The Choosy Foodie

I love good hamburgers. I also like to be a freak, so when I read about Fuku Burger’s Sumo Challenge online, I immediately invited my favorite eaters to join me in eating a Fuku Burger Sumo-sized so that we could say we had tried it. Since Sumo burgers are 36 oz, I knew I wouldn’t eat one alone so I figured between 4 or 5 of us, we would be fine. We ordered the “Egg Burger” which contains the fuku-patty topped with a fried egg, crispy onions, teriyaki sauce and wasabi mayo. Of course you need fries with your burger, so we had the “jazz fries,” and to drink well a good beer is nice so I had a Newcastle Werewolf. The burger was great. A little more rare than I’m used to, but still tasty. However, I underestimated my group and well, after the Sumo Egg Burger, and despite having fries and drinks with it, we were still hungry, so we ordered a second Sumo burger. This time we had the “Spicy Burger.” This one is topped with pickled cucumbers, avocado cream, and habanero kabyak. We didn’t find it too spicy, but our server brought extra hot sauces for us to add. While we were at it, we added some onion rings. :)

All in all it was a great experience. The day was bright and warm. We had just enough food to feel satisfied before heading on over to grab a snack at the Farmer’s Market at The Grove before watching a movie. Great company, good food, and entertainment= relaxing Sunday and Happy girl. 

This week, I got sick to my stomach and had to leave work early because once I’m sick to my stomach, I can’t function. Apparently, drinking tons of coffee all morning every day on an empty stomach is not good for you. So, once I left work, I knew I needed to eat, but I didn’t want to have anything that would further irritate my tummy. Furthermore, I wanted to eat something that would actually give me nutrients, so not apple sauce or something like that. Solution: Pho!

I went to a great Vietnamese place and ordered the Vegetable Pho in chicken broth and had a glass of coconut juice to further soothe my hurting belly. The pho was great and worked wonders. It instantly revived me and got rid of that nauseated feeling. The coconut juice also really refreshed me and got rid of my heartburn. I took it easy and ate mild foods all day, and I haven’t had coffee the rest of the week. I don’t feel any better or worse (in terms of alertness) without the coffee and my stomach hasn’t bothered me even though I’ve been eating my regular diet, so maybe I will just have coffee socially, such as when I actually go to a coffee shop with friends? Hmmm…   

We had our Foodspotting LA April eatup at La Casita Mexicana in the city of Bell. Chefs Jaime and Ramiro prepared a special tasting menu of their signature dishes for this event. The experience was truly incredible. The staff’s hospitality and warmth was overwhelming. We’ve had many great eatups and have received great service before, but the overall experience here at La Casita Mexicana was exceptional. Chefs Jaime and Ramiro made us feel like family and really made sure everyone was happy. We had a new Foodspotter join us who happens to be a vegetarian. No one knew of her dietary restrictions until she arrived at the restaurant, but the Chefs assured her they could accommodate her diet, and they provided substitutions for the meat dishes on the menu, which was actually most of the meal.  As we ate, Chefs Jamie and Ramiro explained each dish to us, providing us with an education on authentic Mexican cuisine. They spent time mingling with our group, and they kept feeding, feeding, feeding us. Everyone agreed the food was fantastic and some Foodspotters thought they might die from so much food, although that didn’t stop them from eating and eating. The far end of the table actually cheered, literally cheered, when our server announced that a few more dishes and dessert were still on the way. On our way out, the Chefs gifted us a bag of Mexican candies from their store, La Tiendita Mexicana, which is next to the restaurant. These are the types of goodies I would buy as a young girl when I would visit family in Mexico, underscoring the authentic and family-like feeling of the evening. I can’t wait to take friends and family members to La Casita Mexicana and try out more of Chef Jaime’s delicious creations which are made with so much love and care. 

Agua de Melon- Cantaloupe Water

Guerrero-style Ceviche tostadas

Aztec Cheese Fondue- 4 types of Mexican cheeses filled with poblano chile slices, nopales (cactus), mushrooms, and Mexican herbs wrapped in plantain leaves

Chicken flautas-Crispy corn tortillas, crema (Mexican cream), lettuce, red onion, red sauce, cotija cheese, sesame seeds.

Mole Sauce Sample- Chicken with six different types of mole sauces from various regions of Mexico

Fillet of Fish with various signature sauces

Beef Cecina in Chipotle Sauce- thin steak in smoked chipotle sauce with cactus 

Chile en Nogada- Chile stuffed with meat, dried fruits, walnuts, candied cactus, pecan cream sauce, and pomegranate 

Flan, Churros, and Rice Pudding- Flan with real cocoa, Churros filled in caramel, Fried rice pudding wrap with pecan cream sauce 

Mexican treats

One of my favorite places on earth is Bäco Mercat in downtown Los Angeles as you already know if you read my blurbs. I am also becoming increasingly more in love with The Lazy Ox Canteen, which is in the Little Tokyo area ofDowntown L.A. In fact, it’s next to the site of our Foodspotting L.A. February Eatup, Toranoko! The new chef of the The Lazy Ox, who hails from….take a guess… duh! Spain!, has come up with a really great new menu which is mostly complete. I checked out their new brunch menu this weekend, and I was not disappointed. We had the Spanish Tortilla Patata with salad, Caramelized Broccoli, Fried Eggs (Mr. S ate the bacon), Fish and Chips, and Rice Pudding. The food was great, the service outstanding, and well, when you’re eating a good meal in the company of Mr.S (Food Is Happiness) under the warm California sun, how could you not be happy? 

This weekend, I also had the pleasure of having dinner at Rivera. I love Chef Jonathan Sedlar from my experience at his other restaurant, Playa Rivera , but I had not yet made it in to Rivera. I arrived at the peak of dinner without a reservation (yes, I like to live on the edge) and yet, they still accommodated us and served us with great care. I am not a huge critic on restaurant service because I care more about the food and company I’m with, but of course we all like to be treated properly. As with Playa, the staff at Rivera are very hospitable. Patrons feel welcome and appreciated; they really try to make sure you are satisfied and enjoy your experience. The food was very good although I would have liked more of it! Hehe. The cocktails were amazing. I am not a fan of mixed drinks because sugary, female drinks (is that sexist?) usually make me nauseated (margaritas don’t count). However, the cocktails I had here were not sweet, but they were delicious! The first drink I had was “Blood, Sex, Sugar, Magic.” I obviously ordered it because of the name. No, actually, it had me at “rye whiskey” but the name helped too. I have never had cocktails with bell peppers in them, but this drink is awesome. I then ordered the “Barbacoa.” Who would have thought chipotle and beef jerky in your drink really do make it taste great? And due to the fact that I am super easily distracted, I ended up eating cow brains without knowing it! I thought the meat I was eating tasted strange and had a funny texture, so I thought it might be pork. I was horrified that I might have eaten pork in such an anti-climactic manner, but it turns out it was sweetbreads! Hahaha. Besides sweetbreads, we had Anticuchos (seabass skewers), Piquillos Rellenos, and Arepas (corn cakes) with soft-shell crab (shown in order below). 

I have been enjoying Downtown L.A. more and more, and I really love the restaurants there. There are plenty more I still need to discover and if they are anything like the ones I’ve tried so far, I know I’ll be satisfied. DTLA is where it’s at!