Showing posts with label dine and dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dine and dish. Show all posts
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Free Range LA
When I was in college, one of my favorite things to eat was the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich from Bakesale Betty, and it was definitely something that was sorely missed after moving to LA. Now, there are many places in LA claiming to serve up a "famous fried chicken sandwich," but only one that can fill the void for me: Free Range LA. I'll admit I was first attracted to their chicken sandwich because it has a similar look to Betty's with the spicy-looking mayo-free coleslaw. The flavors turned out to be quite different however, with Free Range's having a slight sweetness from the bun and mustard, but it turns out to be something that is equally delicious if not more so (and that is very hard for me to say because I am very loyal to old favorites and the nostalgia factor is hard to get over). The sandwich never disappoints; the fried chicken is always served hot, juicy, and tender, with all of the flavors of the sandwich melding together magnificently. Often times, Saturdays will find us searching out the truck at its usual Saturday location outside of Stumptown Coffee (locations can be found here or on their Instagram page) and the meal is never one to regret (except that one time that they were out of chicken).
I've tried a few of the different things on the menu. The avocado toast has an egg cooked into the thick slice of bread which is interesting. I've also tried the protein plate, which I ordered because I felt guilty about eating too many carbs (Bread Lounge is right down the block, so I can't resist getting one of their delicious croissants as well). But quite frankly, if you are coming to this truck for something other than the namesake fried chicken sandwich, you are doing it wrong!
One last shot of that juicy fried chicken for good measure.
Chicago, IL, USA
Brunch at the Signature Room at the 95th, Chicago
Brunch with a view This is Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan from the 95th floor of John Hancock Center, where the Signature Room is located, taken from our table. It was my first time seeing one of the Great Lakes so I thought it was pretty incredible. Definitely a lot bluer than I thought it would be, and I think the fact that there are beaches in the Midwest is super awesome!
John Hancock Center, which is 100 stories tall. It has an observatory called 360 Chicago but wouldn't you rather enjoy your view with a meal? That was my mindset at least, I love brunch so of course I was eager to book the brunch buffet at the Signature Room!
We checked in for our reservation and asked for a window seat (window seats are first come, first served). Since there was a 20-minute wait for that we went up to the lounge on the 96th floor for drinks.
The buffet consisted of pastries, some seafood items, salads, meats and cheeses, fruit, and yogurt. And mini quiche! For some reason, mini quiches are just so much more delicious than regular quiche, don't you agree? Ugh those croissants looked generic but they were so good. I am such a carb monster! There was also made-to-order omelet bar as well as a dessert bar that I never got around to.
The oysters were so good that I went back for more!! Usually I find that buffet oysters are not quite up to snuff but that wasn't the case here.
The brunch buffet also includes a menu of entrees which can be ordered. You can order more than one entree per person so its pretty spectacular. We had the Belgian waffle, the steak and eggs, and the eggs benedict. Everything was delicious. All in all, the brunch buffet was well worth the $45 price tag and easily one of my favorite meals/experiences in Chicago. It's a must-do in Chicago in my opinion!Los Angeles, CA, USA
Lunch at Trois Mec
Inconspicuously tucked away beneath an old "Raffalo's Pzza" sign is a cozy little restaurant you would never be able to find unless you were looking for it--Trois Mec. Trois Mec has long been on my list of restaurants to try; their dinner tickets must be purchased beforehand and are known as being one of the best foodie experiences in town for those lucky enough to score a ticket.
While they typically only serve dinner, they occasionally have weekend lunches that can be booked exclusively through Mastercard Priceless and Gilt City. Since lunch was less than half the cost, I jumped at the chance!
We sat at the bar so we could get a good view of all the action. It was a perfect way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon, with a playlist of ambient French music setting the mood. Chef Ludo himself was in and out of the kitchen, presumably between here and his other restaurant next door, Petit Trois.
The first course was a salad of butter lettuce, boiled eggs, fingerling potatos, and a mayo-based dressing. The eggs with the mayo dressing was a bit like deviled eggs--yum! alt="lunch at trois mec"
Bread basket. I've never had bread that was served in a basket full of hay before, so I had to take a picture.
While dinner tends to feature more exotic dishes intended for a refined palate, lunch is billed as a "family event." The dishes are more hearty and straightforward. This roasted chicken with grilled vegetables was juicy, tender, and delicious!
Dessert was an amazing napoleon with strawberries. I never met a napoleon I didn't like, but this one was extra special because the custard had a subtle lavender taste to it. Very nice!
After we finished our meal, they gave each party a parting gift--an autographed copy of Chef Ludo's cookbook! Considering that the whole experience was only $45 per person including tax and service, we thought this was super super nice and really made the whole experience even more worthwhile!
