Quick Bite Highlights @ Umami Burger, Mendocino Farms, Drago Centro & VegeUSA

Just trying to jumpstart into a regular blogging routine again, so gonna attempt a weekly habit of recapping favorite bites that I've Instagrammed from the past week or so . . .

At Umami Burger in Los Feliz, I lunched on one of my favorite turkey burgers in town, the Greenbird that's piled high with assorted green toppings: butter lettuce, sprouts, green goddess dressing, crushed avocado and even a ever-so-slightly "green cheese" (which I found out from LA Weekly is a combo of more green goddess with ricotta & goat cheeses.) I love that the burger isn't dried out or too crumbly, and the assorted toppings gave it an interesting flavor and texture (I even appreciated the green cheese, even though I normally prefer a more melty cheese for a burger.)

The Smushed Potatoes with a smear of aioli were great too, love the contrast between the salty crisp skin and the buttery, fluffy interior. Alas, this was a side meant for sharing and I couldn't finish this on my own!

While working in downtown LA, I lunched at Mendocino Farms with a very yellow meal of Turkey Leg Confit sandwich with a side of Curried "That's a Choke" Couscous deli salad. The sandwich was messy (the housemade "yellow rooster sauce" was pretty watery) but worth it, giving a subtle heat to the juicy pulled turkey leg and providing some balance against the papaya slaw and pickled red onions. Of course, I also asked for a side of their jalapeno relish, which kicked up the heat factor a hundred times with repeated dipping.

The side deli salad was also great, but again, too much food for me to handle after the sandwich. So I'm thankful it already came in a to-go container, which allowed me to convert it into a breakfast (topped with diced avocados) the morning after.

While debating dinner plans that same day, I also made a stop by Drago Centro, which has one of the best bar menu deals in downtown (and possibly LA) with a variety of tasty bar bites and drinks on their all day long happy hour menu. Normally I wouldn't give a second thought about dining at Drago but after the Mendocino carb fest for lunch, I couldn't bring myself to indulge in pasta here (and not ordering it would've been sacrilegious!)

So I indulged on a simple snack four of Crystal Point Oysters topped with rhubarb "caviar", 4 for $5, and a glass of Le Vigne de Alice Prosecco. I was also lucky enough to taste some of their Spring cocktail experimentations, but will keep that hush hush until they're perfected for debut later this month. (Ok, maybe I'm not so great at keeping a secret, particularly after a glass of bubbly.)

And lastly, this past Friday I had a chance to finally check out VegeUSA, a vegetarian marketplace with a small café attached. I went for a trio of their Vegan Tacos ($1.90 each) and even though I'm not big on faux meats, the "fish" taco had surprisingly great flavor and texture -- might've even fooled me for real fish if not for its perfect slice shape, even after a deep-fry.

I wasn't so hot about the other two fake meats ("spareribs" and "BBQ chicken") but the fish taco is promising enough that I'll give some of their other dishes a try (definitely curious about their faux-crabcake salad), and shop from their market as well -- particularly stockpiling on their frozen vegetarian steamed buns!

No. 214: Lamb Burger-ing Across LA

I might not be able to handle 30 hamburgers for 30 days straight or even cope with six courses of lamb in one sitting, but over the past few months I've had a dalliance, possibly an infatuation, with lamb burgers. Compared to its way more common beef patties, ground lamb burgers, with its tender-yet-lean texture and sweet-gamey flavor, are just so much more elegant and sophisticated . . . akin to turning that simple little black dress into a chic outfit with the right accessories. 

