A Clean Bite

It’s that time of the week again, the food truck roulette in Century City.  Today we were graced with the Clean Street Food truck (www.cleanstreetfood.com).   I hadn’t heard anything about them before, so it was nice to have no preconceived ideas about the food.  Their menu is rather simple – entrees that include a protein on top of a matched salad, and you can have it “naked” (just as a salad) or as a sandwich.  They were offering samples of each entrée to give people an idea what was in-store. 

I wound up ordering the marinated steak, sliced parmesan with Caesar salad and chopped tomatoes as a sandwich ($7.75 – not bad for steak!).  They also offered herbed fries as a side, and I couldn’t pass up on those.  To complete my meal, I had a pink grapefruit Izze soda.   My total came to $13, about what I pay when I go out to lunch, and still fairly reasonable.

The sandwich was delightful.  The meat was well seasoned and cooked just right.  And it paired so well with the Caesar salad and parmesan.  It was a definite taste treat.  And it worked so well as a sandwich.  The fries were also very tasty.  When I first took them out the bag, I was a little disappointed and skeptical as they were thick cut fries.  My experience with thick cut is that they tend to be soggy and don’t hold up well.  I was surprised to find that they were quite crispy and didn’t get soggy too fast (though they eventually did – it was going to happen). 

I can recommend them most definitely, and look forward to trying their other entrees in the future.

Hollywood Bowl

Last night was my friend Fuzzy and I’s annual Hollywood Bowl trek to enjoy John Williams.  For the past five years+, we have gone to see him, and every year he provides a very enjoyable show conducting the L.A. Philharmonic.  Of course, he never can get away without playing his Star Wars theme.

And no trip to the Bowl would be complete without a picnic to enjoy while waiting for the show to start.  I always prepare a meal and pack it up to bring with us.  In years past, I have made chicken pesto sandwiches, roast beef braised in thai spices and coconut milk, cupcakes and lemon ricotta cookies for dessert.  This year I decided to make sandwiches made with prosciutto, salami and capocolla.  I used French baguettes, drizzled with citrus olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and smeared with Aoulette spreadable garlic-herb cheese. 

As an appetizer, I made my first attempt at a tapenade.  It was good, but the flavors were stronger than they should have been.  I used a little too much anchovy paste, fresh garlic and lime.  No vampires were going to bother us!  At least now I know how to dial it down and make is less……potent!  It is mellowing now that it has sat for a day, and will continue to mellow (I made a big batch).  Once I perfect my recipe, I will share it here.

For dessert, we bought from the Marketplace at the Bowl this time and had a rocky road brownie with a white chocolate sauce, and a lemon tart with strawberry sauce.  The brownie was okay, but didn’t wow us.  The lemon tart however was very delicious (and lived us to the name tart).  The strawberry sauce was a throw-away and we didn’t use it.  It didn’t seem to work with the tart…..raspberry would have been better.

We also enjoyed a bottle of Cabernet Franc that I had brought back from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, which had aged very well.  It was a 2007 vintage from Hillside Estate. 

Aside from the wonderful food, the concert was wonderful.  The first half, James Taylor did a reading from the novel “Revers” about a kid growing up in Mississippi back in the early part of the 20^th century.  The music backing it up was wonderfully complimentary.  It was a unique way to do a concert which we thoroughly enjoyed.  The second half was a mixture of scores from westerns and other classic films, and some of Williams’ own classics.    And for his closing number of course, he played Star Wars.  And the bowl was filled with light sabers of many different colors – more than we had ever seen before.

His encore included the Imperial March from Star Wars and the theme from E.T.  I can’t wait to see what he does next year!

More Cheese, Please

The third time, and it’s still a charm – Friday night I got to enjoy the Grilled Cheese Truck (www.grilledcheesetruck.com) yet again.  My friend Thom joined me in Burbank for the food truck roundup being sponsored by Mindfulness.  I got there first and got in line around 6:00pm, and was about 20^th in line and the truck hadn’t yet gotten its parking spot.  Thom arrived about 10 minutes later.  Once the truck got parked, they got the doors up and fairly quickly got things moving.  And they were much quicker this time in moving the line and getting orders fulfilled quickly.