Trois Mec
716 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dinette
Looking for a quick and easy brunch without an hour-long wait? If you're in LA, you must head to this humble little take-out window in Echo Park and try this seriously good waffle! I normally don't really enjoy salty/savory flavors mixed with my sweets (the waffle comes pre-syruped, which I might normally gripe about but I couldn't because it was too perfect). But the poached egg was absolute heaven spread into every bite of waffle. Yum. One of the best waffles I can ever recall eating. I can't wait to go back to try some more things from the menu.
Have a great weekend, everybody!! xx
Dinette
1608 1/2 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Yardbird, Las Vegas
This past weekend I was in Vegas and since we were staying at the Palazzo we happened upon this restaurant at the Venetian next door. It had such a classy ambiance and yet was quite affordable compared other options in the vicinity which tend to skew on the pricey side. And Southern food happens to be one of my favorite cuisines. Not to mention...fried chicken. Fried chicken is only the sole reason that I had high cholesterol in the sixth grade and the doctor had to tell my mom wean me off of it. So, needless to say I've always had this soft spot for fried chicken. I mean...it's literally soft if you know what I mean. Anyways, so happy we found this restaurant.
Kitchen pickle jar. It's novel if nothing else. I'm not a fan of pickles, but if you were ever curious about what green beans, cauliflower, or carrots taste like pickled, there you go...all of the vegetables are pickled in house!
Fried chicken. It was tasty and juicy. And the hot sauce was perfect. You can also get it served with a waffle and watermelon, but we decided not to since we weren't that hungry. Next time, for sure, though! I'm already daydreaming about next time...
Buttermilk biscuits. There is little in life that is better than a fresh baked biscuit...am I right or am I right? It was so good with the honey butter.
Mac and cheese. Enough said.
Chicken liver toast. I don't think I can see chicken liver on a menu and not order it. Let's put it up there on my list of weaknesses along with fried chicken. Because I'm Vietnamese and banh mi sandwiches were always a special treat growing up, and my favorite part of those was always the side of the bread that had the pate spread on it. Yum.
Pretty mason jar ceiling lamps.
All this talk about food has got me excited for my next meal already...haha.
Kitchen pickle jar. It's novel if nothing else. I'm not a fan of pickles, but if you were ever curious about what green beans, cauliflower, or carrots taste like pickled, there you go...all of the vegetables are pickled in house!
Fried chicken. It was tasty and juicy. And the hot sauce was perfect. You can also get it served with a waffle and watermelon, but we decided not to since we weren't that hungry. Next time, for sure, though! I'm already daydreaming about next time...
Buttermilk biscuits. There is little in life that is better than a fresh baked biscuit...am I right or am I right? It was so good with the honey butter.
Mac and cheese. Enough said.
Chicken liver toast. I don't think I can see chicken liver on a menu and not order it. Let's put it up there on my list of weaknesses along with fried chicken. Because I'm Vietnamese and banh mi sandwiches were always a special treat growing up, and my favorite part of those was always the side of the bread that had the pate spread on it. Yum.
Pretty mason jar ceiling lamps.All this talk about food has got me excited for my next meal already...haha.
Malibu, CA, USA
Day in the 'Bu
For some reason, all the days I visit the beach end up being gloomy (see posts here and here). I guess it's just as well, since I'm pretty scared of prolonged sun exposure/skin cancer/sunburn anyway. On this particular "June Gloom" day, my boyfriend and I enjoyed at a nice lunch at Malibu Farm (not to be confused with Malibu Cafe, which is also awesome). It's a little bit of a trek; heading past Santa Monica on PCH just seems a bit like venturing into secluded, unknown territory to me, but the food is sustainable and delicious and OMG grilled chocolate cake!? I am a huge fan of chocolate cake and it's so hard to find a truly good one, I am drooling right now. We also shared the egg sandwich and the grilled salmon. I'm not someone who loves eating veggies, so it's the hallmark of a good restaurant to me when they can make me enjoy them, and Malibu Farm does that. Discerning movie-watchers might recognize the restaurant from the closing scene of Taken 2, where Maggie Grace's character introduces her new boyfriend to Liam Neeson (although the restaurant was a Ruby's at the time).
After that, we headed to the less-trafficked Malibu location of the Getty museum, the Getty Villa. Unfortunately, most of the fountains were drained dry due to California's drought, but I guess I have to appreciate their conservation efforts. The famous pool in the courtyard of the Villa looked a little lame without any water in it, but hey, we all gotta do our part!
Striped white crop top, Forever 21. Floral fit and flare skirt, Zara. Leopard high top sneakers, Vans.
While we're on the topic of Malibu, I'd like to share a collaboration I did a while back with an amazing blog called The Every Girl that we shot on the Malibu pier. The article is on one-pieces for summer and you can check it out here!
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