Speaking of accessories, I find that lamb burgers are often adorned with more daring veggies, sauces and cheeses (I guess chefs figure since they're already using an eccentric meat, why not push the envelope on everything else as well?) Of course, this makes the bovine counterpart's almost-formulaic toppings look very plain Jane. Iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar-ish cheese & the 1000 Island-esque dressing? *yawn*

And as such, I've gone on a journey exploring lamb burgers at different venues around town, and here are my thoughts on them:

Public School 612*; $13 a la carte

The joint that really got me hooked onto lamb burgers (until that time I'm always worried they'd be too gamey,) the version here is adorned with a tomato-cranberry jam, arugula and melty brie cheese. And I'd say this is the best lamb burger for a beginner to dab his or her toes into... the patty itself isn't all that gamey, and one can't really tell if the unctuousness is from the brie or the lamb. Furthermore, it is contrasted with the sharp peppery bite of the arugula and the fairly intense sweet-tang of the jam, making for such a vibrantly-flavored burger that one doesn't even think much about if it's beef, lamb or otherwise. 

Extra tip: Their "Cutting Board" of assorted charcuterie and cheese is generously portioned and well worth the $14 (or however it's divided amongst your friends.) I also loved the brown bag fries here, and while beer is their forte, they did a decent job with the Sazerac too! And from eyeing their menu, I can't wait to return to try the fried cheese curds.

Comme Ca; $16 w fries & on Tuesdays only (when they do their burger nights)

Another good starter choice for the game-phobic, the patty here is actually a Merguez lamb sausage, so the bulk of the pungency is from its hefty herbs and spices. It is nicely complemented with the peppery arugula, as well as caramelized onions and roasted peppers. Unfortunately, I didn't realize until afterwards that it came out on the wrong bun, and a hearty ciabatta would've stood up better to the juicy burger and wet toppings than the softer & spongier brioche-like bun. But still, this was more well-liked than the two beef burgers our table ordered (and a close contender to #1 with the breakfast burger, really a glorified and gravy'd up Sausage McMuffin.)

Extra tip: If pairing burgers with wine is your thing, this is the place to go on Tuesdays; they have a nice list with quite a few delicious-yet-affordable selections by the glass or bottle (we wound up splitting a bottle of Rhone for around $45.) Of course, their cocktail list is not to be ignored either...

Short Order; $15 a la carte

I've deemed this the 'very green' burger for the sheer amount of arugula they threw in there, further bolstered with salsa verde garnish. And I love the whimsical use of feta as the cheese for this burger (and enough to overlook the messy cheese crumbles that fall off with each bite.) Whereas the two previous burgers seem to downplay the lamb's gaminess factor, this one tasted more like a celebration of it. It may look like a lot of greens, but they are definitely flavor backdrops in comparison to the earthy, sweetgrassy patty of lamb.

Extra tip: The burger is a la carte, but you should definitely splurge on the sides too! My +1 and I loved the Short Order Spuds that tastes amazingly half-baked & half-fried plus the springy and not-heavy-at-all macaroni salad (both $4). Oh, and splitted a Coffee Malt Custard Shake for dessert ($6.)

The Tripel*; $11 w salad

Upon first bite, I decided this was the funnest of the lamb burgers sampled. Simply put, it was party of flavors going on in my mouth. The cucumbers and pickled onions lent a refreshing familiar-but-distinct crunch (and I much welcomed the break from arugula on my lamb burgers) and the honey-harissa aioli is a wonderful "just right" sweet, spicy & pungent accompaniment to the burger without overpowering the flavor of the lamb. And I also love that this burger comes with a well-dressed salad on the side... so I can feel ever-so-slightly less guilty by dodging the fries and getting more leafy greens in my meal.

Extra tip: As the name suggest, Belgian-style beer is king here and their ever-changing taps are worth a check out (that night, I rekindled my love for Victory's Golden Monkey for $7.) Another must-order is their parmesan-poppy biscuits with a honey butter dip ($6), two-bite-sized pieces of heaven that hits you with the holy trinity of savory cheese, sweet butter and fluffy cloudlike carbs.

Haven Gastropub; $16 w fries

While I enjoyed all the lamb burgers I've tasted, this version is my favorite. I absolutely love their use of onion sprouts as the 'greens' for this burger; it does double duty of adding crunch & flavor. Likewise, the tzatziki sauce spread provides a cooling, herbal tang that adds creaminess without weighing the whole thing down like an aioli might've. And lastly, it is balanced out by the buttery sweetness of an onion jam, and as someone who always keep a supply of caramelized onions in the fridge, I approve!