I ordered the Cheesy Mac & Rib Melt:  mac & cheese with sharp cheddar, pork rib meat and grilled onions (I opted out on the onions….I don’t like them grilled).  It was definitely a very savory treat and a nice way to end the week.  The only thing missing was a nice deep red wine to enjoy with the melt – but I had a Coke instead.  Thom had the same thing and also got an order of tater tots.  He thoroughly enjoyed his meal too….I had to avert my eyes a few times he was so into it.

After having our melts, we went across the street to Los Angeles Shave Ice (www.losangelesshaveice.com) and ordered one with watermelon, green apple and cherry.  An odd combo, I know, but it worked!  I spoke with the owner Sean briefly – really nice guy.  And they worked fast.  It was also very refreshing since it was 1000 degrees in the valley on Friday (okay – it was really only 104, but it was still blazing hot and humid….ick!). 

We saw a few other trucks that piqued our interest, including two South American cuisine trucks that I will have to look for again, one which was called Miski (the other I didn’t get a picture of to remember).  I wish they would do these roundups in Burbank every Friday!  C’mon Burbank!

Aloha My Sweets

Aloha!  My co-worker Madeleine and I headed over to the Century City Farmer’s Market this afternoon to pick up some fruit and grab a bite to eat.  We had been wanted to try the Hawaiian Chicken stand (www.hawaiianchicken.com) but every time we’ve been there, the long has been incredibly long.  Since we were there real early today, there wasn’t a line, so we decided to try it.  Like any good food stand (or food truck), they concentrate on doing one thing, and doing it well.  Your options are:  chicken, chicken, or ….. wait for it ….. chicken! 

They BBQ the chicken on site, which has been marinated. 

They have different combos available, but I opted for the mini-bowl (chicken over rice) which was just the perfect size.  And it was only $7 – plus the mini serving was actually quite generous. I don’t know what they marinate the chicken in it, but whatever they use gives the chicken a sweet taste and helps carmelize the outside.  They also strip it of most of the skin, so it makes it a healthier option.  I speculate that they use pineapple in the marinade (which makes sense seeing as it is billed as “Hawaiian”).   They also give you a hot sauce which you can use to dip the chicken in, or pour over it.  I first tried it without the sauce for a pure experience, then tried the other half with it – and both ways it was great!  They seem to travel to many of the local farmer’s markets, and they always have a line, which I believe is a testament to their ability to produce a good product.

We also had stopped by a new booth at the market.  I was struck by the sign they had up saying “alcoholic cupcakes”.  I was intrigued.  We stopped and I talked to Tiffany of Wasted Cupcakes (www.wastedcupcakes.com) who was operating the booth.  All of their cupcakes, with a couple of exceptions, contact alcohol.  When I introduced myself and gave her my card, she got excited and offered me two mini cupcakes gratis.  When offered freebies, it’s always with the codicil that I will still give my honest opinion if I post about it. 

I can report that I really enjoyed the cupcakes.  Cup cake?  Liquor??  What better combo could you ask for?!  They two I tried were the Pina Colada and Cocoa Martini.  In the Pina Colada you could taste the rum, but it didn’t overpower.  And the coconut was a welcome flavor.  In the Cocoa, it was very chocolaty and moist, and the vodka was definitely in the background.  While I don’t think you’ll get drunk on eating a couple of cupcakes, you definitely know you’ve just consumed some high octane refreshments. 

Unfortunately, they do not have a storefront, but they do sell their cupcakes at The Abbey in West Hollywood.  When I asked what other farmer’s markets they attend, she said they are going to be starting at the Melrose one on Sundays, plus they are coming to Century City.  I’d make a trip to The Abbey to try more for sure.  I’m interested in next trying their Lemon Drop (I’m a lemon fiend!).

Lobsta Killah

It’s Wednesday, so it must be Food Truck day in Century City!  Today Lobsta Truck (www.lobstatruck.com) graced our area with a visit (along with Lake Street Creamery – but I opted out of dessert today).  I had not yet had the pleasure of experiencing the Lobsta yet, so was glad to see they were here.

