National Rootbeer Float day - The Counter

When I think of Root Beer, I think of A&W with a big scoop of Dreyers. Root beer floats was kind of a normal thing we would have at our household growing up. I'm pretty surprised we had it as often as we did. But of course everything was cheaper back then. So when I found out that The Counter was giving away free floats per entree, I was settled for dinner. We were meeting up with a friend who also wanted burgers. The coincidence right?

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You know, I want life to be fries and crispy onions. Unlimited. Ok and maybe with unlimited burgers and dipping sauces. Think about it, it really isn't that much I'm asking for.

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Custom Burger

My custom made burger is a concoction of 1/3 lb of all natural beef, medium. Sliced red onions, alfalfa sprouts, sliced fresh jalapenos, tomatoes, Korean Chili aioli and Garlic aioli. Sandwiched between a Hawaiian bun which has become my new obsession. Cooked to perfection with a deep pink center. Flip the burger around and enjoy upside down for the ultimate mouth explosive satisfaction. I'm telling you. It's a thing.

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Washing it all down with this floaty that was served with more root beer on the side.

No better way to end the night. Food coma is real.

Locations: http://www.thecounterburger.com/locations/

Tacos Ensenada - East Los Angeles

A lot of people won't even know where East LA is. To some people, this area may be extremely foreign. And it's true. East LA is known to have crime from time to time so I'm not surprised people don't pick this as their destination. But there are also a lot of love. A lot of families. And a lot of hungry people wanting good food at an affordable price. East LA is heavily populated with Hispanics, but with that said, there are some great mom and pop joints out here that I consider some of my top go-tos. That's when I stumbled upon Tacos Ensenada. And if it wasn't for taking a trip on the Metro Gold Line, this place would probably still be incognito on my radar.

5161 E Pomona Blvd
East Los Angeles, CA 90022

Here were some amazing eats:

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Shrimp Tostada

Poppy shrimp, citrus from the lime, sharpness of the onions, sweetness of the tomatoes, herbiness of the cilantro, creaminess of the avocado, and the toasty flavors of the tostada. For around $2, why even bother making this at home.

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Fish Tostada

Fish tostada is my favorite ceviche to have. I love the texture of citrus cooked fish. It really infuses the flavor and tastes that much fresher cold with fresh chopped ingredients. Another must order.

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The magic. Fish tacos and shrimp

Crunchy fresh fish tacos with shredded cabbage, pico, red sauce and crema. Finger licking good so you better chomp on these quick. Large lumps of seafood around $1.75 a pop, and well worth it.

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Carne Asada taco

Better than some street carne asada tacos. Meat was juicy, flavorful, and tons of umami in my mouth. I hope it's not lard... but a part of me loves that it might be.

Tacos and Coke. No better marriage.

Unlimited condiments. Be mindful, not wasteful.

Total for 1 bottle of coke, 4 fish tacos, 1 shrimp taco, 1 asada taco, and 2 tostadas... $20.ish dollars. Yeah you bet it was good. And guess what? They also accept credit cards, Double that what now.

5161 E Pomona BlvdEast Los Angeles, CA 90022

Weho Bistro - West Hollywood

Weho Bistro is a low key French-inspired restaurant located on the corner of La Cienega and Holloway drive. With a large variety of selections on their menu, I am delighted to share a few items from our dinner. Our dinner was accompanied by great friends, Frances, Hugh, Rob, and mi amor John.

1040 N La Cienega Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069

High Valley Vineyard 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon - Excellent red. Full bodied with a smooth finish. 

Bread, herb olive oil & balsamic, and olive tapenade.

We planned ordered family style. A few items from their shareables were avocado and burrata toast, escargot, Cheese and pate board, mushroom soup and french onion soup.

Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Mushroom sauce

Angus filet, wrapped in bacon, seared till golden and medium rare, topped with crispy onions, served with a side of potatoes dauphinoise and tomato provencal . The mushroom sauce was killer in this dish. Each bite of the filet gets a glorious dip with a slather of mushrooms. 