However, I do have slight reservations about its accompanying dirty fries. They are flavorful but are hardly crispy at all. In fact, only the potato skins has an actual crunch, whereas the other sides have that oil-soaked flaccid-ness that's not very appealing (and despite my love for French fries, I couldn't bring my tastebuds - or blood vessels - to finish these.)

Extra tip: All of their craft cocktails lean towards the sweet side (e.g. their Manhattan variation features a Walnut liqueur & their Negroni spin switches out the standard Campari for its sweeter cousin, Aperol) so I'm more inclined to order beers here (after trying 2 of them and finding both way too sugary, I didn't even want to chance it with a standard cocktail.) 

~~~

So there you have it--five delicious lamb burgers all over L.A. to suit a multitude of palates & preferences. And yes, I've since had my share of bovine burgers, and solidly delicious as they are, every time I try on that simple little black dress of a beef patty my eyes and tastebuds always seem to yearn for the more edgy & flamboyant ovine outfit instead. But I find solace knowing that a lamb burger is never far away (not to mention plenty more to discover around town!)

*Disclosure: the burgers @ Public School 612 & Tripel were comp'd.

Public School 612
612 South Flower Street  
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 623-1172
Facebook
@PS612

Comme Ca
8479 Melrose Avenue  
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 782-1104
Facebook
@CommeCaWH

Short Order @ The Original Farmers Market
W 3rd St 
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 761-7970
Facebook
@ShortOrderLA

The Tripel
333 Culver Boulevard  
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
(310) 821-0333
Facebook

Haven Gastropub (Pasadena)
42 South De Lacey Avenue
Pasadena, CA
(626) 768-9555
Facebook
@HavenGastropub

No. 147: Thankfulness for Cupcake Tour around L.A.

Photo courtesy of TaraMetBlog

As I have confessed before, cupcakes aren't on my top list of sweets -- with my fair share of "misses" from an off-ratio of frosting to cake, and more than one instance where the cupcake isn't finger-friendly, defeating their purpose as a portable dessert. Even after judging 40 or so of them at the Cupcake Challenge earlier this year, I was left with an ambivalent aftertaste.

But thanks to bloggerprom committee comrade Tara (of TaraMetBlog and LA Cupcakes Meetup) and GM Chevrolet, I was invited check out four of L.A.'s finest cupcakeries as part of their "Best of Tours" campaign to promote their vehicles.

Needless to say, with the unfortunate rain, we bloggers were lucky that we got to be driven around -- if it was up to our less-than-professional driving skills against the torrential rain and the other extra-rabid L.A. drivers, we'd probably just park our butts at Crumbs (our first cupcakery stop) and scrounge for food around that area, like 9021Pho! Come to think of it, that sounds pretty good for rainy weather, but I digress...

Shortly after entering Crumbs, we were greeted with smiles and, more importantly to a bunch of lunch- and maybe breakfast-skipping foodbloggers, bags of cupcakes in a myriad of flavors, generously offering coffee and "any cupcake flavor not in the bag" to boot, to which Caroline eagerly replied "ELVIS!" (because she wanted the PB & banana cupcake, not because she saw an impersonator or apparition.)

I opted for a cookies 'n creme-style cupcake with chocolate cake and topped with half an Oreo, which def. taste like one of my fave ice cream flavors. Sweet but not sickening so, and the frosting:cake ratio was pretty spot-on, though I wish the cake itself was less crumbly after I peeled off the wrapper. But what I can say, the bakeshop IS called Crumbs!

After a good 15-20 minutes enjoying our cupcakes and hot coffee, we made the two walk block down to the infamous Sprinkles, where Tara and her colleague picked up the cupcakes while we stayed outside since their shop interior is so teensy-tiny. Feeling a bit chocolated out from the previous half a cupcake, I opted to balance things out and got the vanilla one here -- even though the Red Velvet, with not-so-signature dot, seems to be first to go.