Like many of the food trucks, the stick to a limited menu, and do it very well.  Basically you only have three options:  Lobsta Roll, Crab Roll or Clam Chowder.  They do offer extras like chips, sodas….and even Whoopie Pie.  I’m not a fan of lobster, so I opted for the Crab Roll.  The options for it are:  mayo or butter.  Being more of a purist, I opted for the butter.  And let me tell you, if you just want crab, this is the dish to order.  On a toasted bun they piled on crab meat (mixed with butter).  Pure, simple, basically unadulterated.  The only thing I could recommend to make it a smidge better would be a lemon wedge to squeeze over the crab (but it really isn’t necessary). 

I paired my roll with a page of Cape Cod potato chips and a soda.  It was deeeelish!  And I can appreciate a simple sandwich – it is what they call it – a crab roll.  No garnish, no filler, no fluff…..just CRAB!  And the total cost of my whole meal was $15 – not bad.  Can’t wait to see who parks in CC next week!

North Park Redeux

Part two of my San Diego weekend:  my friend Fuzzy took me out for lunch yesterday (Sunday) for helping her with her laptop.  We decided to check out some of the places around the 30^th Street/University Avenue corridor in North Park, near where we had been the night before (Splash).  We walked around and checked out some of the menus.  They are really trying hard to gentrify North Park, and they definitely seem to be having some success – this was not the North Park I left behind 18 years ago!

We settled on a place she had been to before, an Italian café, Il Postino (www.ilpostino-sandiego.com).  The ambience is very casual, yet very inviting.  We sat at the bar, which dominates the middle of the restaurant.  After perusing the menu, we settled on an appetizer of Caprese, and we each ordered our own entrees (I don’t remember Fuzzy’s as it involved clams, which I can’t stand…so best forgotten…).

I have to honestly give this place a mixed review on the food.  The Caprese was rather disappointing.  The beefsteak tomatoes weren’t terribly ripe, which degraded the dish.  And we had to ask for black pepper for more flavor.  The mozzarella was tasty, but the whole dish fell flat for both of us.  She had ordered it before and the tomatoes were far more ripe, so she was able to compare and offered her definite disappointment.

For my entrée, I ordered the Farfalle Vodka e Salmone (bow-tie pasta in a pink vodka sauce with salmon).  THAT dish was incredibly delicious, which helped make up for the lackluster Caprese.  I’ve had this dish at other places, and it’s been hit or miss on whether they did it well or not.  Il Postino definitely did it right, and I have to commend them on that.  Fuzzy also enjoyed her dish.

I’d try Il Postino again, and would willingly recommend it to others.  I’d just advise you to skip the Caprese unless you know the tomatoes are ripe!

It was a Splash Splash Splash

I came down to San Diego this weekend to see my family and a friend, and also to use a Living Social deal I had for a wine bar.  I took my friend Fuzzy to the Splash Wine Lounge (www.asplashofwine.com).  It’s located in the North Park area of San Diego on University Ave., just east of 30^th Street.  It is a very interesting concept:  it is set up for wine tastings and appetizers, with the wine being dispensed by machines set up in three separate stations.  You purchase a wine card (a key card like you get for hotel rooms) that you use in the machines.  They recommend starting with $20, and you can add if you need to.  The machines dispense 1 oz. of wine into your glass.

Splash uses two types of the machine – one type set up in a circular pattern for the red wines, and one type set up along the wall in a row in refrigerated cases for the white wines.  The reds were arranged in three different stations, each progressively more expensive.  Prices range from $.09 a pour, up to $5-6.  I have to admit that I unfortunately did not do what I intended – I didn’t write down what I drank or make notes, so I don’t remember the names of everything I tried.  I will be making another trip there in the future and will be more diligent so I can report back appropriately (bad C.J., bad C.J.!).  I will also share pictures next time as I didn’t bring my camera.

Of the wines I had though (and that I do remember a little about), I enjoyed a couple of wines from Spain that were either a Tempranillo or a blend of Tempranillo and Granacha.  And there was one red blend (90% Syrah, 10% Riesling) from Washington State that was called Simply Seductively Smooth….and it was.  And all the better, it was less than $10 for a bottle (which I picked one up).  Fuzzy and I both found that the better wines were actually on the two less expensive stations.  On the most expensive station, two of the wines I tried, I took a sip and made a funny face that she noticed.  Those wines were deep red and had a very heavy anise/liquorice flavor – almost like cough syrup.  It just proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money for a good wine.

