally I post about one of those places if it is exceptionally good or a particularly fun/interesting experience. The Bombay Frankie Company turned…

Howlin’ Rays Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #50 In the past, Jonathan Gold has included the multitude of eateries that make up Far East Plaza as a single unit on his 101 list. At the moment however, the big draw to Far East Plaza is Howlin’ Ray’s, so in his most recent release it got its own spot on Jonathan…

Curry Chicken Rice Salad

My mom makes this dish, and there’s something about it that’s so comforting. It’s also great because it’s a whole meal in one – grain, meat, and veg. So it’s great for scooping yourself a giant bowl and just going to town. Guessipe 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups…

Shibumi Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #47 Shibumi is a Japanese restaurant whose menu is driven by local, organic, sustainable ingredients. It is located downtown, with a sign for the parking garage but not the restaurant itself, so look out for the uniquely shaped window. That tinted window lets in the only natural light in the place, so it’s…

Manhattan Beach Post Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #46 Manhattan Beach Post is one of the only South Bay restaurants on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. It is located in the lovely beach town of… you guessed it… Manhattan Beach, which in my mind is the CA town of movies and TV. Palm tree-lined streets with ocean views, with tan, tank…

Far East Plaza Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #44 Similar to Grand Central Market, Far East Plaza brings a bunch of eateries together in a Chinatown shopping center. The plaza as a whole is on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. While I’m conflicted about the notion of including a grouping of restaurants that vary in food type and quality onto…

Honey Spice Cornflake Crunch Chicken

I used to make this delicious spicy sweet chicken with skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, until one day I was in the mood to make them and happened to only have boneless skinless thighs on hand. One of the things I enjoyed about the dish was the crispness of the skin, so I decided to try…

B-day Bites

Through the Cookbook Club, I have made some incredible friends. I am so grateful to have them in my life. And a nice bonus to having a bunch of chef friends… they can put together a pretty mean birthday feast 🙂 This was a meal full of all of my favorite things – seafood, grilled…