Next stop, SusieCakes, which I remembered from the Cupcake Challenge as being too sweet for my liking, but willing to give another try since Tara said it's her fave. I got the Strawberry cupcake to-go after Tara mentioned that Martha Stewart endorsed it, saying it was "DA BOMB" (Ok, maybe not in those exact words.) Being sugared out, I didn't eat this on the spot, but when I did get around to it later, I do have to concede to the frosting's deliciousness. And I agree with Natassia from Let Me Eat Cake in that it tastes a like a yummy strawberry starburst, minus the annoying teeth-stickiness of that chew.

I'm also glad to find out I'm not the only who's overloaded with sugar. Lindsay of the LAist relented to a La Salsa burrito to get some much needed salt and proteins--smart girl!

Last, and I will say least, was Vanilla Bake Shop - which I had prev. positive moments of, most recently from their being featured at the Casa Del Mar dessert buffet brunch. But that quickly turned sour when we entered and started bringing out our cameras ready to take shots, when an enraged-looking manager stormed out from the back and screamed "NO PICTURES!" Now, I'm aware, and have respected, no photo policies at other places (see: Bourbon & Branch in SF) particularly when *politely requested* instead of angrily-demanded to do so.But, whatevs -- maybe she had a stressful day or a bad run-in with a photographer in the past. However, just as I was about to mentally forgive and forget, she comes back out again to say "NO SAMPLES EITHER!" . . . which we didn't even ask for, so needless to say it made for a WTF moment. So I placed my order and was read to just get out of the store when I heard a toilet flush and noticed the restroom door! The mischievious gremlin in me took over . . .

. . . and I took a photo of their cupcake with the toilet in the background, partly to show them what I think of their policy and how they're enforcing it, but mostly for hilarity's sakes. Extra funny points that I just happened to have ordered, by pure coincidence, a dark brown bittersweet chocolate cupcake!


But despite that bummer of a final stop, overall it was a great experience to taste and compare so many cupcakes. Right now I'll say Crumbs and Susiecakes tie for my faves, but hard to compare since it was a chocolatey vs. fruity cupcake (which of course means I gotta make some return trips to do a little more R&D.) And of course, thankful to be participant of such a cool idea, all the while wishing with other bloggers that they'll take this "Best of Tours" idea for a multi-stop drinking excursion, when having a driver would really be a boon.

And following Lindsay's lead, Caroline, Shelley and I swung by The Golden State some much needed real food in the form of sandwiches and burgers, and they served one of the better BLTAs I've had in a while (w arugula, aioli, avocado and lots of glazed applewood bacon) w a refreshing cabbage slaw lightly dressed with a vinaigrette . . . and some beers too.


Other reports on the Cupcake Best of Tour:
Caroline on Crack whose "Elvis!" screams I'll take with a grain of saltLet Me Eat Cake fell into a cupcake comaBurrito-eating Lindsay pits these four with two more local cupcakeries for the bestPretty sandy feet tried on her wedding dress AFTER the cupcake tour... bravo!Happy Go Marni loves the cakes and the ride (Transformers edition Camaro,) only thing missing for her: Shia LaBeoufAnd of course, organizer Tara's got it down in her blog too!And more photos from the trip on my flickr here.Crumbs Bake Shop9465 S Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA(310) 550-9811Sprinkles Cupcakes9635 Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA(310) 274-8765SusieCakes Bakery11708 San Vicente Blvd.Los Angeles, CA(310) 442-2253Vanilla Bake Shop512 Wilshire Blvd.Santa Monica, CA (310) 458-6644The Golden State426 N Fairfax Ave.Los Angeles, CA(323) 782-8331

Special Foodventure #134: Delish Dishes from San Francisco

Pork 3 Ways from Range - glazed rib, braised belly and sausage served with white beans and pickled onions

Ok, now that I got everyone (myself included) thirsty with my favorite SF beverages -- it's only fitting that I dive into the food scene there too (afterall, this blog is titled foodventures!) So here are some of my favorite bites from that sunny June weekend in San Francisco.