As for the food that we enjoyed with our wine tastings, we ordered a total of three appetizers.  The first one was what they call a Goat Cheese Boat: warm goat cheese topped with olive oil, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes served with bread bites.  Our second appetizer was a charcuterie and cheese plate, with a  nice assortment of soft and hard cheeses and several types of salami.  The last dish we ordered was something they call “Splackers” – spicy crackers and a cream cheese/raspberry-chipotle spread.  It was soooooo amazingly good.  And it paired well with the wines.  It’s given me some ideas to try at home.

I really like this wine bar concept.  I spoke with Amber at Splash (she had served us and answered our questions on the wine and food), and she told me the owner intends to open more locations in San Diego….I put my bid in for them to move into L.A. as well.  I’m sure something like this must be open in L.A., so I will have to research it and find them.  If you find yourself in San Diego (or live there) I highly recommend checking Splash out. 

Easy Dinner

Desperate for a tasty meal, but want something more homemade?  Would you settle for semi-homemade (thank you Sandra Lee)?  I love to doctor up stuff I’ve gotten at Trader Joe’s.  They have sooo many potential offerings.

Tonight I took TJ’s goat cheese pizza and turned it into a great meal.  I just added some prosciutto to give it a little extra umph.  I have also before added figs (fresh or dried….but fresh preferred), or fresh peaches.  Nectarines and dried cherries would also be delicious. 

In 15 minutes, for about $5, you can have a tasty meal.

Savory Saturday

I do love the food trucks.  This afternoon The Federal Bar (www.thefederalbar.com) in North Hollywood sponsored their weekly (or so it seems to be weekly) food truck round up with ten trucks:  Canter’s, Crepe’n Around, Don Chow’s, Dosa Truck, Gourmet Genie, Grill ‘em All, Lake St. Creamery, Munchie Machine, The Boba Truck, and The Wien Truck.  My friend Thom and I arrived well before the noon start time (though most of the trucks weren’t quite ready at noon).

After perusing the various menus, I settled on the Gourmet Genie truck (www.gourmetgenietogo.com) – they offered up some interesting Mediterranean fare.  I ordered a spicy lamb taco, as well as a merguez sausage and hummus.  The owner (at least I think he was the owner) Max threw in a lamb slider.  The taco was very tasty, with the lamb being spicy just right and juicy.  The merguez sausage was spicy and roasted.  It paired well with hummus (also very delicious).  The surprise lamb slider was juicy, had some spice and great flavor.  I’d like to sample more of their offerings.

Thom opted for The Wien Truck (www.thewien.com) and had a polish sausage with the works (chili, cheese, onions and spicy brown mustard).  He also had the chili cheese fries.  He reported that it was all very delicious, and quite filling. 

For dessert, we visited the Lake St. Creamery (www.lakestreetcreamery.com).  Mmmmmmm…ice cream….mmmmmm.  The Aztec Sacrifice was calling to me.  Luscious chocolate with chilis and cayenne (and they claim the blood of a thousand virgins….though I’d like to know where they found that many).  I don’t really have the right words to describe, though it was a rapturous experience.  Your mouth tingles from the chili and cayenne. 

Thom had the daily special, The Don Draper:  vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and bourbon.  He let me have a taste and it was a taste treat…..and more than a scoop might have made one woozy.

I look forward to my next food truck experience.  This Wednesday a new truck should be down the street from my office and I will get to try something new!

Border(less) Grill

I meant to post this yesterday, but got sidetracked.  Yesterday for lunch, my co-worker Madeleine and I walked down the street from our offices to the Northrup Grumman plaza for the Wednesday food truck on the east side of the building.  This week was Border Grill (www.bordergrill.com).  I have been to the restaurant (many years ago) but never their truck.

I ordered the combo with two tacos, rice and beans, and a soda for $7.  I had the Yucatan Pork and Carne Asada tacos.  The Yucatan was actually very tasty.  It was topped with I believe jicama, pickled onions and orange segments.  It had a very nice play of the sweet and spicy.  The Carne Asada taco was a little disappointing.  The meat didn’t taste like it had been seasoned. 

Madeleine also had a combo, but with a Quesadilla.  She ordered the Poblano Quesadilla and told me that though spicy, the flavors were rather flat.  Neither one of us thought the food was very exciting, and given the competitive food truck market in L.A., I’d hope they’d step their game up. 

