Kanpai

When we were deciding on how to strategically plan all the foodie adventures in LA, the one restaurant that KEPT coming up was Kanpai. I was not particularly keen on the idea because I felt that we are already so spoilt for choice with Japanese food in Hong Kong. I did not see the reason why so many of my friends who went to school in Cali wanted to come back here so badly. Thank god I decided to go though because it was THE BOMB. Now I am completely on team Kanpai and cannot wait to go back again to gorge my face with its goodies. Everything was super duper yummy and fresh and the MUST ORDER that we kept getting was the Phoenix Moon - toro, uni, and truffle. This is just out of the world amazing. I hope you enjoy this insane amount of sushi porn! Some are a little blurry because I tried to be super efficient in snapping my photos since many hungry people were ready to pounce on the food. This was one of those dining experiences where we started using the standard of "life changing" to compare other meals haha. It was everything you want from a sushi meal, but with just a little something something that makes it extra special!

TADAAA

Kanpai

8325 Lincoln Blvd

Los Angeles

CA 90045

Animal

Ok so this post is a year old.... but it was one of the most exciting dining experiences of 2013! I've been dyingggg to try this and I was so glad I could eat this before flying back to Hong Kong the next day. Animal is opened by the much buzzed about duo of Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, who also opened Son of a Gun (next time next time). Animal opened in 2008 to critical acclaim and are still delighting palates. The food is executed perfectly and the dishes are also super interesting and creative. Animal is known for serving various parts of animals so if you like eating innards and all that good stuff this is a MUST VISIT. Those who are a little more squeamish will still enjoy their meal as they have many other offerings.

I tried my best to look up the name of the dishes on the restaurant's menu but it changes all the time so I even went on Yelp to search up pictures, but unfortunately some *may* be incorrect :(

Spicy Beef Tendon Chip, Charred Onion Pho Dip
Such an interesting start to the dinner! The tendon chips were really crunchy and light. The onion pho dip had such immense flavor and its creaminess went really well with the chips. 

Yellow Nectarine, Radish, Agretti, Local Goat Cheese, Almond Vinaigrette
The veggie chips were cut to the perfect thickness and was not greasy at all. It was lovely and crunchy and the creamy dip at the bottom was tangy and delicious. The presentation was also super pretty and a feast for the eyes. 

Chicken Liver Toast 
The chicken liver was luscious and creamy and the flavor was very robust which I loved. The toast was also cut to just the right thickness. The liver mousse to toast ratio was just perfect! I forgot what the black condiment was but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Tiny toast = massive flavor. 

Shrimp and Rabbit Sausage Spring Roll, Mizuna, Green Curry
This was not the most memorable dish. It was was yummy spring roll, but not specifically worth ordering given the selection of other creative and interesting dishes. 

Veal Brains, Vadouvan, Apricot Puree, Carrot
Eeeee brains! This was actually not bad at all! The brains were a bit mushy and spongey but the crust was well flavored and crunchy. Ok I guess that does not make you really want to eat it but it was actually yummy! If you like sweetbreads then you would like this too. 

Mexican Street Corn, Epazote, Serrano, Parmesan 
I really loved how the corn was SMOTHERED with the sauce and cheese. The sauce was spicy, tangy, and creamy. The addition of scallions was also delicious! Serving could be a bit larger though.

Forgot the exact name but should be pork neck
The pork had a great meaty flavor and cooked perfectly. The insides were still slightly pink and the outside had the perfect charred surface. 

Barbeque Pork Belly Sandwiches - Slaw
Porky, fatty, melting GOODNESS. The buns itself were so good as they were a bit sweet and the pork belly was just sooo decadent. The slaw gave the bun the much needed crunch and freshness to offset the fattiness. Yum yum.

Blueberry, Frozen Brown Butter Crumble, Yogurt, Bay Leaf Ice Cream
The yogurt/ice cream ball was super creamy and smooth and the berry mixture was so delicious as you can tell that lots of berries were put in there and cooked down. The presentation was also SO pretty and just looked so cute. 

Cheesecake Pudding, Guava, Seascape Strawberries, Graham
This was a tropical paradise party in your mouth! The strawberries and guava went so amazingly together and there were so many different types of textures going on at the same time. A perfect end to an amazing meal. 

Animal was such a great dining experience! I would definitely return on my next visit to LA and also visit their sister restaurant Son of a Gun which focuses more on seafood. I left this dinner a very very happy girl. 

Animal

435 North Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles

CA 90036

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

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