Off to Rhode Island

Eating L.A. is going down east to taste some johnnycakes, stuffies, clamcakes, frozen lemonade, cabinets, New York System weiners, lobster rolls and more Rhode Island specialties. Back soon with a special Rhode Island edition -- apparently the red tide hasn't hit there, fortunately for my clam consumption. Also coming up, the definitive analysis of locally-made ice creams and gelatos.

Taste test: Golden Deli

I had to make a stop at Fosselman's in Alhambra Sunday for the ice cream tasting, so I picked up some dinner at Golden Deli down the road in San Gabriel. I wasn't very familiar with their menu, and since my knowledge of Vietnamese is somewhat limited, I randomly chose the spring rolls with shrimp and pork which they call "California rolls," beef fried with onion over steamed rice and rice noodles with coconut milk, shredded pork, shrimp paste and egg roll. This type of rice noodle was a little fatter than spaghetti and bright white with very little flavor of its own. The coconut milk and some chili sauce perked them up, and the egg rolls made a nice accompaniement. The beef with onion was nice and savory, but what's up with the Vietnamese rice that's all broken up into little bits? The spring roll was fresh and springy tasting. Next time, I'd like to try the charbroiled meatballs with vegetables and rice papers, and the crab and shrimp and bbq pork with egg noodle soup. What else is good there?

Verdict: While Vietnamese food doesn't have the range of flavors of Chinese or Thai food, it makes a tasty change of pace, and this place is super cheap too. It would be great in the winter with all their varieties of pho. The menu is nice because they also have bahn mi if anyone wants a sandwich instead.
Golden Deli
815 W. Las Tunas Dr.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Archived comments:
Kirk said...
Pat - I think that "Com Tam" or broken rice is a carry-over of street food type dishes in Vietnam, where broken jasmine rice is alot more inexpensive than whole jasmine rice. So I'm guessing that these "broken rice" dishes have slowly integrated themselves into Viet cuisine. I've also noticed that most broken rice dishes have pork in them.
Jessica said...
Two words: Cha Gio = totally amazing. OK, that's four words. Whatever, they deserve a lot more than that. Many many other delights are to be had at Golden Deli. Even the red bean and gelatin drinks are awesome. Exception to the wonders of GD: shrimp paste. Always pay the extra buck and order charbroiled shrimp instead. Just don't go back in August when the restaurant is closed (makes me wonder if they actually might be Italian).
nancy said...
I am incredibly jealous. So far as I can tell, Portland has one hands-down, world-class Chinese restaurant (Hong Kong banquet-hall style), Wong's King, and a bunch of pretty-good pho spots. I am truly lusting after your meal.
skampy said...
while i don't like their pho (very bland), hanoi cafe in west los angeles (on sawtelle between santa monica blvd and olympic) has some great bun and some pretty tasty appetizers, as well. they're also near the giant robot stores, so you can make a fun little outing out of the whole experience. another vietnamese place in the same neighborhood is le saigon on santa monica blvd. i've only been there once so i don't have any specific recs, but everything we ordered was tasty.
Hailyn said...
what jessica said -- cha gio. that's what golden deli is famous for. crispy, hot, fried rolls filled with pork and shrimp, served wrapped with lettuce and a fistful of herbs -- cilantro, rau ram, basil. the best!
ep1cur3an said...
I am sad to see the comment that you feel that Vietnamese doesn't have the range of Chinese food or Thai food. I guess that people feel that way when they're not vietnamese or quite familar with it and ending up ordering "common" dishes.
Anonymous said...
I remember when "cha gio" were referred to as "imperial rolls." They are really good at Golden Deli when the shear heat can sear off the roof of your mouth. In that case try wrapping it in lettuce. There's this herb they put on the plate with the large order of "cha gio" I don't particularly care for. Pretty nasty tasting, but of course I don't care for cilantro much either. I love their "bun" with charbroiled pork and shredded pork. Nice on a hot summer day, when pho isn't an option. I like their chicken curry over noodles as well. A nice change of pace to the normal vietnamese fare.
miss mowie said...
I saw Jet Li there once. We took a detour because the road was blocked and we couldn't get to our favorite Viet restaurant. Golden Deli isn't our favorite, but nonetheless was okay. Jet Li's bad teeth made it worthwhile!