On a positive note, the staff was very friendly and the service was quick.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

I recently made an absolutely delicious dish of red wine braised short ribs that I will now share with you all.  It’s easy to make and you can leave it braising in a Crock Pot all day.  Here’s what you need:

·         2-3 lbs. of beef short ribs (boneless are better)

·         6 cloves of Garlic, minced (more, or less…depending on your preference)

·         4 cups vegetable stock

·         1 bottle of a good, hearty red wine (Cab, Zin, Syrah, etc.)

·         Butter and/or olive oil

·         Salt & pepper for seasoning

First, pat your ribs dry, then season them with salt and pepper.  Get a skillet searing hot, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter and brown the short ribs on all sides.  Transfer ribs to a plate and toss the garlic into the hot pan (you can add another dab of butter or oil if you like).  You basically just want to sweat the garlic some, but don’t let it burn or get too brown. 

After you have the entire house smelling of garlic, pour in the bottle of red wine (I used a red blend I had aging from one of my trips to British Columbia).  Bring it to a boil and let it cook down to about half the quantity.  (Once it has started boiling, you can turn the heat down a little to keep it roiling.)  After it has reduced, pour in the vegetable stock and any juices from the resting ribs and stir it all together. 

Place the ribs in the bottom of the Crock Pot, then pour the wine and stock liquid over the ribs.  Turn the Pot onto the “low” setting and leave it to cook all day.  Your house will smell of wine and garlic (in a very good way).

When you’re ready to eat, remove the ribs from the liquid to a plate and tent them to keep warm (I use foil).  Take the cooking liquid and pour it into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil.  The goal is to reduce it down and thicken it up.  This can take about 15-20 minutes.  To help it thicken, you can whisk in some flour, adding just a little at a time and let it cook some more.  Taste the sauce and if needed, add some pepper (you probably won’t need salt….but if you need it, add it too). 

Once it’s thickened to your desired consistency, turn off the heat and whisk in another pat of butter to add richness.

How you choose to serve up the ribs and sauce is your call.  My presentation was as an open-faced sandwich using a baguette, with the flaked rib meat covering the bread, tossed on some gorgonzola cheese, then spooned on some sauce.  I can guarantee you it will be delightful!

Happy eating!

A Beautious Day in Long Beach

Have you ever Segway’d before??  If you haven’t, I highly recommend it.  If I had a lot of spare cash, I’d buy a Segway of my own – that’s how fun I’ve found them to be.  If you can get a Groupon or other deal for a tour in year area…..do it!  Sign up!  Yesterday, my friend Thom and I took our friend Fuzzy down to Long Beach for a Segway tour using Groupons we had bought a few months ago. 

But before I get to the Segway, I do want to discuss our travel to Long Beach, and our lunch in downtown.  Since Thom and I live in the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach is not exactly in the hood.  We could have driven down, but decided to take a more leisurely trip by taking the subway and light rail.  We caught the subway at the North Hollywood station and took it downtown to the 7^th Street Metro station to switch over to the Blue Line light rail….however….Metro is doing work on extending the line downtown, so all the stops there are currently shut down over the weekend (I didn’t catch exactly how long this will be going on).  Metro does provide a shuttle to the Washington station on the far south side of downtown.  And let me tell you….that driver BOOKED down the streets to Washington.

All in all, it wasn’t an awful trip.  Yes, we could potentially have driven there faster, but we found out later that the freeways were a mess and everyone in our tour group had been scheduled for 10am (we were at 3pm) and had to call to reschedule for later due to traffic issues.  We were happy we took public transit after hearing about that.

We made our way down to Long Beach for a late lunch before the Segway tour.  Fuzzy and I had been downtown before and eaten at a Greek place that we really enjoyed.  We checked on Yelp for suggestions, but nothing jumped out at us, plus the Greek place had a very high rating (and our prior experience)….so Greek it was.  George’s Greek Café (www.georgesgreekcafe.com) has several locations in the South Bay area.  They also make a killer Bloody Mary! 

