Source: https://www.airbnb.com/locations/los-angeles/los-feliz
The Brunch Report: Home Restaurant
Italian Food @ Gold Mirror Restaurant – San Francisco
Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company – San Francisco
Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company is a casual brewery/gastropub in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. The atmosphere and the decor are great – high ceilings and wide open space, it’s got a very lofty feel to it. The bar has a beautiful wall with a multitude of liquor bottles on display and there is a glass wall that lets you peer into their beer brewing operation. They’ve got bar seating, dining downstairs as well as upstairs seating. Need to catch a Giants or Warriors game? They’ve got plenty of TVs!
WHAT WE ORDERED:
- Sunset Reservoir IPA (a little too much on the bitter side for my personal taste)
- Kennebec Fries w/ a chipotle aioli
- Three Sliders: sloppy joe, pulled pork, fried chicken
- Soup of the Day: black bean tortilla soup topped w/ avocado
Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company | 1736 Noriega St. San Francisco, CA 94122 | 415-571-8452
EVENT: Santa Barbara Taste/Makers Salon
Where to Eat in LA: Maradentro – Studio City
Maradentro is a great little place with a hip ambiance as is the case with most establishments on the Ventura Blvd strip. They specialize in upscale mexican seafood and have a great list of craft cocktails. This is a great place to come with a group of friends or even on a romantic date. Parking can be a little tricky but they have valet so that is super helpful! They have indoor and outdoor seating and the staff is very attentive.
WHAT WE ORDERED:
- Watermelon Basil Margarita (perfectly spicy & sweet!)
- Fresh Raw Oysters in Mignonette Sauce (small but pack a ton of fresh flavor!)
- Dos Gringas – chile marinated shrimp, Oaxaca cheese, avocado salsa, red onion, cilantro, on flour tortillas. (the melty cheese is KILLER).
- Catch of the day marinated in achiote paste
The portions are a bit on the smaller and pricier side; luckily, the flavors are incredibly great and you won’t leave starving. I hear they’ve got a pretty good happy hour so I’ll have to come back for that. Overall, would recommend!
Maradentro | 11929 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604 | (818) 358-3423
Sawtelle Food Crawl | Things to do in LA
PLACES VISITED:
Butcher’s Dog LA
Comfortable, UK-inspired haunt featuring upscale, eclectic dishes, a wide beer menu & games on TV.
11301 W Olympic Blvd #116, Los Angeles, CA 90064
Hide Sushi
Popular Japanese spot for traditional sashimi, rolls & entrees, with a sushi bar & an informal feel.
2040 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
New School Kitchen
Serving a limited selection of dumplings, this dim sum specialist offers indoor & outdoor seating.
11301 W Olympic Blvd #106, Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone:(424) 832-3445
B Sweet Dessert Bar
Functional storefront space offering a wide selection of dessert-worthy treats such as pastry.
2005 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
How to Make: Bacon Salt
BACON. BACON. BACON. This DIY bacon salt is sooooo ridiculously easy to make and makes everything you sprinkle it on exponentially better. It’s literally 2 ingredients and works great as a DIY gift for any bacon lover in your life. Bacon Salt + Cute Little Jar = Gift. I hope you’ll enjoy!
How to Make: Bacon Salt
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Make sure to keep your little jar in the fridge so that it doesn't spoil. Should be good for up to 1 month. It's a great gift to give to any foodies in your life!
Ingredients
- 1 lb thick hardwood smoked bacon
- 1 cup sea salt
Instructions
- Fry or bake all of the bacon. Let cool.
- In a food processor, grind up all of your bacon into bits.
- Add in the salt and blend until everything is mixed in well.
- Store in an airtight jar for up to 1 month!
The Brunch Report: Republique
Source: http://hypefeast.com/
Republique is one of LA’s hottest places to come brunch on a weekend and understandably so. Republique is housed in a unique building that Charlie Chaplin had built in 1928. The space was constructed with a mixture of bricks, tile, and ironwork – it resembles a spacious and airy courtyard and has an open kitchen for you culinary viewing pleasure. Upon walking in, you’re greeted by a beautifully stocked pastry counter. Menus are readily available at the entrance and you order in line. From there, you grab your table #, and look for a seat in the communal eating area.
