Foodie Friday

CINESPIA in Los Angeles, CA

This was my first time attending Cinespia and I loved it! I usually like outdoor movies anyway but watching it at a cemetery really adds something to it! Cinespia is an outdoor movie event that happens every weekend during the Summer at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The first time I heard about this was from the movie, ‘Valentine’s Day’ but my coworker goes several times each Summer so she’s an expert on it! Another coworker and I attended with her and her friends to watch ’16 Candles’ last Saturday evening and we got the scoop on exactly what to do! She said to bring low beach chairs (you are not allowed to bring camping chairs), some food and wine, and blankets- also arrive early because you’ll have to wait in line to enter the cemetery.

When we were able to enter, we walked through the cemetery and made our way to the mausoleum where they project the movie against a huge wall and we sit on a large grass area. They also set up a themed set where you can take professional pictures in and they post it up on their website. I really enjoyed sitting outside (in a cemetery) and watching a fun movie. It’s very LA. 🙂

Below is our spread for the evening! My coworker has a small collapsable table that she always brings and we had cure meats, cheeses, pesto, bread, donuts, wine, grapes, and tons of more food! Definitely an impressive spread, right?!

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CBS SEAFOOD AND DIMSUM at Chinatown, Los Angeles

I went with my parents on Sunday morning to grab some dimsum. I am always up for dumplings and tea, so this was perfect for Sunday brunch! We usually come here and order tons of steamed foods with tea. This was only the first few things we got before I scarfed down on all the food and they were not picture worthy anymore.

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GARDEN CAFE in Alhambra, Los Angeles

Sometimes, I really just want something hearty and cheesy. I know this may sound weird, but I usually crave this dish that is a baked sole fillet in mushroom cream sauce and cheese. People usually don’t combine fish with cheese but this is to die for! It’s one of my favorite things. It’s pretty heavy, but you can always have it the next day. It’s still just as good! Garden Cafe is a typical Asian cafe with a variety of Chinese and Taiwanese foods. It’s one of those spots that you can come late at night for some good hearty and greasy food.

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Foodie Friday: Chi Spacca

CHI SPACCA in Los Angeles, CA

I took the boyfriend to Chi Spacca for his birthday since it’s a spot we have been dying to go to. It is on the pricey side so I wanted to save up for it, but boy was it worth it! This has got to be one of my favorite restaurants now and we’re already planning to come back sometime in the near future! Check out my thoughts on each plate below!

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Spacca Culatello: This was so melt-in-your-mouth delicious! From the burrata to the cure meat, it was such a great first dish! They bring the burrata in from Italy every week so it’s super fresh and cure the meat in house (I believe, I saw a bunch of cuts hanging behind the kitchen).
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Focaccia di Recco: If you love a good ol’ bread basket, you’ll fall in love with this dish. It blows all of the other bread dishes out of the water! It is almost like a pizza but super flaky and has cheese INSIDE! It’s cheesy, salty, greasy, and just perfect. It’s a must-have!
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Spacca Caesar: With all of the carbs and meats, we needed to add on a vegetable dish of some sort, so the Caesar salad was our choice. The dressy is super creamy and I love that they use sliced pieces of cauliflower in the salad. It gives us such a great flavor and crunch! The boyfriend said that if people made salads like these more often, he’d actually be happy with eating salad for a meal!
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Beef & Bone Marrow Pie and Tomahawk Porkchop: These two plates were enough to feed at least 6 people but we got it for just the two of us. Our waiter warned us but these were the two we had already set our minds on before coming here and we were just fine with having leftovers for dinner the next day! The beef and bone marrow pie was so scrumptious. I love pot pies and the braised beef and gravy inside were so hearty, making this such an ideal comfort dish. The Tomahawk was GIGANTIC and had the perfect about of fattiness so it would really appeal to a true meat lover!