We weren’t starving and didn’t want a full meal, but did want more than a snack.  We shared a “double dip” which had hummus and a black olive spread (basically a tapenade) with pita bread.  Fuzzy had the calamari appetizer, Thom the meatballs, and I ordered the gyro appetizer.  For appetizers, these plates were a LOT of food!  I’m glad we didn’t order a full meal.  It was all incredibly delicious though.  I’ll go back another time for sure – especially if a Bloody Mary is involved.

We eventually made our way down to the Segway tour office.  Thom and I had done one down in Long Beach back in January.  We lucked out when we found out our guide would be the same one we had back then….Anita!  We love Anita:  she’s informative, fun, helpful and you can tell she really loves her job.  She even remembered us. 

Before you actually get on a Segway, they require you to view a safety video.  Fuzzy got a little freaked out by the stickman on the video as he kept doing face-plants and back falls, dumping the Segway.  We assured her that she wouldn’t be doing that as we were in a more controlled experience.  Once we got on the Segways, she got more comfortable after she mastered stopping (it’s tricky for anyone their first time). 

The weather was actually perfect for a tour, and late in the day seems to be a good time during the summer….it’s not blazing hot and the sun is still up when you get done with the tour.  The tour takes you over the bridge from downtown to the Queen Mary.  Anita stops along the way for pictures and to give some history of the harbor and the area. After the Queen Mary, you head back over the bridge, past the aquarium and onto the boardwalk.  This is where you get a break to step off the Segway, get a drink, visit the restroom, and basically stretch your legs.  As fun as is it, standing with your feet a set distance apart without the ability to move them around can get tedious and tiring.

The second half of the tour, Anita takes you up to the “lighthouse” to get a great view out over the harbor and downtown.  Then down the boardwalk, checking stuff out and getting more history of the area.  It’s funny how much people gawk at you when you whiz past them on a Segway.  We even got asked along the way where we rented them.  Anita handed out brochures when she could, or answered their questions.

Our two hours passed by very, very quickly, and we headed back to the shop.  Since we now are more experienced with the Segway, Anita let is on a little tip:  you can just rent for the two hour tour timeframe and go out on your own, even when you use a Groupon.  Good to know (though I would enjoy her giving us another tour).  Fuzzy wound up really enjoying it (she had been skeptical before she got on one).

Thom and I have three more Segway tours scheduled in the Southern California area.  We have taken advantage of Groupon deals, and will keep our eyes out for future tours.  If you’re looking for something fun to do on a weekend, or even during the week, you should check for a local tour.  They really are a lot of fun.  And if you can get a Groupon, even better….it makes the tour only about $35-40 on average (half price).  Remember though to please tip your tour guide if you enjoyed your tour….they really appreciate that.  And if you get down to Long Beach and take a tour, be sure to ask for Anita – and tell her C.J. says hi!

Che Delusione

I hate to say it, but I have to give my first less than stellar review.  Last night my friend Thom and I went out looking for dinner, and driving down Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, I remembered an Italian place I used to go to all the time when I worked in the area.  We pulled up to Zach’s Italian Café (www.zachscafe.com) just before 8pm, and the parking lot was empty.  When we walked in the door, the host seated us and it was pretty much a ghost town.  That should have been a tip-off. 

In years past when I would go there for lunch or dinner, I always had a good meal.  Their garlic cheese rolls were to die for.  Now, they’re overcooked, lacking in much cheese or garlic, and could be used as hockey pucks. 

I ordered the chicken ravioli, which was a dish I always loved.  The ones I received for my meal were less enjoyable than store bought.  I could tell they were handmade, but they tasted bland and were not nearly as fluffy as I have had in the past.  The marinara sauce was okay, but rather flat.  The tomato flavor didn’t shine through.

Thom had ordered the meat lasagna, which he said wasn’t much better than my ravioli.  The one bright spot was the salad he ordered:  mixed greens, apples, feta, and candied walnuts in a vinaigrette.  He let me have a taste, and that I liked.

I don’t know what’s happened with Zach’s.  The quality has declined greatly.  The wait staff was very friendly and attentive, but that just can’t make up for the lackluster food.  It wasn’t the worst meal I’ve had, but in the end, I would have been happier probably if I had just gone through a drive-thru. 

