oahu - honolulu: waiola shave ice

tommy chills out at waiola shave ice...

strawberry cream with condensed milk, thai tea and orange creamsicle

tommy says: this place has the the softest textured ice on the island!  the syrup flavors are good and numerous, but nothing particularly special.  what is special though is their magical soft snow!

waiola shave ice

2135 waiola st 

honolulu, hi 96826

(808) 949-2269

https://www.facebook.com/WaiolaShaveIce

oahu - honolulu: ono hawaiian foods

tommy kicks off his trip to oahu at ono hawaiian foods...

lomi lomi salmon, chicken long rice soup, boiled butterfish, haupia, pipikaula, kalua pig

tommy says: the kalua pork and haupia make this place worth a visit.  the pork was tender and was very flavorful (unlike many other versions of this dish which seem to be on the bland side), and oh-so-good with the raw onions!  the haupia had a nice slightly soft texture, not too firm, and the coconut flavor was not overpowering. lomi lomi salmon is ok, just don't think it is my thing - like a very mild salsa with salmon.  the chicken long rice soup has a mild flavor; it is basically just a chicken noodle soup with glass noodles.  the boiled butterfish was also ok.  pipikaula was a bit too dry and sweet, reminiscent of a teriyaki jerky.

ono hawaiian foods

726 kapahulu ave honolulu, hi 96816 (808) 737-2275

san gabriel valley - san gabriel: newport seafood

tommy dives in at newport seafood in san gabriel...

crispy fried squid with salt and pepper

crab with ginger and green onion

beef loc lac (french style)

newport special lobster

tommy says: the lobster and the beef loc lac were the standouts.  the squid was good, but nothing remarkably different from a well done calamari.  the crab was also good, but couldn't stand up to the lobster.  the lobster meat was sweet and tender, and the sauce had a nice mild peppery kick.  the beef was tender and when dipped in the lime juice with salt and pepper, sublime!  hands down the best version of this dish around.

newport tan cang seafood restaurant
518 w. las tunas dr
san gabriel, ca 91776
(626) 289-5998
http://newportseafood.com/

san fernando valley - van nuys: el criollo

tommy mambos his way over to el criollo in van nuys...

rabo encendido: oxtail stewed in a criollo wine sauce 

lomo saltado

tommy says: oxtail stew. get it. love it. don't be shy about picking every last bit of meat out of those crevices of the bones. it is rich, tender, and fantastic. the lomo saltado was just okay.  it had more of a chinese-y flavor than other versions, and the meat was sliced a bit thin. 

el criollo
6622 van nuys blvd
van nuys, ca 91405
(818) 785-8625
http://www.cubanfoodlaonline.com/

downtown la: gorbals

tommy grubs at the gorbals...

bahn mi poutine

dry aged burger, onion 7 ways

duck latkes

roasted bone marrow with walnuts

lamb meatballs, pesto, artichoke, spinach risotto

broccoli, soy, brown sugar, malt, chilies

brussel sprouts, bacon, apple, cider, honey

tommy says: the bahn mi poutine is a crowd pleaser, but they no longer use pickled carrots or pickled daikon, which is a bummer. instead they use pickled jalepenos only (they used to use fresh when they had the pickled carrots and daikon).  these changes have diluted the bahn mi-ness of the dish.  the dry aged burger is surprisingly a really great burger, and dare i say it? - it rivals la's temple of burgers, father's office. duck latkes and lamb meatballs weren't bad, but nothing to write home about.  the bone marrow was a disappointment, they actually mix the walnuts with the marrow and then re-stuff it back into the bone.  the walnuts are just too overpowering; do not expect some smooth, jelly/custard-like marrow. oddly enough, the broccoli is pretty amazing - it is deep fried which changes the texture and is a bit addicting. the brussel sprouts were also quite tasty; the classic addition of the bacon is never wrong, but the apple went really well with it too.

the gorbals
501 south spring street
los angeles, ca 90013
213-488-3408

http://thegorbalsla.com/

san fernando valley - sherman oaks: ramen by omae

it is always a good time for ramen, especially when it is ramen by omae...

original pork broth ramen with thin noodles

burnt kogashi miso pork broth ramen with thick noodles

chashu bowl

tommy says: if you like a thick, rich ramen broth this is the place to get your fix.  of the handful of visits, the menu has been tweaked about three times, but it never disappoints.  the server stated that the burnt kogashi would be spicy, but it really was not anything requiring a warning, quite mild and more smokey than spicy.  at one point a chashu bowl was listed on the menu, but wasn't on the most recent visit.  ordered it anyway and it was mind-blowingly good (and different from their previous rendition).  how can a simple chashu bowl be mind-blowing?  the pork was unbelievably tender and the sauce was hauntingly good - it is so simple, but done amazingly well. worth a visit just for the chashu bowl alone.

ramen by omae
14425 ventura blvd 
sherman oaks, ca 91423
(818) 784-8981
http://www.ramenbyomae.com/

downtown la: patina

after a long hiatus, let's get this party started right, with a fancy dinner at patina...

setup for caviar (lost the photo of the actual caviar)

cote de boef 

the bone from the boef and potato puree

sweetbread, veal cheek, and veal tenderloin

tommy says: caviar was something new and fun, though it took a while to setup.  the 1 oz tin came with egg whites, egg yolks, shallots, chives, creme fraiche, and buckwheat blinis.  just mix and match whatever toppings you like - good stuff.  the chestnut and lobster agnolotti (appetizer, not pictured, sorry) were pretty incredible flavor-wise, though the pasta was perhaps a tad bit too firm, but that is arguable, depending on how al dente you like your pasta. cote de boeuf had the most delicious crust on the outside and the meat was just amazing.  the potato puree was like a cloud, it even deflated a little when putting the spoon into it to scoop some out.  the veal was a bit of a disappointment - tenderloin was not so tender, cheek was too too soft, but the sweetbread was great and had a lovely batter on it. 

patina
141 south grand ave
los angeles, ca 90012
(213) 972-3331

http://www.patinarestaurant.com/