The wait time varies greatly upon what time you arrive. Popular brunch times are 10-12, so expect a 30-45 minute wait to get to the front of the line, and then about 20-25 minutes to get your food. When I went, I noticed that as I was leaving around 2pm, there was hardly anybody in line; seems like a great time to go!
WHAT WE ORDERED:
- Bloody Mary
- Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
- Salted Caramel Donut (from the pastry counter!)
- Belgian Waffle
- Breakfast Potatoes
- Shakshouka
- fried egg, stewed tomatoes & peppers, black kale, yogurt, cilantro, baguette
- Kimchi Fried Rice
- soft egg, beef short ribs
If you’re in a brunch rut, let Republique take you out of that. Deliciously full bellies and great instagram shots will follow!
Republique | 624 S La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 | (310) 362-6115
Where to Eat in LA: Feu Pho Kitchen – Studio City
Feu- pronounced /FUH:/ meaning “fire” in French
And, boy, do they deliver fire! After an incredibly “food-filling” trip to Vietnam two years ago, I realized, much to my dismay, that there were not a lot of good and authentic vietnamese restaurants in my part of town (read: the valley). Luckily, I went to go get dry cleaning done, and noticed Feu Pho Kitchen in the same little shopping center.
Since going into Feu, I have been back 3 times in a 1-month span. Why? Mostly for the pho & pork belly banh mi.
The pho’s broth is so incredibly flavorful and the thin slices of ribeye are perfectly tender. Typically, I’m inclined to add in a ton of hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sriracha to get pho tasting how I want it to, but at Feu this is not necessary.
The pork belly banh mi is not prepared traditionally but that does not take away from how mouth-watering it is.
Ingredients → House Smoked Salmon Creek Pork Belly/ Hoisin Black Garlic Aioli / House Pickled Vegetables / Cucumber / Jalapeno / Toasted Ciabatta Bread.
The pork is so incredibly tender and has just the right amount of fat that it almost melts in your mouth as you bite into the sandwich.
WHAT TO ORDER:
- Shrimp Spring Rolls
- Vietnamese Chicken Wings
- Ribeye Beef Pho
- Smoked Cured Pork Belly
IMPORTANT NOTE – CASH ONLY
Feu Pho Kitchen |11310 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 | (818) 423-2240
Mint Leaf Indian – Pasadena | Where to Eat in LA
Situated about a mile and a half off of the 210 freeway in Pasadena, is an unassuming building with a sign reading “Mint Leaf Indian Cuisine”. The building has a large parking lot so parking is essentially stress-free (something that can’t be said about most restaurants in Los Angeles!). Upon walking into the establishment, I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the inside decor is. There is a stark difference between the outside and the inside of this restaurant – but aren’t we always told that it’s what inside that matters? This definitely applies to Mint Leaf.
As someone who is just now diving headfirst into Indian cuisine, I am still a bit confused as to what each dish on the menu is. Anything and everything I’ve ever had at an Indian restaurant is typically delicious but I normally need quite a bit of help during the ordering process. Luckily, for an Indian food newbie like me, the staff here was incredibly knowledgable on each of the dishes on their extensive menu.The best way to come here is with a large group of friends in order to be able to try a large variety of apps, entrees & desserts. And if you like spicy food as much as I do, this place will blow your socks off. They’ve perfected the balancing act of savory with just the right amount of kick.
WHAT TO ORDER – The Highlights:
Appetizers:
– Onion Bhajis – Fried onion fritters battered in garbanzo bean flour
– Chicken Pakoras
– Achari Tandoori Mushrooms
Entrees:
– Lamb Coconut Curry (My Favorite!)
– Classic Chicken Tikka
– Matter Paneer
Sides:
– Vegetable Biryani
– An assortment of naan – mozzarella + basil & feta cheese + olive
Dessert:
– Gulab Jamun – These remind me of moist and puffy donut holes tossed in a sweet sugar glaze
Drink:
Mango Lassi-Colada – essentially a mango yogurt smoothie with a shot of rum
Mint Leaf Pasadena | 2535 E Washington Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107 |