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We did not have any room for dessert but I had no problem with that. I was completely stuffed and wished I had more room to finish our amazing meal! They also had a 50oz steak that the boyfriend nearly ordered but I talked him out of it because it’s absolutely insane for just the two of us to eat a 50oz steak! I normally barely finish an 8oz so after doing the math, there’s no way that steak was possible. It only means we’ll have to come back with a larger party and eat MORE! 🙂

Foodie Friday (Sort of)

DINETTE in Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA

Came here because I kept seeing pictures of it on Instagram so when there are waffles and avocado toasts involved, I have to be there! Dinette is just a small window with outdoor covered seating, so it’s really cute and simple. I love their little disposable utensils, trays, and paper straws. It adds so much character to their brand. Unfortunately, they ran out of avocado toast when we got there which makes sense it’s one of their more popular items, so I just got their waffle and the boyfriend got their salmon toast. The waffle was AMAZING! It was fluffy, had a little bit of saltiness to it, and of course, just the right amount of sweetness. I love that it came with a perfectly poached egg and bacon. All of the food groups that you need in one dish right?! 🙂

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BIRDIES in Downtown, Los Angeles, CA

I had been dying to visit Birdies to eat their beautiful donuts and try out their donut chicken sandwich. I was way too full to have their chicken sandwich but I did grab 4 of the donuts. We got the triple chocolate, lemon thyme pistachio, strawberry shortcake, and cinnamon toast crunch. They looked way to pretty to eat but that didn’t really stop me. They were really good and moist with just the right amount of chewiness! Must try more!!

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By Chloe in Silverlake, Los Angeles, CA

Heard of this great Vegan spot in Silverlake that just opened and wanted to give it a try! Sometimes, I try to eat better even on the weekends, so little spots like these make it a a lot easier for me. I had their avocado toast, matcha green tea, and some sweet potato fries (air fried). Everything was so delicious and you barely noticed that it was Vegan! It’s one of my new favorite spots and I know I’ll be frequenting this place! 🙂

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Foodie Friday

Belle’s Bagels in Highland Park, Los Angeles

I heard from my coworker that there was a bagel window that recently opened out of a billiards bar so I knew I had to try it soon! I went on a Saturday morning with my sister to grab a couple of bagels before we started our day. It was just as my coworker described it, a bagel window! They have a variety of bagels, bagel sandwiches, shmears, etc. I chose the everything bagel with scallion schmear and my sister got one of their sandwiches. They also provide bagels with lox so I’ll definitely try that next time!

The bagel was freshly made so the center was doughy and chewy which is something I really liked about it. I wished that it was toasted a little more but it may have something to do with having to drive it back home to eat. Will be coming back!

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Smorgasburg in Downtown, Los Angeles

I’ve been hearing and seeing posts about Smorgasburg NONSTOP for the past few weeks so I really wanted to check it out! I was so glad that my friend made plans to go because I had been dying to go anways! 🙂

It’s a little flea market/food festival that happens every Sunday morning in the LA produce market courtyard. I thought it was such a cool place to hold it and going early helps with beating the crowd. I did a walk-around with my friend so that we can scan all of the vendors before deciding on what we really wanted to eat. Needless to say, we ended up eating a majority of the foods there anyways. We had the pork belly paratha tacos, Strawberry rose aqua fresca, hainan chicken, mozarella sticks, lobster nachos, acai bowl, and probably more but I can’t remember what.

If you’re free on Sunday mornings and STARVING, check it out!

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Foodie Friday

Kitchen Mouse in Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA

My sister and I have been trying to eat better and have a more active lifestyle so even during weekend brunch, we try to make sure our options are on the healthier side. Sometimes we’re successful, sometimes we’re not but on this particular weekend, we did pretty good! We chose to have brunch at Kitchen Mouse which is a vegetarian and vegan friendly spot with the cutest decor! I got the black bean cakes with slaw on the side and my sister got the chilaquiles. I actually really liked my black bean cakes. The slaw was good but a little too tart for me. I’d have to say it is on the pricier side but I really like how fresh the food was and how good I felt after! 🙂

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Magpies in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, CA

I have been seeing this place all over my social media feed so I knew I had to try it soon! It’s a new soft serve ice cream spot that offers seasonal flavors and delicious toppings. I dragged my friends here so that I could dig into some creamy soft serve ice cream and satisfy my ice cream craving that I seem to have EVERYDAY. I got the sweet cream with the hazelnut wafers and almond brittle. I have two words, “LOVE IT”.

