Caffe Primo - Santa Barbara

I don't normally take time throughout the year until the end because of how hectic work can be. And I honestly don't have anything planned for myself to begin with. I am ready to leave 2016 behind. It was tough, and for most of the hard times, it lingered for months like mold rotten behind a wall you don't know about. I just couldn't save myself from it and it sucked my soul for the rest of the year. Come 2017, I'm going to make sure I don't let that happen again.

We decided to take a short trip to Santa Barbara this winter. More so for the scenic route since I really didn't want to drive down to San Diego again. The drive is just not enjoyable. The weather was gorgeous in Santa Barbara and I immediately fell in Love with State street downtown SB. The buildings were pretty much all Spanish style. Super tall that it casted a shadow from the sun which was the only con I can give. Not really doing much research on restaurants, I relied on yelp to find a satisfying Italian place to lunch.

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Without much luck, a lot of restaurants were closed and some seemed like closed for good. That's when we stumbled upon Caffe Primo. Tall glass windows casting tons of soft light into the dining hall. It created such a warm welcoming vibe that I was ready for. And, Italian. Something I was craving. I just want to slather noodles in my mouth big bites at a time. It's one of those months. 

Each table was greeted with a small vase of fresh flowers. This easily enlightened the mood. Santa Barbara you are winning.

A lot of water was needed to stay hydrated throughout the day. Especially with all the coffee we've been drinking.

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Caesar salad. Delicious, but the wrong dressing was mixed. This was actually a balsamic dressing. I didn't want to return this because it would go to waste. And it tasted fine so we didn't mind.

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White truffle angel hair pasta. Succulent shrimp with a white truffle cream sauce. Everything was cooked perfectly. The sauce was nice and creamy. The avocado was a new twist, but added an extra layer of creaminess that worked well with the tartness of the tomato. The white truffle was subtle, but you knew it was there. I would definitely order this again.

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Short Rib Pappardelle. Braised short ribs that will melt in your mouth tossed in a red wine mushroom ragu. Topped off with Reggiano for that nice bite. This is so classic and excellent for the weather. Extremely comforting.

Done and

done.

516 State St Santa Barbara, CA 93108

The Attic on Broadway - Long Beach

The Attic reminds me of a restaurant I went to when I was in La Jolla. It feels very homey and beachy at the same time. Walking in is almost like walking through a small cottage, just with plenty of tables around.

Their menu is simple yet experimental. They are known for their hot cheetos mac and cheese. No, I didn't get it this time around due to a long day of activities. I am lactose intolerant so it was not the day to load up on cheese. They also have other selections like shrimp and grits, jambalaya, and ribs to say the least. They also have your classic eggs and bacon, waffles, chicken and waffles, and all the good stuff.

We ordered there: Short rib poutine, FGT Benedict (Fried green tomato), and Duck Confit omelet. 

Fried Green Tomatoes, andouille sausage and poached eggs on an english muffin topped with their signature cajun hollandaise and green onions. This was served with their house cajun potatoes and a mixed fruit cup. The tomatoes were tart which helps all the richness from the egg and hollandaise sauce.

Red onion, spinach, sundried tomato in an omelette topped with crispy duck, goat cheese, and cranberry gastrique. Also served with mixed fruit and cajun potatoes. I liked the touch of the cranberry gastrique. 

Hand-Cut fries, topped with braised short ribs, caramelized onions, mozarella cheese curds, red wine demi-glace, and of course, topped with red onion. This will go perfect with any time of day. If you are sad and depressed, eat this. Happy or mad? Eat this.. with Louisianna Hot Sauce. Definitely a fork stabbing food, but I couldn't help myself picking at it with my fingers from time to time.

They get pretty packed. I recommend you make a reservation.

3441 East Broadway Long Beach, CA 90803

562.433.0153

Osteria La Buca - Los Angeles

I got to visit Osteria La Buca during Sunday brunch over the weekend. Los Angeles. You would think the 101 is free or at least think people are at church. No. The 101 towards downtown will forever be filled with cars along with stop and go traffic. Oh the joy. Knowing this restaurant is located on Melrose is also another stinger to think you will need to drive into LA. Before I got all boo-hoo-crybaby-face. My gps told me my destination would be on my left in 1 mile. 1 MILE. Melrose blvd is no joke. But to know the restaurant is on the outskirts of the busy street was music to my ears.

And I got the ultimate VIP parking right in front. It was all luck and perfect timing coordination on my part. So Sunday, 12 PM, time to eat.

Aye Aye to a full bar. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever mood you are in, they will fix you up.

No cocktails for me that day. Played 9 hours of Final Fantasy XV the night before so coffee was definitely imperative that day.

California Toast - Toasted rosemary sourdough, avocado, soft scrambled eggs and an arugula herb salad. I loved the arugula herb salad. It was a nice touch and not something I expected when I took a bite. The eggs were perfectly soft scrambled for all the Chef Gordon Ramsay's out there.