Eating L.A. on KCRW!

Here's the link to KCRW's Good Food programwith Eating L.A.'s cupcake interview with Evan Kleiman. Click here to listen.

Now in L.A.: Laloo's goat's milk ice cream

I'm doing an ice cream tasting for Variety's new weekend section...we're going with mostly locally-made ice creams, but I couldn't resist buying some of Laloo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream from Petaluma. Laloo's is made by a former producer who made the wise decision to leave Hollywood, move to Sonoma County and raise goats. Some of Laloo's flavors include Chocolate Cabernet, strawberry and pumpkin. I tried Chiffon, which is basically straight goat's milk flavor, and Black Mission Fig. These ice creams don't really lend themselves to being eaten in a big bowl with chocolate sauce -- they're more like dessert cheeses that can be paired in small quantities with fruits or nuts. The fig was rich and sweet, and the strong fig flavor pretty much overwhelmed any discernible goat taste. This ice cream would pair nicely with a lemon or chocolate sorbet or perhaps some melon. I liked the Chiffon a lot, but the distinctively goaty taste is not for everyone. This one was wonderful drizzled with some pomegranate molasses and toasted walnuts, and would also go well with dried apricots or perhaps grilled pineapple and bananas. Laloo's is available at Whole Foods and Gelson's.
Upside: Goat ice cream is actually relatively healthy, with only 150 calories and six grams of fat per serving. Plus, the assertive taste lends itself to small servings. If you like Indian kulfi and chevre cheese, you'll want to try it.
Downside: At $7 a pint, you probably won't buy this every week. The flavor selection seems somewhat random, and at the moment, there is no explanation of the flavors on the cartons. Even some people who enjoy goat cheese, however, don't seem ready for goat cheese ice cream.

Silver Lake is (still) booming

Town and Country Bakery Cafe has opened on Sunset Blvd. offering cupcakes, muffins, cookies coffee, cakes and a full sandwich and salad menu including sloppy joes, grilled steak sandwiches, roasted carrot salad with garbanzo beans and more. Lots of parking in back.
Town and Country Bakery Cafe
3823 Sunset Blvd.
Silver Lake
(323) 667-3331
Also opening on Hyperion near Sunset:
Cafe Bellini, a Russian-looking place with tables out front, across from King Middle School...
and just down the street in a cute little bungalow,
The Franklin Hills Cafe is coming soon.
It's getting hard to keep up with all the new cafes, bars and restaurants, so send in your comments if you try any of these places.

Five Favorite Cookbooks meme

I was tagged for the Five Favorite Cookbooks meme by Kurt, whose has a nice San Diego /Hawaii blog at mmm-yoso. My cookbook collection is pretty pathetic, since I mainly use Epicurious.com, but here goes.
1. Total number of (cook) books I’ve owned:
I have about 20 right now.

2. Last cookbook(s) I bought:
I tried to buy the Gourmet cookbook online, but they never sent it and I had to get my money back from Amazon. So I guess it would have to be The Ultimate Candy Book, probably purchased for Christmas candymaking.

3. Last food book(s) I read:
I just finished a fun novel called The Epicure's Lament, which counts as a food book because the misanthropic main character idolizes MFK Fisher and describes a number of his late night kitchen creations.
Before that, I read Judith Moore's Never Eat Your Heart Out, which did a really nice job of interweaving food memories with stories from her life as a housewife in the Pacific Northwest.
Off and on, I've been reading Robb Walsh's Are You Really Going to Eat That, but so far it doesn't grab me the way Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything did.

