California part 2: the main course
California
is the land of damn good food! If you've ever been there you know there
is anything and everything one could want, and it's honestly the
hardest thing deciding on what the hell to eat. I actually got super
stressed this trip when trying to make decisions. At times it even
caused such emotional distress, I almost didn't want to eat. Yes, I am a
bit crazy about food, but when there are so many options at times can
be a nightmare. Here are all the spots I hit up for breakfast, lunch,
dinner and snacks. I was lucky enough to share my meals so I could
squeeze in some more options. Girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
Trust me I didn't save any calories and came home at least 5lbs heavier,
but it's for the love of food and the blog, but mainly the food!
Diners, diners and more diners
Pann's
Near LAX Pann's is the ultimate diner experience. It reminds me so much of the diner in Pulp Fiction it makes me want to dye my hair black and get bangs, but that's besides the point. Their menu consists of the classics and they do these very well; pancakes, omelettes, eggs and they even have brunch cocktails like mimosas if you need the hair of the dog! This trip I went with the Chicken and Waffles and they were comparable to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles! The chicken was crispy and flavorful perfect for dipping in the syrup. The Belgian style waffle was also crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside! My favorite part about Pann's is that you could go with chicken and waffle, chicken and pancake or chicken and french toast, options Roscoe's doesn't offer. In past visits I've also had their omelettes and can be a great healthier option! Everything here is oversized and can be shared or taken home for left overs. It is a must in my book and if your flying in to LAX and want something other than donuts this is close to the airport, not a bad way to start your day!
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| Super crispy chicken, their butter was melted which was different, but it works! |
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| I mean just look at the inside, it's just a legit old school diner experience! |
The 101 Coffee Shop
Now they don't call themselves a diner, but just know it ain't no coffee shop either! This "coffee shop" diner is one of my new favorite spots. It's locate off of Franklin Ave, on the east side of the Hollywood HWY. Now I just ordered a simple 2 egg breakfast, but the menu had a lot to offer and the atmosphere alone was worth the visit. Even though I ordered the 2 egg breakfast, their hash browns were a surprise, fried in a patty shape with scallions. It had the perfect amount of crispy fried potato outside and softer hash-browns on the inside. The scallions were a nice touch and added good flavor. Sometimes it's just the little things! Located in the Hollywood Hills Hotel, this was a great spot to start the day and the murals in the parking lot were out of this world, perfect for a photo op!
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| Love the hash-brown patties! |
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| I'm a sucker for cool interior and the food was good as well! |
Hot, hotter and hottest
Best Fish Taco in Ensenada
With a name like that I had to try them! Now I haven't tried all the fish taco spots in Ensenada, BUT these were damn good! They only make shrimp, fish and a special potato taco. I'm unsure if this is always a special or what, but it's always a good sign when a restaurant focuses on doing 1 thing really well! Let me not forget that you can also grab pork taquitos which were also tasty, but back to the fish. So the tacos are made to order, the fish was fresh and not overly breaded. You could easily order 3 tacos depending on your needs and how much salsa and slaw you put on your taco. After they make your fresh tacos, you then visit the salsa bar which was out of this world! I am a salsa addict so I basically put everything on mine. The radish was surprisingly good, I had never had pickled radish on a taco, and the avocado salsa was on point as well! To wash down all the tacos you can grab some legit horchata. I strongly suggest it! The service was great and you are likely to see a lot of doctors and such because it's so close to the children's hospital. If the tacos are good enough for health professionals, they're good enough for me!
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| I wasn't joking when I said I'm a salsa addict! |
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| So many options! |
Dave's Hot Chicken
I laughed, I cried and I walked away with most of of taste buds! This was one of the best and most memorable spots I went to in L.A. I love, I mean LOVE spicy food and this was a a true test of my spice tolerance. As I start to dive into this blogger life style I knew I needed to truly experience the hot chicken Dave's had to offer. So in proper investigative report form I went with the Extra Hot, one step below the hottest, The Reaper.
Let me go back for a moment and explain there were 6 spice levels; plain, mild, medium, hot, extra hot and reaper.
I'll start with the mild, since that is what my dining companion, my dad, ordered. He is not a fan of super spicy so he started off mild, the chicken had a little kick, but perfect for those who aren't interested in breathing fire. The chicken was crisp and juicy and not greasy. In my opinion the sandwich is the way to go, but if your looking to cut some carbs go tender!