Neighborhood pizza - Guajillo sauce, taleggio cheese, pancetta, pickled pearl onions and baked egg. What part of that do you not like? This pizza was delicious. I loved the pickled pearl onions touch. We keep a jar of these all the time and it's a great palate cleanser. The pickled onions helped by cutting the richness from the pancetta and baked eggs. The guajillo sauce and taleggio cheese was a nice touch. And Pancetta? Well, Pancetta.

Grab a slice, and swim it through the eggs.

The famous Bucatini Carbonara that I've been seeing everywhere. Made with house pancetta, poached egg, and freshly cracked pepper. The pasta was perfectly al dente that springs back with each bite. The egg was also executed beautifully with a soft runny yolk. The element that brought this home for me was the cracked black pepper. It gave it a nice heat element that warms your face and your throat as it goes down. It had great flavor too.

The steps to eat carbonara: Pop that yolk. Toss the pasta. Twirl your pasta from your fork in your spoon. Keep spinning. Eat.

Make your reservations.

 5210 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038

Manpuku - Torrance - Happy 30th Brother (part 2)

This is my brother. He is happy in this photo. And I know he appreciates me as his sister even though this photo shows otherwise. There's nothing he loves more than Korean BBQ and Hot Pot. But for his 30th, though these are his favorite things, I thought it would be nice to take him out to experience Japanese Yakiniku. Like Korean BBQ, Yakiniku in Japanese means "Grilled Meat" (Yaki-niku). I feel Japanese Yakiniku is less sweet when it comes to the marinades. I also like dining in a Japanese Yakiniku restaurant over Korean BBQ because I find the meat quality not just better, but the idea of not indulging over an All-you-can-eat just makes the experience less stressful and much more enjoyable.

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We ordered a pitcher of Sapporo to share. Easily ordered another one because this went down so easily. Not just because it's Sapporo, but because their pitchers and glasses were extremely cold which made the beer that much more crisp, and that much more refreshing. Don't forget to always kanpai before taking a sip.

On their menu, you can order items a la carte or you can choose between 1 of their 3 Manpuku choices. It ranges from $35 to $75. We had to get the $75. Not only because of my brother's birthday, but also because they had the best choices we would want to try.

The $75 offering came with: Cabbage Slaw, Edamame, Assorted Vegetables (for grilling), Manpuku Kalbi Shio, Shrimp, Kobe Fillet, Rice Wrap Sukiyaki, Kobe Short Rib, Kore Rib Eye, Kobe Finger Meats, Garlic Rice, Yukke Jan Soup, and Ice cream (13 items). 

Cabbage slaw - Thinly sliced with garlic soy dressing. Delicious and refreshing. This was definitely a palate opener. 

Yukke - Not on the course menu

We ordered this on the side. I've had yukke a few years ago, but haven't had it in a while. When my friend came to visit from Japan, the family she was staying with took her to get Yukke since they banned this dish in Japan. Apparently, a lot of people got sick. That was also the case for raw chicken liver (delicious by the way). The yukke here at Manpuku was AMAZING. Made with Kuroge Wagyu. I was the lucky one to eat this with the shiso. I would recommend asking them for a few more just so everyone can eat this with it. A must order. must.

Jo Tan Shio - Not on the course menu

This is another popular item that we had to try. Their sliced original salted premium prime beef tongue topped with Tokyo onions. The trick to keep the onions on is to cook the bottom side first. Once the bottom is grilled up with some nice char, flip it around and count to 8 seconds which they say will be the best taste. I do what I'm told.

Manpuku Kalbi Shio - Sliced orginial salted prime beef short rib with Tokyo onion. Tender and flavorful.

Assorted Veggies

Black Tiger Shrimp - Delicious.

Kobe Fillet Mignon - Cubed Kobe with ponzu sauce and fried garlic chips.

Kobe beef meets grill.

Platter of Kobe marinated short ribs, Kobe marinated Rib Eye, Kobe marinated Finger Meats.

We enjoyed this much more than the fillet. I'm normally not a fillet eater because of how lean it is. I love the fat trails you would find in short ribs and rib eye. These cuts were delicious. Just make sure your heat is on high when grilling these.

Rice Wrap Sukiyaki

You have a choice at the beginning of your meal to have this near the beginning or towards the end. They recommend the end because the rice wrap is extremely rich with the added egg yolk. In my opinion, I would prefer to have this a little sooner. It is rich, but after a whole meal of meat, having a really rich bite makes it harder to eat than if it were much earlier on. This, though, was Heaven. Seared so slightly after rendering the beef fat on the grill. The meat is then rolled with a small ball of rice, then drizzled with a creamy egg yolk. 

Garlic Rice - Garlic Fried rice with pickles in a stone pot.

Yukke Jan Soup - Spicy soup with shredded beef, vegetables and tofu.