4. Five (plus 2) cookbooks that mean a lot to me:
Here's where you can tell I don't buy cookbooks:
The Peanuts Lunch Bag Cookbook: I was given this as a kid and spent a lot of time making Peppermint Patty's meringues and their cool chocolate cake using oil and vinegar.
The Blue Book on Home CandyMaking: Secrets of the Professional Candy Maker by Martin A. Pease: This was written by my great-grandfather in 1923. My family's Pease's candy stores are still operating in Illinois. The endless recipes for fondant are outdated, but it shows what a popular pastime candymaking was in the 1920s.
The Joy of Cooking: I have both my mother's 1953 edition, covered in gaudy silver 1970s wallpaper, and the revised 1997 edition.
The Silver Palate Cookbook and The New Basics: When I need to make ratatouille or cous cous, I go for these.
The New York Times cookbook: I bought the 1980 or so edition of this when I was in college, and used it to cook sort of fancy stuff like chicken liver mousse. I hardly ever consult it any more, but you never know when you're going to need how to make sole florentine or something.
Obviously my cookbook collection needs updating, so if you're buying me a birthday present, how about Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, John Thorne's Serious Pig: An American Cook in Search of His Roots, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook because I need that amazing roast chicken with bread salad recipe, and maybe The Chez Panisse Cafe cookbook.

5. Which 5 people would you most like to see fill this out in their blog?
Hmm...Nancy Rommelman, Professor Salt, Emmanuelle Welch because she might have cool French books, Liz Stromme's Underground Gardener (not really a blog, but whatever) and Jackie Danicki's Gastroblog.

My Take on the Cupcake

While each of the following places has its upsides and downsides, they all offer a tastier, more carefully assembled cake than you'll find at a supermarket bakery. And with flavors like chai latte, lemon coconut, passion fruit and mocha, they're definitely not just for kids. If you want to read more about cupcakes, check out the blog Cupcakes Take the Cake.

Leda's Bakeshop (Sherman Oaks)
Upside: I like that mini sized cupcakes are available, so you can taste a few flavors. My favorite thing about Leda's cupcakes is the curd fillings, which intensifies the flavor for a more grownup taste. The passion fruit was very nice. The decorations are cute, and help distinguish the flavors.
Downside: The mascarpone frosting on the carrot cake tasted like Crisco. There's a reason carrot cakes use cream cheese frosting -- because it tastes good, and mascarpone doesn't have the right tang.

Leda's mini carrot cupcake

Sprinkles Cupcakes (Beverly Hills)
Upside: The store is darling -- a modernist cupcake nirvana. This place is all about the concept. There are even lunchbox cupcake holders ($5) and vintage toy grabbags ($12) for your inner or flesh and blood child. Flavors rotate each day, but red velvet and the standards are always available. The strawberry cake is nearly unsweetened, almost like a muffin, which provides an interesting, if not completely successful, juxtaposition with the intensely sweet frosting.
Downside: The frosting is way too sweet for most adults, although some people like it that way. Again, the cream cheese frosting on the red velvet failed to provide proper tangyness, and the red velvet cake itself was bland. Cupcakes are pricey at $3.25 each, and the mini size is for dogs only.

Sprinkles lemon coconut, strawberry and red velvet
Joan's on Third (on Third)
Upside: Chocolate frosting was very good quality, rich and slightly bitter. You can pick up a nice lunch while you're getting your cupcakes.
Downside: Attitudinal staff, limited flavor selection. The cake itself seemed too light and airy -- a bit of density would counter all these sweet frostings better. Photos in original review.

Auntie Em's (Eagle Rock)
Upside: Strong assertive flavors, rich red velvet. Tangy, buttery frostings. Large size -- one cupcake is easily enough for two. Coconut cake had nice density and flavor.
Downside: Cupcakes are too big for one serving. Some flavors can be dry. Photos in original review.