Beet salad @ Nopalito - not on their menu since it was their special of the day (hopefully I'll be lucky enough to enjoy these again in the future), it's a simple dish made with wedges of assorted beets and citrus, with cotija cheese and a light vinaigrette. I don't order beets often because I'm always scared of the 'muddy' flavor many of them possess from being too old, improperly washed, etc., but that only makes me appreciate great beets that much more, which these were. Sweet, tart and juicy with points of saltiness from the cheese, it's a perfect way to start off a lunch with my friend.

Goat cheese & sorrel ravioli with lime butter and chives @ Range - another great starter dish, I absolutely love how bright and vibrant the ravioli and the sauce is; the lime butter's tartness is definitely palate opening, followed by the molten creaminess of the goat cheese. The Pork 3 Ways dish I had for entreé is pretty decent too and a great sampler dish, but not as memorable.

Wisconsin burger & garlic fries @ Taylor's Automatic Refresher - lacking the time to go to the actual location in Napa, we opted for this Ferry Building outpost instead. With sauteed mushrooms, melty sharp cheddar, bacon, mayo and sweet-n-smoky barbecue sauce sandwiched between sourdough bread, this Niman Ranch beef burger (which I ordered medium-well) is like Carl's Jr. Western Cheeseburger meets Jack-in-the-Box Sourdough burger -- in a very, very good-and-greasy way. Likewise for the pungent fries tossed in parsley and garlic butter AFTER being fried. With its shameless flaunting of all things carby and fatty, it's definitely no place for a dieter -- and THE place to be for delicious diner fare with a modern touch.

If my aorta hadn't threatened to close up on me, I might have tried their mahi mahi fish n chips, their chili-spiced sweet potato fries or cold mug 'o beer too and just people-watch all afternoon long (and BOY were there some eye-catching folks when I went up, since my weekender up coincided with SF Pride 2009! It made the jam-packed light rail rides similarly interesting too . . . is it flattering or scary to be hit on while riding public transportation?)

Fried pork belly nuggets w housemade honey mustard @ Magnolia Pub - it's a pub where beer pours heavy (20 oz English pints!) serving up dishes like pork belly, breaded and deep-fried to a flaky crisp w creamy interior, along with a housemade spicy honey mustard sauce. Need I say more?

Ricotta fritters @ Alembic Bar - every bit as sophisticated and eccentric as the strawberry alarm clock cocktail there, the fluffy, cheesy fritters are accompanied by white-balsamic-poached strawberries, raspberry foam, and an unexpected dusting of black pepper. Simply wonderful play of different textures and flavors, sweet-sour-spicy and simply bursting with ripe berry flavors.

Afternoon tea sandwiches @ the Fairmont Hotel's Laurel Court Lounge- while the whole afternoon tea was nice, I was particularly enamored by the quality and creativity of the tea sandwiches here, including coconut curry chicken salad on a herb roll, five-spice beeef tenderloin with apple slaw on black olive baguette and dungeness-crab-and-mango salad in a corn muffin. No stale and bleh watercress-and-cream-cheese here! And for such a delicious tea service in a classy hotel, the $36/person pricetag is totally worth it!

Spicy seafood soup @ Heaven's Dog - I was definitely skeptical of the cuisine here since the menu looked like gussied up Chinese fare with the prices to boot (scallion pancakes $7? $10 beef chow fun? what the...) but this $10 entree is large enough to serve two and is very tasty, even if not particularly spicy. Tender pieces of assorted seafood (wild shrimp, alaskan halibut, squid, scallop) swam in a light-yet-hearty-and-flavorful broth with firm, toothy wheat noodles. Comforting and definitely not anything I'd find in a typical Chinese restaurant, it was worth the extra price premium and yes, I did slurp every last drop of the soup from the bowl.

Blackcurrant scone @ Tartine Bakery - I know, I know -- with such gorgeous and tasty-looking baked goods staring back at me, all I got was a scone? Well, this was on my last day in SF and I really felt like something light after all that gluttony (not to mention having my scone interest revived with a recent Bon Appetit article.) Tartine's version was great, substantial but not brick-like, with just a kiss of sweetness and wonderfully perfumed with the lush aromas of the currants. Round it off with a cup of freshly-brewed Four Barrel coffee and I got a blissful half-hour breakfast filled with more people-watching and art-admiring (Tartine has an exhibition of paintings in the café!) But don't fret about my just-a-scone, I snagged two deeply chocolaty brownies and a dark chocolate-roasted hazelnut tart to bring back as edible souvenirs!