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626 Night Market at the Santa Anita Race Tracks

I went to the 626 Night Market just recently and it’s a huge food festival that features vendors that offer Asian fusion foods or eateries that are located in Alhambra/Monterey Park. It is super big so of course I didn’t get to try everything but I did get one of my favorite things in the world, TAKOYAKIS. Takoyakis are Japanese snacks that are little balls of batter with squid in the middle and toppings such as bonito shavings, green onions, seaweed, mayo, etc. I have to have it whenever I see it so I knew that the 626 Night Market would definitely have it. I’m going again soon to accompany a friend that wants to go, so I guess I’ll be having more and trying other things!
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Foodie Friday

AMARA KITCHEN IN HIGHLAND PARK, LOS ANGELES

My sister and I decided to grab a healthy brunch because we knew with July 4th, we’d be eating tons of junk food! We love coming here for amazingly delicious and healthy dishes. I love getting their bowls and pancakes. I’m a sucker for pancakes and I know that if I don’t stop myself, I’d eat the entire stack; butter, syrup, and all! I love their version which is paleo friendly and won’t make me feel as guilty after! Plus, the decor here is adorable!

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WEXLER’S DELI in DOWNTOWN, LOS ANGELES and SANTA MONICA

I love love love everything bagels and any chance I get, I try to avoid them because I can’t lose control. I would eat a few in a sitting with cream cheese too! Anyways, we went to Grand Central Market on the weekend to grab some brunch and I allowed myself to splurge by getting the Big Poppa’s bagel sandwich from Wexler’s Deli. It has pastrami, cheese, and egg on a bagel of your choice. And my choice was an everything bagel, of course! If you love smoked salmon/lox, bagels, pastrami, or corned beef, this is the spot for you!

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RECESS in HIGHLAND PARK, LOS ANGELES

Went to try this new spot out for dinner one night with the boyfriend. We loved the decor and thought the food was pretty good.  I did really really like their dessert! It was a panna cotta with a coffee crunch ice cream on the side. I heard their brunch is delicious so I’ll probably go back to give that a try!

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Foodie Friday

Berry Bowl in Highland Park

I make it a goal to grab an acai bowl from Berry Bowl at least every other weekend. Maybe it’s an LA thing, but it’s one of my favorite snacks. Thank goodness it’s healthy! It’s like a smoothie that you eat! With toppings! It’s so refreshing and I can also have chocolate in it too! What’s better than that?!
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Winsome in Echo Park

My sister and I went here for a sister brunch during Memorial Day weekend! It was a little hard to find but we made it there and it was such a cute little spot to have brunch! Definitely a trendy eatery that offers healthier options, which is sometimes what I need. I got the potato rosti, which is almost like a latke and it was topped with poached eggs and smoked salmon. Yummm, right? My sister got a baked eggs plate with a side of bacon. We enjoyed our meal so much and might want to come back and try some of their other dishes!

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Foodie Finds: Ice Cream

I wanted to start a new series where each post, I’ll focus on a specific type of cuisine or food and share my favorite spots in LA (or somewhere else) with you all! I’ve eaten and tried out so many places, so I’ll not only continue my Foodie Friday posts on where I’ve been recently, but I’ll also occasionally do a Foodie Finds post! So here’s my first one and I hope you like it!

Ice cream. Is there a better combination of words? I can pretty much say that I’d be able to eat ice cream every single day and not mind whatsoever. Check out my favorite spots below!

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Los Feliz

(Also in Columbus, Cleveland, Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Charleston, and St. Louis)

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I just tried Jeni’s recently after hearing my coworkers tell me how amazing it is and needless to say, I was not disappointed whatsoever! They have such fun and delicious flavors with combinations of ingredients that you wouldn’t have thought tasted so good together! I love that when you walk past the building you already smell the freshly made waffle cones. That’s always a great sign!