Toast (Third St.)
Upside: These cupcakes look like they could have come out of my own decidely amateur kitchen, and taste like it too. If you're looking for a homey, traditional cupcake, this is the place. Red velvet is sweet and gooey yet satisfying. Excellent frosting on the lemon. Normal size, decent price ($1.95).
Downside: You could have made these yourself if only you had time. Only lemon, red velvet, chocolate and vanilla flavors. Not the cupcakes with which to construct your wedding cake.

Archived comments:

chronicler said...

Oh I will have to make the rounds to Auntie Em's, as they sound delicious! In enjoyed the Lemon coconut at sprinkles the best!

emery said...

hi there - i love your thoughts on food! i just moved here from new york a month ago, and you have already been a great help!

Well, i couldn't resist (and I don't have my own damn blog), so to add my 2 cents to the cupcake-analyzing fray: there is still no perfect cupcake place in los angeles yet. I have tried everyone on the LA list so far, and i think that the reason the NYC cupcakes are so much more amazing is because everyone can identify with the nostalgia of the classic cupcake in the classic flavors with the classic sprinkles. They can have that nostalgic experience ("which color should i pick -- pink or green?"), with improvement (they are hopefully better than whomever's mom's were that brought them to the birthday party). SO, I think these LA cupcake people are trying too hard to be foodies about something that should be completely down-home, and in that, neglecting a broader audience. Missed opportunity, guys! It irritates me that Sprinkles is called what it is, yet they use some sort of fancy flakes of chocolate on top - not what most would think of as the typical "sprinkles". What, Beverly Hills is too fancy for that? And let's not even talk about the $3.25 price. Gimme a break. The NYC places are such a hit because of their affordability. Embrace the democracy of the cupcake, already! Even the Upper East Side doesn't pass $3. For the price of a 2 cupcakes, you and a friend could whip up a whole batch... and get fat and/or sick, but whatever - one more reason cupcake shops are great - auto portion control! Anyway, I am still baking my own and hoping that Billy's of NYC (or Sugar Sweet Sunshine, or Cupcake Cafe, or even the dry old Magnolia) will franchise. People in LA seem to love franchises, right? ; ) Actually, Buttercup bakeshop seems to be already trying to do so. Anyway, I hope there's a hipster out there who will put it together in Silverlake or Los Feliz - I live on the westside, but I have a feeling that that's where the First Great LA Cupcake Bakery will be, with retro spirit, sane prices, and ghetto sprinkles, to boot.

Anonymous said...

I went to L. A. to visit my daughter who took me to Leda's Bakeshop and to Sprinkles and I found that Leda's cupcakes were exquisite. I liked the best the passion fruit ones.
Sprinkles cupcakes were too sweet and tasted just as regular frosting to me. Nothing really different.
About the shops.... There is no comparison between the two of them. Leda's has beautiful interior design and the display of their cupcakes is charming.

Sue said...

I am still puzzled by the cupcake phenom. And then my heart grows weak at the $3.25 price, as well.
If I am going to inflate my calorie count, I would much rather do it with some 7-layer pastry or at a panaderia.
The closest panaderia to my house in Thousand Oaks sells these cajeta empanadas that just rock my sugar-loving world....for 50 cents.
So for the price of one LA cupcake, I can stay on a sugar high for 6 1/2 days.

chef 'em out said...

What are you trying to do, sabotage my plan to loose 2 # this week?

Nic said...

Thanks for the great round up, Pat. Leda's curds are good, but I've only had the blood orange and I'll have to head over again to try the passionfruit. Sprinkle's prices are enough to keep me away, though.

Dan said...

Cupcakes are the most ridiculous fad since the cigar comeback of the mid-90s. I hate the fact that we are following NY's lead on this - we need to set the agenda on food. I say we celebrate the Panaderias or the Chinese bakeries in the San Gabriel Valley. A taro-filled ball of dough is just divine and the egg custards are sublime - and they run less than 50 cents a pop. Take that Emery and your "democracy of the cupcake."