Magret De Canard

Duck breast with a cognac and honey sauce. The duck was cooked beautifully. Crispy skin which soaked up the decadent cognac sauce. Also served with potato dauphinoise and their tomato provencal. 

Shrimp Provencal

Six sauteed JUMBO tiger shrimp drenched in a garlic, basil, shallot, and tomato sauce served with a basmati and wild rice medley and sauteed garlic green beans. Anything drench in the sauce described above is an absolutely hands down "GIVE IT TO ME" dish. I can't help but eat the tails as well.

Dessert crepes, tartetatin, ice cream sandwich and banana creme brulee to end our dinner extravaganza.

Parking is available shared with CVS. That's right, free parking in West Hollywood. So surreal. 

True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

Not going to lie or try to be swift about it. We came to Santa Monica to play Pokemon. The good thing about this game is how hungry you get from all that walking. There isn't really a time where we declined the chance to eat something. And that's when we stumbled upon True Food.

It was a hot day. Even by the beach, it was extremely humid. Humidity alone does it for me. I don't care if we are in the high's, but being drenched in your own sweat is not the same as a gorgeous pork roast based in it's own fat. It's just not a good look on me. I needed to find shelter, fast. And cool down before I start having weird body beach odors that I never knew I could achieve.

The restaurant was packed, but they were quick to accommodate. In hot weather like this, make sure you hydrate yourself with tons of water. I had a huge migraine from heat exhaustion and even popped a midol just for relief. But it also turned out that I was hungry. After ordering, it wasn't long before our food arrived.

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Wild Mushroom Pizza

Pizza is topped with mushrooms, asparagus, roasted garlic, and taleggio. A light pizza to coast through the day without feeling overly guilty. Vegetarian pizza does that to you. It just makes you forget about the carbs all because there's green stuff floating around. Still a delicious pie that I would order again.

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Grass fed burger

My brother, David, was bummed they no longer carry their bison burger. John was also disappointed since David was raving about it. If you've been here for the bison burger, we found out that their supplier couldn't meet the demand. Makes sense. But this burger did not disappoint. The burger is piled with umami mushroom, caramelized onion, arugula, parmesan, mayonnaise, sandwiched between a flax seed bun. The burger had a delicious beefy flavor with a nice crust. The sauteed mushrooms really added that extra level of umami to the burger. And there's nothing I love more than a burger that has arugula wedged in between. This is a upside down burger to eat to make sure it doesn't break apart.

I'll be back to try more items and have a cocktail or so.

Le Pain Quotidien

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Le Pain Quotidien (The Daily Bread) is a Belgium cafe serving baked good as well as their known tartines. I came to this restaurant for the first time when I worked a block away. I was immediately hooked on their cappuccinos. During that time, Starbucks was the only coffee shop that I really knew of. But after having a hot cup from Le Pain Quotidien, it opened up my palate to explore different espressos out there. Besides their coffee beans, I also very much enjoy their food. It's simple, but tasty. It's also not heavy like the American traditional breakfast items.

Here are a few breakfast items that we enjoyed during a lovely Sunday brunch.

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Rustic Tuna Tartine

Sliced bread with a slather of hummus topped with tuna, white beans, diced tomatoes and basil pesto. Refreshing with the brightness of the lemon juice. This is a guiltless pleasure, like most of their dishes.

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Chicken Chorizo Omelette

A nice and fluffly omelette filled with chicken chorizo and cheddar cheese. I like the like greens to lighten up the dish.

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Prosciutto Ricotta and Fig

It sounds so simple, but everything married beautifully. There's no greater breakfast than having prosciutto. I've been obsessed and have been saying yes to everything prosciutto. The dried figs add a nice texture to the soft bread and prosciutto. I also love the arugula. Arugula pairs extremely well with sweet and savory dishes like this. This tartine was ringing as a top hit at our table.

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Quiche Lorraine

This wasn't the best quiche I've ever had, but it was still tasty. Served with mixed greens and sliced watermelon radish.

Total for everything was a little over $70 for 4 without tip (only 2 cappuccinos ordered). A little steep, but compensated for good food and good times.

Find a store near YOU:

http://www.lepainquotidien.com/finder/locations/