Top 6 LA Bites in 2013

It's almost the end of the year and looking back at 2013, I've certainly had many great meals! Here's a look at what I remembered to be the best bites in Los Angeles in the past year. Because the list only covers LA, it doesn't include the absolutely amazing kouign amann at B Patisserie, but you should definitely try that if you're in San Francisco. These also only include the things I tried for the first time in 2013, so while there are many great dishes in LA they may not be on this list. Also, I'm bound to have missed a few things due to my failing memory, so feel free to add what you think is the best bite in the comments!

In no particular order:

1. Uni Caviar Lobster roll at Petrossian

Chef Giselle Wellman has devised the ultimate lobster roll, topped with fresh uni and Petrossian caviar on a brioche roll. While the lobster roll and fries aren't cheap, each bite will assure you that it's worth it.

2. Mandilli di seta at The Factory Kitchen

I still dream about this silky smooth handkerchief pasta and that subtle almond basil pesto.

Read more »

Top 12 Spots to Get Uni and Ramen in Los Angeles

These two "collections" of favorites list I made for Foodie.com are for those looking to pig out!

You should know by now how much I love uni or sea urchin, so here are my 12 favorite spots to get dishes made with uni, or just to get fresh uni in the shell.


Best ramen in LA? That is a controversial topic indeed, but to create a list of the top 12 was actually pretty hard! We have a lot of great ramen places, but apparently there still can be more. Some of these places are actually my favorite places for tsukemen and not ramen, but close enough :)

Top 12 Bakeries and Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in LA

Foodie.com has asked me to curate even more "collections" of my favorite places in LA, and I decided to create 4 more lists! Here are two of them:

I have a sweet tooth so I asked if I can create one with bakeries! Here are my 12 favorite bakeries in the Los Angeles area, from where to get cakes to baguettes to cream puffs.


I'm not a vegetarian but I do like to eat healthy sometimes, especially after a week of indulgent meals. Here are my top 12 vegetarian-friendly restaurants - some of which are vegetarian or vegan, some of which are not but simply serve amazing vegetarian dishes.

2011's Most Memorable Meals, Dishes, and Desserts

Happy New Year!
This may be the 100th "best of 2011" lists you've seen by now. Well, here's my list of the most memorable experiences and tastes I had this past year! What's on your list? What do I need to try this year?

Most Memorable Meals:
1. FIG's Table-to-Farm dinner at McGrath Farms

2. The Aviary's Kitchen Table experience in Chicago

Most Memorable Dishes
1. Quesa Taco at Tacos Los Salceados (Tijuana, Mexico)

2. Bihun Bebek (Duck Noodle Soup) at Bihun Bebek Asie (Medan, Indonesia)

3. Peking Duck from WP24

4. Blue Corn Muffins from Playa - or are these considered desserts?

5. Squid ink pasta with uni and caviar from Petrossian (Beverly Hills)

Most Memorable Desserts
1. Buckwheat waffle at King's Row Gastropub (Pasadena)

2. Chocolate gelato at Grom (Malibu)

3. Banana cream pie at Random Order Coffeehouse (Portland, OR)

4. Coconut panna cotta with guava soup, caramelized pineapples at Scarpetta

5. Eating durian on the roadside with my family in Medan, Indonesia.

Happy New Year! (Some of) The Best of 2010

Happy New Year, everyone! I wanted to do something amazing for my first post of 2011, something ... representative. But the holidays (vacationing, laziness) got the better of me.

Here are some (not in any particular order) of the most memorable bites I had in 2010, although I'm sure I had forgotten plenty. The year was so packed and flew by so fast, I'm not even sure what happened in 2010 vs 2009 anymore!

Wagyu beef tartare, somen noodle, peanut vinaigrette, quail yolk, watermelon (Ludobites 5.0)

Lobster Moqueca from Moqueca (Oxnard)

Mussel hash from M. Wells Diner (Queens)

Marlin Taquitos from Mariscos Ruben (Tijuana)

BakeLAB's awesome cookies ... from ginger molasses to peanut butter sandwich.

My mom's durian mochi at Kogyo (Surabaya, Indonesia)

My meal at Alinea as a whole.

There were a lot more ... if only I could remember *when* they happen. I did so much this year, from eating lots of haggis in Edinburgh, to taking a trip to Santa Fe with fellow bloggers, more Tijuana, making my pilgrimage to Di Fara in Brooklyn, and eating sushi off an almost naked woman.

Cheers to an even better and more exciting year ahead for all of us!