Sobaya

I still have one more post for LA and a TON for Hong Kong from the summer but I feel that I must start posting about my New York restaurants so I'll start that now and will add in LA and HK ones periodically! Sobaya is known for its soba (duh) and I've heard really great things from my friends here. I've been eating like a crazy pig these few weeks and was craving some delicious but light food so I decided to go to Sobaya for dinner while C was in town. Sobaya imports its buckwheat flour from Japan and you can tell that they really take pride in their food. Apart from soba, they also offer udon, various types of appetizers, and also sushi rice bowls. I love how you are able to pick different sizes for the soba and the rice bowls so I could mix and match my dinner. The atmosphere was clean and cosy, very traditional japanese style. Service was polite and efficient. They don't take reservations so aim to get there either early or later for weekends. We went on a Thursday night around 7:40 and the wait was only 15 minutes so it might be smart to go on a weekday!

Agedashi Tofu
The tofu was a bit too firm for my tastes but the crust was nice and crunchy. I usually prefer a silkier tofu but the seasoning was decent.

Sake Oyako Don - Salmon and Salmon Roe Rice Bowl
The salmon sashimi was decent, the slices could be a little larger. Texture was quite nice. The ikura however was excellent, slightly firm with a delicious burst of savory goodness. The rice was also cooked and seasoned well. I ordered the mini don and the portion was actually quite sufficient.

Uni Cold Soba - Fresh Uni with Grated Mountain Yam
YUM! This was deliciousss. The uni was incredibly fresh and sweet. The amount was also quite generous. The soba had an amazing texture, very firm and perfectly chewy. The mountain yam was quite interesting, it was very slimy and gooey but went very well with the soba. I felt that the soba dipping sauce could be slightly more salty but I know that you are suppose to enjoy the delicate flavor of soba. I think next time I will add some ikura and take it to the next level. 

Uni closeups are always fan favorites 

Sobaya was delicious and I will definitely be returning. I was stuffed after the meal but did not feel gross and heavy. The flavors were so clean and fresh and you leave feeling satisfied and healthy. I will definitely be returning!

Sobaya

229 E 9th Street

New York

NY 10003

USA

San Marino Seafood

After recovering from our pork belly extravaganza, J and I decided to go to Hungtington Library and grab lunch at San Marino Seafood beforehand. The restaurant is known for its fresh seafood and I was not disappointed! We got a bunch of things to share and everything was delicious! The restaurant is very homey and cosy, nothing fancy but fits in well with the simple and fresh seafood. You feel very welcomed and the service is also extremely friendly.

Corn Chowder
This was incredibly rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor. The amount of clams were also very generous and each clam was meaty and plump. A must order! Also, a cup is quite sufficient for a girl I believe, it is very rich! Gotta save your tummy for upcoming goodies.

Freshly Shucked Oysters
Super fresh and sweet. Just perfect!

Bucket of Mussels and Clams
Mussels and clams were both full of flavor and very meaty. The broth went perfectly with the natural sweetness of the seafood and the bread was grilled perfectly and was ideal for dipping up all the juices.

Shrimp Sandwich
The little shrimps were oh so good. They were super sweet and had such a great bite to them. They were lightly dressed in mayonnaise and the tomatoes and lettuce were also crisp and fresh. The only thing that would make this better was if we toasted the bread. 

Overall the food was so good and you can tell that they really take pride in the quality of their food and customer service. Such a lovely start to our day! Below are some pictures of the gardens at Hungtington Library (yes I am partial to roses hehe)

If you're in LA and want to have a short getaway you really should visit Hungtington Library! It's so beautiful and you can also indulge in some delicious seafood beforehand!

San Marino Seafood 

2150 Huntington Dr
San Marino
CA 91108
USA

The Hungtington Library 

1151 Oxford Rd
San Marino
CA 91108
USA

Pizzeria Mozza Again

2nd time and there will definitely be a 3rd time! Amazing food, great atmosphere, and really reasonably priced too!

Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ

You all know I love to pig out, but this meal at Palsaik really was on another level. The food coma that ensued was basically hibernation. J and I ate so much that I thought I would explode... it was SO good. This restaurant is famous for its pork belly and you can get the set where 8 different flavors are served. The flavors were: wine, original, garlic, ginseng, herb, curry, miso paste, and red pepper paste. The set also came with a seafood soybean stew and veggies! We also ordered a prime ribeye and the waiter almost didn't let us because he thought were insane for ordering so much food. The pork belly was so fatty and full of porky flavor, each of the seasoning was unique and delicious. I think one complaint is that we actually would not have minded cooking our own food but the waiter would always run over and seemed annoyed that we meddled with the grill. A great thing that they do do though is make kimchi fried rice at the end of your meal - AMAZING! Overall a glorious meal and I would definitely return!

Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ

863 S Western Ave

Koreantown

Los Angeles

CA 90005
USA

Porto Bakery

The infamous potato balls have been mentioned numerous times during this trip and what better time to devour these than when I was hungover? We had a raging night and I woke up to a box of these Porto Bakery goodies! I am such a lucky girl :) The potato balls were indulgent and worth every calorie. The meat filling was rich and the ratio was perfect because if there was too much potato it would ruin it! I believe it would be even better fresh because it would be piping hot and even crispier but no complaints! The sweet pastry was also delicious and delectable. Make sure you give this family style Cuban bakery a visit!!

Porto Bakery

Various Locations

Tagine

Tagine was not initially on my list but I am so glad that M brought this restaurant to my attention! One very special fact about this restaurant is that its owned by RYAN GOSLING!!! Throughout the meal we would peek up excitedly whenever the door opened... yet it was not Ryan. The people who came in probably were wondering why we looked so disappointed haha! Anyhow, the food was fabulous but I am not going to make individual reviews on each dish. Ugh these photos are bit overexposed because the restaurant was very dark. The food was absolutely delish though and contained such unique and exotic flavors. I am no expert on Moroccan food at all and therefore unable to tell if the dishes were unique yet I could definitely say that the flavors were lovely and very different. Some were a little surprisingly and not combinations that I was used to but I was glad that the dishes were so bold and interesting.

Tagine

123 N. Robertson Blvd 

 Beverly Hills CA 90211 

USA