Green tea Ice cream - A generous scoop. Strong matcha flavor. Served with a hot cup of Houjicha (roasted sencha).

We were full, but not overly stuffed. We stopped by the Mitsuwa Marketplace after to pick up snacks for a movie. This, 2 pitchers, snacks, movie. A great 30th if you ask me!

1870 W Carson St Torrance, CA 90501

Learn more about Manpuku here.

Oto Oto Izakaya - Monrovia - Brother's 30th

Talking about Oto Oto will be a bit personal for me. I don't talk much about restaurants in my posts because I only want to feature the offerings as well as the ambiance. In terms of the actual flavors and whether I like it or not, I don't dive too into it because that is something I want you to be the judge of.

Oto Oto on the other hand... I've worked here in the past for 3 and a half years while finishing my college degree in Business Marketing. I haven't been back since leaving over 2 years ago. I think the reason was the clean break from the restaurant. I wanted to eat new things. Italian cuisines, French, American, and contemporary cuisines whatever that means. The spark for Japanese food just vanished. It wasn't that I stopped coming here only, I also stopped my Izakaya and Japanese food craze unless a friend or family member wants it.

This is why we came here tonight. My brother, David, was turning 30 that night so we wanted to have a nice dinner followed by a countdown. I made a gesture to eat at a place like Oto Oto "Izakaya-style" so we can drink and just snack on items. But turned out, he was really excited to go back to Oto Oto and eat all the food he loved when they used to visit me during and after work.

Without going into detail today, my true drinking habits started here. I've also learned a different side of Japanese cuisine I wasn't familiar with. Izakaya. I immediately fell in love. Not just by the food, but also by how the chefs work. The main chefs are from Japan to continue this restaurant group here in America. IF you have to know, I believe they have over 150 chains in Japan. Oto Oto Monrovia, is their flagship in the U.S.

The restaurant is louder and much livelier than your typical conservative sushi dining experience. The best way to describe the whole Izakaya experience, is to start with a drink, order a few appetizers, and then order more drinks. Continue. I like to start with beer or sake. And order little appetizers like chicken karaage:

My first time eating this was here. I ate at least one piece of this every day. And when I am super hungry, I would order this with a bowl of rice. I would squeeze the lemon all over the chicken and my rice so I'll have the lemon flavor throughout. This, by the way, is fantastic with beer.

So you cheers a little and snack a little. One of the next dishes are all my favorites to eat here while enjoying great company, with drinks.

Yakitori

Here is the chicken skin, chicken liver, and special heart which is the fatty membrane around the heart of the chicken (DELICIOUS). Everything was eaten with a dash of togarashi pepper. 

Additional hearts were ordered. 

Ankimo in ponzu. This is monkfish liver served in a bowl with ponzu, spicy grated daikon, seaweed, shredded cucumbers and minced green onions. I used to also eat this with rice. The flavor is mild yet creamy in texture.

Half shell oysters - 1 ordered with UNI - Sea Urchin (recommended). Served with spicy grated radish, minced onions and ponzu. Super fresh and clean.

Wagyu Carpaccio. I know these are all my favorite foods here, but you have to order this. Tender wagyu beef over mixed greens, sliced red onions, sprouts and minced green onions with a savory tataki sauce. Everyone at the table was happy about this.

Salmon cut roll. We always order this wherever we go. 

Yellowtail belly. Just melts in your mouth. I eat this with a touch more of wasabi even though it's already added with a dash of soy sauce. Your eyes will roll back.

Dragon roll. Yes, unagi is good and we love avocados. But did you know they use real snow crab in all their rolls? Think again when you want to pass on their rolls. And hey, you are eventually going to need something to soak up all that alcohol.

For the next few years, I suffered with the syndrome to call this Spicy tuna at every restaurant. It is called spicy tuna pizza here at Oto, but a lot of other restaurants have the same concept with different names. I loved the seasoning of the spicy tuna.

More yakitori. Beef tongue and Pork calbi. Both are recommended.

They were sold out of their tebasaki karaage (fried chicken wings) so we ordered their chicken wings yakitori instead. I like this version, but the boys wanted fried.

Shiso gyoza. I knew what I wanted, but so did my brother. He made sure we ordered this even though we were extremely stuffed. His eyes rolled back after taking a bite. Served with citrus ponzu. If you love gyoza, you haven't loved it until you had it here. Made in house.

Limited quantity: Miso Marinated cod bones. Don't be fooled by the name, these are packed with flavor and meat. I've had this at other restaurants, but it just doesn't compare to here. It just tastes so fresh and not like it's been sitting in the fridge for a long time. The portions are also generous. Pairs fantastically with beer.

We also had a simple straightforward snow crab roll and ended our night with watermelon shaved ice.

If you plan on visiting let me know, I love it here.

OH and Happy Birthday again brother.