Now on to the Extra Spicy. If you want to work in a mild sauna session this is something for you! Yes, it was freaking spicy, but it had nice flavor, similar to habanero heat. I made the mistake by trying the tender first and the direct contact to the tongue set my mouth on fire, in a good way. If I had started with the sandwich I think I would have been a little less sweaty, but the experience was religious. I couldn't stop eating cause it was so damn delicious. No matter your spice level preference this is a dining experience for everyone, don't be scared by the name. Let me not forget their special sauce, its similar to the sauce at In and Out a mayo ketchup style sauce. Trust me if you think it will help cool down the spicy it won't, only a cold beer and time will do that.
My only warning is the parking lot is really small and you may have to find street parking, but I have a feeling that the parking lot here is always full cause the chicken is damn good and the line was constant!
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| I'm sure you can tell the Exta hot is on the bottom the top is the mild. Just look at that color! |
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| The crinkle fries were really good as well! They had some seasoning on them, but by the time I got to the fries I couldn't taste anything else, but fire, again in a good way! |
Philippe The Original
An L.A staple Philippe the Original is your one stop shop for all dipped sandwiches! This place has been around for 109 or 110 years so it's basically been around since the birth of Hollywood in my mental history book! This place was a treat! If this wasn't a mid afternoon snack I could have eaten two! The sandwiches weren't as big as I was expecting. It may be all the New York delis I've been to that had me assuming all deli sandwiches are over sized, but these were my goldilocks rule, just right sandwich.
I went with the single beef dip since I'm not a fan of super soggy bread, and it was life changing. The beef was flavorful and tender and when topped with a slice of swiss cheese it was a match made in heaven. At the tables they provide you with spicy mustard that will literally burn your nose hair off. So if you have a hairy nose load up on it! The mustard had what I assume was a lot of horseradish and wasn't as thick as a typical guldens. The best sides in my opinion was the slaw and the chili, they too went well with the spicy mustard!
The atmosphere here just made you want to chat with the people sitting at your table and just slow down for a moment and enjoy! L.A and life can be so hectic and this place just made me feel relaxed and full! They also have two parking lots which I feel like in L.A is rare so you won't have to struggle to find street parking or pay!
Beach Classics
Malibu Seafood
If you find yourself in Malibu you need to come here. I went the fried food route, but I would have totally tried everything on the menu if it was physically possible! The seafood combo seemed most logical since I would get to try a little of everything. We also ordered a side of fried clams, something hard to find at home. Their a la cart menu was awesome especially if you want to try a bunch of different items or get a side of something. The seafood was so fresh and even though I went all fried, the batter was light and crisp and didn't take away from the flavors of the fish! Let me not forge it's BYOB! I wish I would have known cause I would have brought some beers for sure! Don't make my mistake and bring a cooler with some good brews or bottle of wine, dealers choice! Last suggestion, If you can find street parking I would suggest that since you have to pay to park in the lot next to the restaurant.
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| The location is basically right on the beach, it was so nice to sit outside and feel the ocean breeze! I think the smell of the ocean air added to the flavor. |
Tiki Ti
Okay so besides the fruit in the drink there is no food to be had here, but this is literally my happy place. My safe haven. When it's my time to go , I hope the afterlife consists of tiki drinks and coconut bras. This is the ultimate tiki bar and if I lived in L.A I would go everyday, at least every other day! I got the mai thai and if I was a sailor or had eaten a loaf of bread prior to going I would have gotten 2 more! This place will transport you to a tropical paradise, this maybe due to the high alcohol content of the drinks, but I was feeling it. If you like a good strong cocktail, check this spot out and call an uber!
The Grand Finale
Grand Central Market
The only negative I have to say is that there are so many options it literally induced an anxiety attack cause I didn't know what to order. If possible go with a group of people so you can try everything cause you will want to! Located in downtown L.A, there is a few pay to park, parking lots cause I have not idea what the street parking situation is in this area. Just a warning. Now back to the food! We ordered food from Sari Sari Store, which was a filipino spot. I ordered Lechon Manok which was like a BBQ chicken, with fried rice and an over easy egg. This is a must in my opinion, they also offered pork belly and ribs! We also ordered the combo meal at Tacos Tumbras a Tomas, this was perfect for sharing. Going with the carnitas and the al pastor, I preferred the carnitas. As a salsa addict and hot sauce enthusiast my only problem with this spot was there was no salsa or hot sauce that I could see. We topped the meal off with ice cream from McConnell's, check out part one for my review on the ice cream BUT it was also legit!
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| I know it's not food, but how freaking cool is this neon lights piece. |
Don't forget to check out my Instagram izzababy9 as well!
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