Charlotte said...

Of all the sites I've visited, NOBODY has mentioned Canter's Deli/Bakery on Fairfax. They have the best cupcakes and high hats (upside-down cupcakes with a mound of frosting, then dipped in chocolate). They only have chocolate and vanilla, but that's all I need. The best part- they're less than $1 and available 24 hours a day!!

Roses are red, but Violet is yummy

According to the People's Almanac, large doses of the color violet can promote indulgence, which was certainly the case at last night's press dinner at Violet. The Santa Monica restaurant is the sort of place L.A. could use a lot more of -- reasonably-priced, with imaginative twists on comfort food prepared by one of the cutest chefs in town. Jared Simons is just 27, and he has wisely decided to keep the concept fairly simple for his first restaurant. The medium-sized space is basically a storefront with a few nice decor touches including deep purple walls, of course, and a small bar at the back. The menu encourages ordering small plates to share, but the dishes are more traditional than tapas-style.
Standouts included the baked macaroni with gruyere, leeks and serrano ham ($7.50),
a tasty version of the inevitable ahi tuna tartare ($12.50);

the lamb chops with fava bean puree and thyme honey pesto ($16);

and the multi-colored beets and smoked eel salad ($9).
We chatted with wine merchant Kenny Crowder who helped create the well-edited wine list, which includes plenty of selections by the glass and half-bottle as well as tasting flights from $8.50 to $12.50. Some artisanal beers are also available.

warm apple tart with cinnamon gelato and a very flaky crust
Why couldn't Violet be in Silver Lake, and Santa Monica could have Blair's? Wouldn't that be more fair?
Violet
3221 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica
(310) 453-9113

Bottom's Up: Johnny's in Silver Lake

After an early drink at the nearly-empty, yet convivial Footsie's Saturday night, we stopped in at Silver Lake's newest bar, Johnny's Cocktail Lounge. It's a dark little intimate place that shows how swanky Silver Lake has gotten. There's no hard liquor, which has spurred the owners to create an imaginative drinks menu of soju cocktails. The cocktails are named in homage to other local bars -- choose from a Rustic Inn or a Cheetah's -- and the margarita is tasty, if not especially potent. There's also a good selection of draft and bottled beers and an ambitious and pricey wine list ($76 bottles of Pinot Noir, for example). The jukebox ranges from plenty of AC/DC and Prince to the collected works of the Clash, Elvis Costello, Soft Cell and Siouxsie and the Banshees with nods to newer acts like the Killers and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. With low leather banquettes, a rounded wood bar and sexy, dim lighting, this may be the only Silver Lake bar that someone actually designed from the ground up, and with a wine list like that, they may actually be expecting some grownups.
Johnny's Cocktail Lounge
2939 W. Sunset
(323) 660-2276

Taste test: Crown Cafe - Down home in Hunan province

A tip from Carter on Chowhound led us to Crown Cafe in San Gabriel, a modest little spot with a kickass Hunan menu. UPDATE: Crown Cafe's owners have moved and changed the name to Hunan Style Restaurant, 903 W. Valley Bl., in Alhambra. The former Crown location is now Chung King, the excellent Szechwan restaurant.
Since the more upscale Shiang Garden, where we had a great meal last year, has now closed, I was glad to hear about another good Hunan place. Hunan food is somewhat similar to Szechwan, with plenty of chiles, but the dishes usually aren't quite as spicy. The Hunanese are also very fond of smoked pork preparations such as the little ham buns we had at Shiang Garden and various dishes with smoked pork, which is just like bacon.
Crown is a small spot with English-speaking waiters and the typical bare-bones aesthetic, although they do serve beer and accept credit cards. Signs filled with Chinese characters papered the walls, frustrating me since I didn't really think I could get the somewhat harried host to translate each and every one. Everything on the other diners' tables looked delicious, so we just pointed to what looked best and ended up with a delicious meal.