Mocha Mi Su @ Citizen Cake - a dessert that's well-balanced in taste (if not in calories) the chocolate genoise cake is layered with mocha and creme fraiche mousses, creating a satisfying mix of flavors and textures that's intense without being overwhelming. Each individual layer is great on its own, but it transforms into something magically wonderful when eaten together -- the closest thing I can relate it to is a lighter, more airy mocha cheesecake w a dark chocolate crust. (Oh yeah, I also got one of their ginger cookie-creme sandwiches to go, which I had later that night -- totally kick Little Debbie's out of the ball park!)

Well, there's my (not-so) few favorite bites from just four days in San Francisco . . . and that's not even counting the entire day my friend and I spent in Sonoma County! (yes another post on that to come soon.)

Again, much thanks to the folks who provided me recs for the numerous places I've visited (and then some), including Mattatouille's Matt, Fiona of Gourmet Pigs, Virginia of ThePerfectSpotSF, Lesley of TastingTableLA, Liz from Food She Thought, Kristin of Do You Like Bubbles; much appreciated suggestions from the others as well that I wasn't able to check out -- my stay was only so long this time, but I'll surely keep them on hand for my next visit.


Nopalito
306 Broderick St
San Francisco, CA 94117-2275
(415) 437-0303

Range
842 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110-1737
(415) 282-8283

Taylor's Automatic Refresher
1 Ferry Building # 355, San Francisco
(415) 788-8200

Magnolia
1398 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415)864-7468

Alembic Bar
1725 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 666-0822

Fairmont Hotel Laurel Court Lounge
950 Mason St
San Francisco, CA 94108-6000
(415) 772-5260

Heaven's Dog
1148 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 863-6008

Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA 94110-1528
(415) 487-2600

Citizen Cake
399 Grove St
San Francisco, CA 94102-4418
(415) 861-2228

Mini Foodventure #131: La Grande Orange (Pasadena)

Given my infamous sweet jaws, with weekend brunches it's no shocker that I usually lean towards the more sugary fare of pancakes, waffles and French toasts (maybe with a side of breakfast meat if I'm feeling particularly carnivorous), so it's definitely a surprise when I decide to bat for the savory team when I went to La Grande Orange this past Sunday. The seducer . . .

. . . tuna burger ($12), something I don't remember having (or at least, enjoying) since Malibu Seafood Co. Thankfully, this version was just as tasty; cooked medium-rare, it was moist, juicy, possessing all that fatty-fishiness I absolutely adore and the patty was nicely accented with just a little bit of oniony-ness and spices. The generous avocado slices and the southwestern-style sauce/dip were just delightful icing on the cake.

Thankfully for my sweet jaws, my brunching companion got sold on their recently-debutted French toast ($11) and I got to indulge in more than a few bites. The French toast here is more like a bread pudding, light and fluffy; my personal preference leans towards a crisper, denser version but this is not too bad, would be better if the cinnamon got toned down a notch. Nonetheless, next time we're definitely going for the lemon ricotta pancakes.

As if there weren't enough carbs on the table, we also shared an order of their famous housemade English muffin for $1.50 (OK, I convinced B.C. to go in on it with me, since I had recently read the Tasting Table rave.) Definitely nice toasted up, chewier and more substantial than most English muffins, this was delicious with the accompanying orange butter and berry jam.

But I definitely feel lucky finding a nosh-worthy fish burger that's way closer to where I work/live, and since it's offered for lunch and dinner too -- that frees up my brunch time once more to discover other sweet treats at LGO. Olive oil cake for AM meal? Why certainly...

La Grande Orange
260 S. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA
626.356.4444
Website