Wednesday, October 22, 2008

west la: new japan

tommy checks out new japan in west la...


spicy tuna salad


spicy tuna bowl

tommy says: they incorporate tomatoes in their spicy tuna which tasted a bit off... cheap and fast, but that's about it.

new japan
11283 santa monica blvd
los angeles, ca 90025
(310) 477-0557

culver city: cafe surfas

tommy grabs a quick bite at cafe surfas in culver city...


spanish herbed tuna panini: albo tuna with herbs, aged white cheddar, pea shoots dressed with avacado oil on country white bread


tomato soup


orzo salad


mac and cheese with nueske applewood smoked bacon bits

tommy says: so-so... tomato soup was watery and bland, mac and cheese was too heavy and bland, the panini was ok, but skimped on the tuna. orzo salad was good.

cafe surfas
8777 w washington blvd
culver city, ca 90232
(310) 558-1458
http://www.cafesurfas.com

Friday, October 17, 2008

santa monica: josie restaurant

tommy indugles his fancy side at josie in santa monica...


gruyere and mushroom quiche


tomato soup with goat cheese-stuffed poached tomato


bacon-wrapped grilled quail: crisp polenta croutons, frisée, pickled onions, golden raisins, pomegranate, and toasted pine nuts


heirloom tomato salad with arugula, burrata cheese, and bacon


buffalo burger: ground buffalo sirloin stuffed with gruyère, caramelized onions and mushrooms, and topped with foie gras
truffle fries


mesquite-grilled prime rib-eye medallion with pop’s peppercorn sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and a gorgonzola-candied garlic-watercress salad


lemon sabayon cake: summer berries, brûléed lemon sabayon

tommy says: everything was tasty, and the complimentary quiche was a nice touch! the rib eye was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were quite tasty! standouts were the quail and dessert. the burger was tasty but a bit on the rich and heavy side. overall, a decadent meal!

josie restaurant
2424 pico blvd
santa monica, ca 90405
(310) 581-9888
http://www.josierestaurant.com

washington dc - georgetown: news cafe cucina italiana

tommy tries news cafe in georgetown...


penne caprino: sundried tomatoes, goat cheese and basil in a spicy tomato sauce


chocolate soufflee with vanilla ice cream


chocolate covered strawberries with whipped cream

tommy says: the pasta was dull and uninspired, and the tomato sauce wasn't spicy as advertised. the chocolate souffle is not really a souffle but a molten lava cake. overall, nothing special.

news café italian kitchen
3056 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 965.5535
http://newscafedc.com

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

baltimore: samos

tommy dies and goes to greek heaven at samos in charm city...


greek salad


pork souvlaki pita wrap (aka orgasmic food of the gods)

tommy says: hands down the most amazing greek food! the house dressing is phenomenal and the pork souvlaki is so flavorful and the perfect texture! they even season the pita bread! words cannot begin to express... samos will haunt you... if only it were in los angeles... long distance relationships are so difficult to maintain... sigh...

samos
600 oldham st
baltimore, md 21224
(410) 675-5292
http://www.samosrestaurant.com