Kotoya (Los Angeles)

Continuing my journey throughout Los Angeles I quickly noticed that I yet to sample a ramen house despite the fact that they a dime a dozen on the west side. It has been almost a year since I have moved here and I had not been able to coral any friends to go. I was finally able to check this off my list last month when I had some family visit town. 

As we galavanted around town my sister had requested getting ramen because there are only a handful in DC. I decided on Kotoya which is right off of Santa Monica Boulevard by the 405. Kotoya opened its doors in 2011 by Shinsuke Horinouch who came from Asagaya which is a suburb of Tokyo.

Since opening its doors two years ago Kotoya has quickly become one of the most popular ramen houses on the west side. Not knowing how long a line would be I decided on taking them on a Sunday night to be safe. Luckily my tactic worked and we were able to get a table upon our arrival. 

My sister and I decided on the red ramen which comes in three ascending spice levels while her boyfriend went for the original ramen. The former consists of Tonkatsu which is a pork based broth, the latter also includes miso flavoring. Each bowl comes includes pork chasmu, green onion, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and nori. I added an egg and some corn to mine to give it some extra flavor.  

(Level 3 Red Ramen)

Loving spicy food I decided on going all out and ordering their spiciest broth while my sister went for the least. Once the piping hot bowls came in we all briefly stared in awe at the beauty of the presentation. We then began devouring our bowls, I tried to take it in slowly to appreciate the interaction of the various flavors. The broth was rich and full of flavor and while the spice level was hot I kind of wished there was a higher level for me to conquer. The pork was fantastic, I combined it with the richness of the egg yoke and a mouthful of broth that brought me to culinary heaven. 

We all left very delighted with the choice, each bowl was around $10 which is perfectly fine especially for what I got. I highly recommend giving this place a try. If it is your first time eating ramen or if you are a seasoned veteran you will be delighted by the quality of food here. 

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles (Los Angeles)

A week or so before I moved out west a friend of mine who had lived in LA for a few years saw it necessary that I visit Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. Being a fan of the famous sweet and savory combination I added this establishment to a long list places to try.

Ten months later I finally got around to trying this famous restaurant. A couple of my best friends were in for the weekend for a concert so I suggested a number of places to try while they were visiting. The day after the event our mutual friend from the area volunteered to take us all on a tour of some of the more historic and hidden parts of Los Angeles which included a stop at Roscoe’s.

(Photo via Yelp)

We all had the privilege of driving through Santa Monica where I live then going through Venice Beach followed by Marina Del Rey and then into South Central LA. We visited the epicenter of famous Rodney King riots and then went to Downtown to visit Koreatown, City Hall and the Financial District. We took a lunch break in Inglewood to try Roscoe’s famous Chicken and Waffles.

Originally opened in Hollywood in 1975 by Herb Hudson Roscoe’s has become an institution in the city of Los Angeles. Hudson, who was originally from Harlem brought this traditional southern cuisine to the west coast and introduced his restaurant to a number of his friends in Motown. Word spread quickly and since its inception Roscoe’s has opened five more stores in the metropolitan region.

While the origin of this odd combination of foods is shrouded in history Roscoe’s is one of the few establishments that has brought it into vogue. Anytime someone mentions chicken and waffles one of the first thing that comes to mind is Roscoe’s. I am well aware of its popularity so I was more than ecstatic when I heard that we would be going.

As we drove into the parking lot I could already feel my tummy rumbling in anticipation. We walked in and were immediately seated and handed our menus. I scanned the menu for about a millisecond before making my choice. I went for the classic Scoe’s # 1 which consists of a 1 /4 of a chicken served with two waffles and a side of syrup. I also paired that with a sunset which is a combination of fruit punch and lemonade to balance the massive sugar and salt intake with an extra lethal dose of sugar or as I like to call it breakfast in the South.

(Scoe's # 2)

The rest of the table followed suit and our food came out before anyone could even think about how hungry they were. Once the food hit the table I had visions of my trips down south. I don’t know if it was the Frisbee sized waffles, the ice cream scoop of butter lathered on top of it or the delicious scent of fried chicken but this definitely wasn’t a prototypical dish served in Southern California. Before taking a bite my arteries began to quench at what would be a meal that would shave a couple years off my life.

Each bite delivered a wave of intense flavor; I could literally feel a sugar high with every bite I took. I calmly cut off each piece of chicken and wrapped it in the butter soaked and syrup lathered waffle to make a miniature sandwich which was to die for. I got three quarters of the way through my meal with tears of gluttonous joy before I had to stop myself. My stomach could not handle any more so I left what remained to be taken away. I left the place feeling ten pounds heavier, sleepy and bloated. But the meal was well worth it, I also managed to sample some mac and cheese which was fantastic but probably not the best idea being in the state I was in.