Kogi-tate

Two days in a row I get the food truck experience for lunch!  Woot!  Today at the Northrup Grumman plaza in Century City (again), Kogi Korean BBQ (www.kogibbq.com) has parked.  We got there early as my co-worker had a call at noon, so we arrived before the truck had pulled up (and there was already a line when he got there).  They move fast though:  within 5 minutes of placing our order, we had our food

I ordered the 3 taco combo.  For $7 you get your choice of three tacos and a drink – quite a bargain!  I had the spicy pork, chicken and short rib (I wanted to cover the spectrum of offerings).  They were each very delicious, spicy and filling.  They had a mild heat, but still made your mouth tingle.  Three tacos were more than enough for a meal.  They include cabbage and spicy sauce with your filling choice, plus they crisp up the tortilla to give it a little crunch.

Madeleine had the Blackjack Quesadilla.  She said she’d rate it an 8.5 out of 10 – what would make it better would be to add more cheese.  She really enjoyed the sauce they put on top (which we could not find what it was, but I suspect it’s cilantro based).

They had some other items on the menu I’d like to try in the future.  I will definitely report back the next time I get to experience Kogi.  Definitely a thumbs up!

It's just NaanStop!

In my on-going efforts chasing the food trucks in L.A., I found out that food trucks visit the Northrup-Grumman plaza down the street from my office weekly – so now I will hopefully have an easier time sampling the scene!  Today I enjoyed Indian fusion cuisine from NaanStop (www.naanstop.com).  Their menu consists of “sandwiches” made from Naan bread with stuffing.  They are more akin to a wrap or a gyro.  The options for filling were tandori chicken, chicken kabob, paneer or lamb. 

I went for the lamb since I don’t get to enjoy it very often.  The meat was seasoned well, very flavorful and tender.  It could have been a little spicier, but you have to keep in mind this is fusion cuisine.  They also included a yogurt sauce and spinach leaves.  Onions and peppers are standard, but I left them off.  I could have eaten several of these but one was enough for a meal, and they didn’t skimp on the filling.  I also had Masala fries…..french fries in a tomato-based masala sauce with some yogurt sauce on top.  They were quite tasty.

I would definitely like to try their other Naan and will look for them when I go to roundups!  I can highly recommend them if you have a craving for Indian food and they are in your area.

Weekend Dining

Friday night I hurried home so I could once again experience the Grilled Cheese Truck (www.grilledcheesetruck.com).  They were at a roundup in Burbank.  One thing I’ve noticed any time I have seen the truck at any of the roundups is that they always have a long, long line, while the other trucks have short waits.  This of course is due to the popularity of the GCT, but it reminds me a little of high school:  the BMOC gets all the attention, and the hangers-on try to follow on his/her coattails and collect the crumbs.  Don’t get me wrong, I do really enjoy the GCT, but at roundups the others tend to be left in the dust…fighting for attention.

That all being said, I did go to the roundup with the mission to get the daily special at the GCT.  The tweet I had received earlier in the day was for a red wine braised short rib and blue cheese sandwich – apparently that was meant for another location one of their trucks was parked at since Burbank offered it with mozzarella, and grilled onions and peppers.  While disappointed (and I did register it with the counter guy), I went for it anyway – sans onions and peppers.  It was delightful, the short rib meat very tender and juicy (and definitely full of flavor).  I am going to try to make my own version of it this weekend….I’ll let you know how it turns out if I do get the chance to make it. 

For future roundups, my intention is to try OTHER vendors, as I truly do want to get a spectrum of this scene.  And while I am trying to follow where roundups are being held, please feel free to let me know here of any in your area that I should check out (or email me).

Yesterday (Sunday) I decided to try The Counter (www.thecounterburger.com) again.  I had a craving for a burger.  And once again, they did not disappoint.  I got there just about noon, and just in time to miss the rush.  By the time I left there was not a seat in the house.  This time I ordered a regular beef burger (their market selection for July was Bison, menu changes monthly).  I went for my basic cravings:  applewood smoked bacon and bleu cheese.  I added ranch dressing as the sauce, and had it served on a whole grain bun (gotta try to make it at least somewhat “healthy”).  I also had a side of those divine parmesan fries, and a Raging Bitch Ale.  It was a very satisfying meal that left me full the rest of the day. 

Tomorrow I trying out NaanStop (www.naanstop.com) – an Indian cuisine food truck that will be making an appearance in Century City for lunchtime.  Will let you know how it is.