Andy Gavin's Blog, page 36
April 24, 2023
Chi Spacca – The Return
Restaurant: Chi Spacca [1, 2, 3]
Location: 6610 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 297-1133
Date: September 13, 2022
Cuisine: Italian Steakhouse
Rating: Rich but delicious, a carnivore’s paradise
_The little Mozza empire on Melrose now includes the Pizzeria, the Osteria, Chi Spacca, and Mozza 2 go. They do a great job with all their restaurants but their annoying corkage policy (2 bottles per table!) has limited my ability to attend. I only go to this sort of place with my wine groups (...
April 22, 2023
Indian, The Tavern – Confusion
Restaurant: Indian, The Tavern
Location: 633 S San Gabriel Blvd #105, San Gabriel, CA 91776. (626) 287-0688
Date: September 11, 2022
Cuisine: Chinese
Rating: Solid, if odd
_It’s hard to describe this particular SGV restaurant.
From the outside it looks like most of them.
But then inside it has this weird western saloon theme. Presumably it was some kind of “Indian bar” back in the 50s. The decor has partially stuck, but the menu is almost all Chinese.
We had this rustic table in the “party ...
April 20, 2023
Throwback Sauvages
Restaurant: Kali / Kevin Meehan
Location: Bel Air
Date: September 9, 2022
Cuisine: Modern Californian
Rating: Great as always
_Sauvages has been doing more “house party” lunches since the pandemic and so this week’s lunch was hosted by John G in his lovely backyard.
Our table was situated in the succulent garden, poolside.
At the ready.
Food today was provided by Kevin Meehan of Kali. He’s been cooking for Sauvages since before he even opened Kali (now on about 7 years)!
2006 Champagne Mill...
April 18, 2023
Pine & Crane – WTF
Restaurant: Pine & Crane
Location: 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. (323) 668-1128
Date: September 8, 2022
Cuisine: Taiwanese Chinese
Rating: Blech! So bland
_PINE & CRANE is a fast-casual Taiwanese restaurant located in the heart of Silver Lake. Their goal is to bring authentic, delicious Taiwanese fare in a comfortable, modern setting. They say they are passionate about what they do, and take pride in preparing their food using simple, fresh ingredients. In addition to Taiwanes...
April 16, 2023
Causita just ’cause
Restaurant: Causita [ CLOSED ]
Location: 3709 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
Date: September 8, 2022
Cuisine: Peruvian
Rating: Tasty, but issues — and out of biz
_I’ve really enjoyed a long string of Ricardo Zarate restaurants, all the way back to Picca and Paiche etc. Others followed like a stint at SOS, Rosaline and Pikoh. Sadly, while the food is always really good, they do not last long. Not exactly sure why. But the Foodie Club and I were excited to try Causita, his latest in Silverla...
April 14, 2023
Lunch Quest – Lotus
Restaurant: Lotus Dim Sum Dumpling House
Location: 326 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (424) 380-5500
Date: September 9, 2022
Cuisine: Bad Dim Sum
Rating: Blech. Sad. Almost a disaster.
_I was actually excited to see that the PF Changs in Santa Monica had “rebooted” as a theoretically real Chinese restaurant, a dim sum house even.
And why the hell is there sushi on the menu?
As is typical for independent Chinese operators they didn’t spend much at all on remodeling, it still looks li...
April 11, 2023
Lunch Quest – Simpang Asia
Restaurant: Simpang Asia
Location: 10433 National Blvd #2, Los Angeles, CA 90034. (310) 815-9075
Date: September 2, 2022
Cuisine: Indonesian
Rating: Super tasty!
_A quick lunch with Oliver at a flavorful favorite of his.
I’ve actually driven past this a million times. Plus the original Yamakase was across the street.
The interior is cute, minimal, and contemporary.
A good sized list of Indonesian staples.
Risoles. Indonesian crepes fried pocket with chicken, carrots in cream sauce with pea...
April 9, 2023
Boston Lobster New Digs
Restaurant: Boston Lobster Seafood Restaurant
Location: 4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770. (626) 288-4388
Date: September 4, 2022
Cuisine: Cambodian Cantonese Chinese
Rating: Huge, Great Deal, Solid
_This Sunday’s Chinese is a return to Boston Lobster. It’s been awhile, like 7 years. They have new digs, having moved from a small shop on Valley Blvd to this huge location on Rosemead.
The new spot must have been some kind of “Seafood House” in the kitchy 50s style and it even includes an ...
April 7, 2023
Round 2 – Hanchic
Restaurant: Hanchic
Location: 2500 W 8th St #103, Los Angeles, CA 90057. (213) 375-7095
Date: September 1, 2022
Cuisine: Korean Fusion
Rating: Delicious!
_Do for “Round 2” of tonight’s Double Dinner, after Kinn, Erick picked Hanchic which is a more casual (Izakaya style) Modern/Fusion Korean eatery.
This is a hipster mini-mall installation if I ever saw one.
The theme continues inside. Very casual, oriented toward 2 and 4 tops.
The menu is short and covers sharable comfort items.
An amuse o...
April 5, 2023
Round 1 – Kinn
Restaurant: Kinn
Location: 3905 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020. (213) 291-0888
Date: September 1, 2022
Cuisine: Korean Fusion
Rating: Really tasty & a great deal
_Erick and I decided to visit some of LA’s top “Korean Fusion” places as just a small (the two of us) Foodie Club dinner. Since these spots are aimed at young Asian-American millennials they tend to have serve tiny tasting menus (by our gluttonous standards) and so we just booked a straight up Double Dinner (two dinners in one night)!...