We continued our tour for a couple more hours and found it almost impossible to eat anything for dinner. It was a fantastic day that was topped off with a grand meal that was well worth the slight pain that ensued. I highly recommend trying this place if you have a change, their chicken and waffles rank among the best I have had and at a reasonable price.

Le Saigon (Los Angeles)

My excursions through Los Angeles have brought new prospective on foods that I had only on the east coast. I have this belief that the closer you are to a foods origin, the more authentic it will taste. I put this theory to the test when with various sushi restaurants that I have sampled including Sugarfish, which was my most memorable. 

I decided to test my theory again with pho, one of my favorite comfort foods. Like Jerry Seinfeld I am a soup man, I love soup regardless of the climate or occasion. That said I do tend to have it only when it is cold or I am sick which are the only occasions people want to get pho with me. 

(Photo via Yelp)

To date I had a few unsuccessful attempts to gather people into going and trying a pho or ramen place. I finally gathered a worthy individual to try out a pho shop for the first time. I did some small research and found Le Saigon which is off Santa Monica right before you hit the 405. The place received 4 1/2 stars on Yelp so I figured people knew what they are talking about.

We ventured on a cold cloudy Wednesday afternoon which to me was the best time to devour a giant bowl of soup. The LA region had gone through a bit of a cold spell of sub-artic weather in the mid 40's, can you imagine the agony!! 

(Cha Gio) 

The restaurant space was fairly small and empty but we were there before 7 PM so I wasn't too shocked. I had looked at the menu prior to coming and was salivating at the thought of getting Vietnamese egg rolls which are one of my several culinary kryptonites. Once seated I ordered them before the waiter had a chance to go over the menu. 

The egg rolls came out relatively fast and were gone before my friend could ask me what was in them, he also order some per my suggestion. The rolls were fantastic but it did not seem like there was enough of a serving. I had read a couple reviews that attest to the fact that this establishment has small servings but brushed it off because of the high rating. 

(Pho Dac Biet) 

I followed my appetizer with my main course which was a basic pho with both well cooked and medium beef. Two pipping hot bowls of pho came out right after we had finished out appetizers. I could not wait to dig into it being as though it had been more than a few months since my last experience with it. At first glance the bowl it came in looked small to me as well so these reviewers seemed to have a point. I chalked it off and began my ritual of dousing the bowl in Sriracha, hot paste, and hoisin sauce.

The pho was mediocre at best, the broth wasn't as flavorful as other places I have been to and the beef didn't jump out at me. I was still ecstatic to have it and polished the entire bowl off before my friend was halfway done with his. I left feeling satisfied but not thrilled, it cost about $20 without tip which is way too much from what I am used to, especially when you consider the portion sizes were small as well. Sadly my theory did not play out in this instance but it was only one place so I hope the next pho shop I go to blows this experience out of the water. I'd recommend going if you are close by but it is average at best.  

Dogtown Dogs (Los Angeles Food Truck)

The food truck scene has been latest fad in an ever changing industry. I documented it well in DC where it is still in its infancy and now that I live in LA I get to explore the birthplace of this industry. 

Currently I live and work in Santa Monica without a car so getting to any food trucks during my lunch break is a bit difficult and I have also been a bit lazy in finding online trackers as well as researching any particular trucks I wanted to find. Living here for just about 6 months now my sole experience with the mobile food industry came during a random outing on a Saturday night in Culver City. 

I knew this had to stop so I made a real effort to reserach any gatherings that take place nearby. While consulting with some friends I found out that there was a huge gathering of them on the first Friday of each month along a prosperous street called Abbot Kinney in Venice beach.  

(Image Via Yelp)

I walked after work along the lovely beach neighborhoods and through main street until I hit the famous stretch. In the past I used to go to food truck festivals every Friday in Downtown DC and be amazed at the 20 or so food stands that encircled the park. But after a couple of  I became a bit bored because I knew every truck there and had either tried them or had no inclination to. This was not the case here, in fact it was one of the few instances in my life were I felt overwhelmed at the shear amount of options I had in front of me. 

I did not let it overtake me because I came destined to try the famous grilled cheese truck which I had watched on Food Network. I started from the beginning of street and walked down what seemed like an endless array of shops, bars and food trucks. When I came to the end of the line I saw a small lot where a couple of trucks had aggregated. The first truck I laid my eyes on was Dogtown Dogs which is one of the more famous ones in LA that serves hot dogs slathered with variety of off the wall toppings. 

