los angeles: troi mec

tommy manages to get a ticket to troi mec...

buckwheat popcorn

sunchoke chip

garlic bread

avocado, citrus, crab ceviche, buckwheat popcorn

nantucket bay scallops, tandoori, sesame, cauliflower

grilled cabbage, smoked almond milk anglaise, miso flan, fennel pollen

potato pulp, brown butter, bonito, onion soubise, salers

beef, charred broccoli, smoked peanut butter, crispy shallots

apple butter, creme de brie, toasted barley, hay

mignardises, marshmallow, sunchoke sorbet

tommy says:  the garlic bread and crab ceviche were both really tasty.  the grilled cabbage was also inventive and the miso flan that came with it was silky smooth.  scallops and the apple butter dessert were not really my cup of tea.  the potato pulp was good, but felt like it should've been a side or something else should've been served with it.  the beef with smoked peanut butter was reminiscent of beef satay with thai peanut sauce. the mignardises were a funky tasting. with the exception of the mignardises, nothing was truly bad, but troi mec left me a bit unsatisfied. there was no wow factor, and the fiasco of the reservation process (hitting refresh on my computer for over an hour only to keep getting an error message, and then dates that are available one second disappearing the next, and that is just the tip of the iceberg) would lead one to think they were in store for something amazing.  all the positive press given to troi mec perhaps also led to very high expectations, and perhaps the disappointment is the result of the over hype. 

trois mec

716 n highland ave

los angeles, ca 90038

https://www.troismec.com

los angeles - beverly hills: nozawa bar

tommy finds delicious fish and a new friend at nozawa bar...

japanese jellyfish

japanese live octopus, hawaiian bigeye tuna, japanese wakame

ecuadorian bigeye toro nigiri

japanese sumi ika (squid) nigiri

alaskan king crab nigiri

santa barbara uni nigiri

hokkaido scallop nigiri

japanese tatiuo (hairtail) nigiri

japanese katsuo (bonito) nigiri

yamaimo ume shiso handroll

kusshi oysters

ankimo (monkfish liver)

boston sawara (sierra) nigiri

japanese akamutsu (ruby snapper) nigiri

mirugai (giant clam) nigiri

japanese shimaji (stripe jack) nigiri

japanese kamasu (barracuda) nigiri

maine lobster handroll

japanese anago (sea eel) nigiri

tamago (apricot lane eggs) nigiri

mandarin sorbet and farmers market berries; hojicha tea (roasted green tea)

chef fujita with his new bff

tommy says:  a very private, fun, and delicious meal!  at the back of the beverly hills sugarfish, is a private 10-seat room, details of the rules (yes, there are rules) are on their website.  the restaurant has nozawa's name, but it is chef fujita who masterfully serves up the goods.  all of the fish were pretty amazing! the yamaimo ume shiso handroll was served as a palette cleanser, and not really my cup of tea, and the sauce on the ankimo was a little thick and a touch too sweet for my taste.  king crab, scallop, uni, lobster hand roll, and dessert (delicious sorbet!) were personal favorites; really excellent sushi overall.  chef fujita keeps the mood light which made the experience all the more memorable.  

nozawa bar
212 n canon dr 
beverly hills, ca 90210
(310) 276-6900
http://www.nozawabar.com/

los angeles: son of a gun

tommy cannot get enough of son of a gun...

gloucester scallop, yuzu kosho, pickled shiitake

ora king salmon, jerk spice, kiwi, palm sugar vinaigrette, habanero

lemonfish poke, black radish escabeche, citrus, crispy sunchoke

uni burrata, button mushroom, yuzu

lobster roll, celery, lemon aioli

black sea bream, pho fumet, herbs, lime, bok choy

shrimp toast sandwich, herbs, hoisin, sriracha mayo

skate wing, baby broccoli, mascarpone, pancetta vinaigrette

frozen lime yogurt, graham crumble, toasted meringue 

tommy says:  scallop, salmon, lemonfish were all beautifully delicious, perfect amounts of acid on all.  the lobster roll is pretty much perfection on a plate, except for the size - next time i'm getting a dozen and not sharing.  sea bream broth was fantastically flavorful.  shrimp toast was a bit on the greasy side, but that wouldn't stop me from ordering it again.  dessert was a deconstructed version of a lemon meringue pie, but so much better.  what is there left to say?  son of a gun is amazeballs.

son of a gun
8370 w. 3rd street 
los angeles, ca 90048 
(323) 782-9033
http://sonofagunrestaurant.com/

los angeles - venice: barnyard

tommy moseys on over to barnyard in venice...

grilled bread with jam, butter, and mustard

hand rolled gnocci in brown butter with english peas, hedgehog mushrooms, bacon, and pecorino

pilota: italian fried rice with wild mushrooms, balsamic, sage, and parmesan

daily catch: halibut with asparagus

bread pudding

tommy says: the bread was quite good, but they do charge; the jam that came with it was tasty, but not sure what the mustard was for.  gnocchi were nice little pillows and tasty.  pilota was unusual, but enjoyable; the balsamic flavor was great, and it was a nice twist on fried rice.  halibut was nicely cooked, and had a lovely olive oil flavor. bread pudding was more reminiscent of french toast than bread pudding, and was just ok.  the menu is not as extensive as other restaurants of this style/price range, but what they did offer was done pretty well.

barnyard
1715 pacific ave
venice, ca 90291
(310) 581-1015
http://www.barnyardvenice.com

san fernando valley - reseda: firehouse

tommy finds his go-to for gyros at firehouse in reseda...

chicken gyro salad

gyro

tommy says: consistently good gyros and salads.  salads are well dressed, and the gyro meat is always tender and tasty - even the chicken! the tzatziki is a good consistency, not too thick and not too runny, and has a nice tang to it.  portions are generous.  pita is always warmed up and yummy. a great take-out or casual dine-in option.

firehouse restaurant
18450 victory blvd
reseda, ca 91335
(818) 881-3118

los angeles: the sycamore kitchen

tommy lunches at the sycamore kitchen...

grilled short rib sandwich; charred broccolini, chili flake, reggiano 

double b-lta: crispy and braised pork belly, butter lettuce, balsamic, tomatoes, avocado, mayo, country bread; butternut squash soup

salted caramel pecan babka roll; butttercup

flourless lemon custard cake; chewy molasses cookie; chocolate hazelnut fudge cookie

tommy says: fantastic sweets, so-so savory sandwiches.  the grilled short rib sandwich was a bit greasy and a bit bland.  it really could've used some salt and an acidic component.  the double b-lta was fine, but nothing particularly special.  the soup was very tasty.  the best things here are the baked goods! salted caramel pecan babka roll, buttercup, and flourless lemon custard cake were all delicious!  the buttercup is like a sweetened buttery, flakey, croissant. salted caramel roll is the most amazing sticky bun.  cookies were good, just not as good as the other sweets.

the sycamore kitchen
143 s la brea ave
los angeles, ca 90036
(323) 939-0151
http://thesycamorekitchen.com/