Smoked pork with garlic shoots and red bell peppers, above, was smoky and very slightly spicy. The bright green garlic shoots were the perfect fresh contrast to the salty bacon.

Everyone seemed to be eating diced chicken with chiles, above. This dish was similar to the incendiary chicken with chiles offered at Szechwan restaurants, which I love but none of my friends can handle. The Hunan version uses about half as many chiles (which is still a lot!) and adds a large dose of crispy fried garlic. This dish also had red bell peppers, but these were nicely charred on the outside. The charred peppers, smoky chiles and toasted garlic combined for an extremely tasty sauce, especially when combined with some rice. We decided to pass up the "strangely odored tofu" -- just as well after I read the description of how it's made in Carl Chu's book -- and ordered tofu with hot and sour sauce off the menu. The silky tofu combined with a pungent, salty ground pork sauce which packed a ton of flavor, but no heat. With only two of us, we managed to order a good selection of flavors -- slightly spicy, very spicy, and not spicy. However, all the dishes were quite salty and oily, so if we go back, we'll have to nose around the menu for some less-oily accompaniments.
The verdict: This place rocks, if you like big flavors. Three dishes, rice and tea were $27 with plenty of leftovers.
Crown Cafe
1000 S. San Gabriel Blvd.
San Gabriel
(626) 286-0298
Archived comments:
Kirk said...

Pat - Looks great - can't wait to try this place on our next trip up to LA. Especially since Shiang Garden is now closed :(

Aaron said...

If you like Chinese Restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, you should try Dai Ho. The food there is unlike anything that you would find at a typical Chinese restaurant. Hot items are only served till three, but there is a cold deli selection that is available till seven. Perhaps the best dishes are the cold dry sesame nooddle and the hot dry sesame noodle.

Dai Ho Restaurannt
9148 Las Tunas Drive
Temple City
(626) 291-2295

Dan said...

You inspired me to go there today for lunch. Fantastic. The Diced Chicken with Chilies I got (#10 on the first section on the menu) didn't look like your picture, but it is now my favorite spicy chicken dish of all time. It had slivers of yellow-green chilies and green onions. The chilies on their own weren't as hot as the chicken. It had a zest to it like you get with lemon chicken, but there was no citrus flavor.
The pork was a little gamey for me, but I'm sort of a wimp if something is slightly gamey. It had a great smokey thing going on though.
Thanks for the tip.

Cupcake update: Joan's on Third

I'm revisiting the cupcake world since I've been asked to talk about cupcakes on KCRW's Good Food in a few weeks! My first stop was Joan's on Third, where everyone was in quite a kerfuffle this morning. First of all, they're paving Third St., so the construction was creating problems. Then, they were getting new deli cases, so there were no cold salads available. Nerves already seemed a bit frayed when I took a picture of a cupcake tower without asking and a counterperson nearly jumped me. Joan then materialized and hovered over me, telling me they were only "half open." "But you're still making sandwiches, and selling cupcakes?" I asked. "Yes," she said. "Well, that's open enough for me," I decided.



Fending off the suspicious counterperson, who must have thought I was planning to open a competing cupcakery or something, I ordered a tarragon chicken salad sandwich, a peanut butter chocolate cupcake and a chocolate coconut cupcake. The chicken salad sandwich was great -- I wonder where they get their wheat bread? With the help of Claude, Dana and Lisa at work, we decided the peanut butter chocolate rated a four out of five -- the dark chocolate frosting was rich and not at all sweet, with a dab of peanut butter. Real peanut butter lovers might also like a ribbon of peanut butter in the cake itself, however. The chocolate coconut had the same airy chocolate cake topped with an overly sweet coconut buttercream. Since the flavor of the coconut didn't come through very well, we'd give that one a three out of five. Joan's cake was so light, and Auntie Em's was so heavy...where to find one that's just right? The quest continues.
Joan's on Third
8350 W. Third
(323) 655-1967