(Tater Tots)

After briefly scanning the menu I instantly became torn. If you do not know I absolutely love hot dogs and find it paramount that I meet a quota, if not I start to viciously crave them. It had been a couple of weeks since my last dog so once I saw the truck my cravings for one reached a 10 on the Oscar Mayer Scale. As hard as it was I decided to stick to my guns and look for the grilled cheese. I found it in the same lot and was ecstatic until I realized the line stretched longer than the sands of time. 

I knew then and there that it was my destiny to get my fix tonight and this truck would provide it. I gave the truck another quick scan and ended up ordering their Morning Commute and some tater tots. The Morning Commute consists of a dog wrapped in bacon which is adorned with a fried egg on top. I felt a bit devious ordering this, once it was handed to me I looked through my peripheral vision in search of anyone who would judge me for what I was about to eat. 

(Morning Commute)

I did my best golem impersonation (kidding) and took refuge to a place where I could enjoy this cylindrical concoction of mysterious ingredients wrapped in bacon with a runny egg. Having little to nothing to eat the whole day I bit in with reckless abandon. The dog was juicy and well flavored, the bacon wrapped around it made it even better and the egg wrapped everything together. Before I could even blink I finished the whole thing. I then proceeded to text any friends that have a similar passion for hot dogs this picture while I munched on some tater tots. I then stood there contemplating getting another hot dog but decided to pass.

I left feeling good with the decision I made. While this was not the path I had chosen, I ended up at a crossroads and changed course which is what happens to all of us everyday. Not only did I have a great meal, I now know of another truck that I will be keeping my eye on. If you love hot dogs like me and are in the Los Angeles area I recommend giving these guys a shot. They have a number of other flavor options that are sure to raise your eyebrows.   

Basil Thyme!

Bonjourno, our food truck expedition takes us on a tour of Italian cuisine. Basil Thyme, headed by Brian Farrell and Malik Umar has become recognized both locally and nationally as one of the best food trucks. The truck serves a variety of different lasagnas and cannolis to local residents looking to quench their appetites or carb up for the afternoon sit-down marathon in their cubicle.

Basil Thymes fame have made it a must try in the city and there are no signs of slowing. Its current popularity has boosted it to 2^nd best food truck in City Papers “Best of” issue and 4 ½ stars on Yelp. Despite all of these accolades I somehow never tried this truck until this past year. Overlooking this truck wasn’t because of a lack of cognizance or interest but just something that slipped the cracks.

(Image via I heart food DC) 

My first visit came around March when I took to the streets of Foggy Bottom while running some errands. I spotted the truck and decided to finally give it a try. I will be forthright in saying that I am not the biggest fan of Italian cuisine. I think lasagna, pasta, and pizza are all great foods but I cannot for the life of me think of an instance where I have craved any of these dishes. Regardless of my attitude I calmly waited in line browsing the selection of lasagnas. I decided on ordering the Lisetta which consists of slow roasted pork in a vodka sauce.  I took it back to the office and enjoyed my meal. The portion size was perfect for me and the side salad balanced out the dish leaving me quenched.

While I did not salivate like Garfield at the thought of trying the truck again I always kept the option open should there be another opportunity. This chance presented itself a couple of weeks ago when the truck visited M St. Still recovering from the removal of my wisdom teeth I thought Lasagna would a good option. To my chagrin the line was the longest of the three other food trucks in the area. I remember the afternoon vividly as it was one of the first days of excruciating humidity known as a DC summer. As I watched people in line melting away I began to second guess my decision of eating warm lasagna on a brutal day. I stuck to my guns and waited in line because in reality the heat did not bother me at all.

(Linda Lasagna)  

Once my turn came I was glistening like a chicken in the oven and seriously considered walking to an ice cream store to order a banana split. I scratched that thought and decided to order the Linda which is their most popular dish. It is a traditional lasagna that consists of seasoned beef with tomato sauce. I also ordered the cannoli of the day which in this case was chocolate chip. 

I took my food and found shelter underneath a tree with my friend. While she giggled with amusement from my infant like approach to eating food I was savoring the flavors of a well composed dish. The lasagna was a hit but I was sad that I could not fully enjoy every bite without a throbbing pain in my mouth. After finishing off the platter I could not find any room for the cannoli so I took it back to the office to have as an afternoon snack.  

(Chocolate Chip Cannoli) 

About an hour after my lunch I found the need to snack on the aforementioned Italian treat. The cannoli was refreshing and well flavored. After finishing it I could only wish that I had another to split with a friend. My meal was a combo which came with a soda and run me $12 which is fairly reasonable in DC or any major city these days. 

All in all Basil Thyme does right in my book. While I am a huge fan of this particular cuisine I can easily see myself getting food from this truck if they were in my neighborhood. Now that I have moved to the other coast our expedition embarks on the LA food truck scene which most consider the birth of mobile cuisine. Until next time, arrivederci!