Salt & Straw in Larchmont Village (Los Angeles) and Portlandsalt&straw 6.2.16

I’m so glad they have a multiple locations here in LA now! They have such lovely and ‘flavor’-ful flavors! See what I did just there? 😛 I really enjoy how friendly the staff is there and how helpful they are with helping you choose what flavor you want. The ice cream is super creamy and offers such great seasonal flavors!

Afters Ice Cream in Pasadena

(also in Irvine, Fountain Valley, Rowland Heights, Chino Hills, Long Beach and Tustin)

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This is the crazy place that has the buns filled with colorful ice cream and toppings, AND you’ve gotta try it! Their milky buns are like donuts that are filled with whatever flavor ice cream you want and one topping. I fell in love with their jasmine milk tea ice cream and their milk + cereal flavor. The buns can be a lot for me so if I’m trying to cut back on the calories, I’ll just get a cup and it’ll still satisfy my craving. Well, doesn’t save me tons of calories but it’s worth the effort right? The Pasadena location is a vintage gas station and it makes a super cute backdrop for your Instagram pictures!

Foodie Friday

Afters Ice Cream in Pasadena, CA

I recently discovered this place (don’t know why) but it’s absolutely scrumptious, delicious, amazing! I don’t think I know enough words to describe it. The ice cream flavors are super yummy and they offer these things called Milky Buns which are pretty much like glazed donuts filled with your choice of ice cream and topping. So far, I’ve tried the jasmine milk tea (purple one) and the milk and cereal flavor. Both of which are amazing! They haven’t done me wrong yet so I’m going to be a frequent visitor!

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Urth Caffe in Pasadena, CA

Came here for a healthy brunch with a friend and my sis one weekend. See how much green I had? I was awfully proud of myself but I’m sure I ended up having a burger for dinner or something anyways. At least I tried, right? Anyways, I love coming here for their green tea latte, which is great hot or cold! They have tons of desserts and pastries which I’ve heard are also delicious! After our yummy brunch, we went out to explore the local Container Store.

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Homemade Goodness by Moi!

I had some avocados that were getting pretty ripe and some radishes that needed to be eaten asap so what better way to use them than to make avocado toast?! I know everyone is eating avocado toasts right now and they’re trending but they really are delicious! There’s a reason why everyone eats them! Another plus is that they’re healthy. I need a more substantial toast, so I like adding some egg to them as well. See below! 🙂 IMG_5908

Dodger Dog at Dodger Stadium

Went to a baseball game just last night after I haven’t been in over 10 years! I knew that I had to have the infamous Dodger Dog, nachos, and garlic fries, which I happily succeeded! The boyfriend got me the Cuban dog, since the Dodgers were playing Miami last night and it was pretty good! Especially since I was starving by then! However, I was ready to knock out when it was barely the 3rd inning…

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Foodie Friday: Ozu East Kitchen

For this Foodie Friday post, I wanted to recap my experience at the most recent Yelp Elite event I attended! I signed up for the tasting event at Ozu East Kitchen in Atwater and was very excited to try out this new ramen spot! The restaurant had a very cool, modern look to it but onto the food!

We were given a cute little menu with the food we were about to enjoy! For appetizers, we had the chicken karaage which was super tender and moist. The owner was nice enough to come around and describe the cooking process to us! The next appetizer is the charred edamame which had so much flavor and depth to them. It was one of the best edamame dishes I’ve ever had. Another great dish was the shishito peppers; it was slightly spicy but not too overpowering. I loved it!

We all got our choice of ramen and I chose the miso vegan ramen, since I always tend to get the traditional tonkotsu. I loved that they used spinach noodles instead, which was very different but it was a nice change in flavor. My ramen wasn’t too rich but also had tons of flavor. I felt like I chose a healthier alternative! I mean, it was still a week night so I couldn’t go crazy! …but I finished the night with the yummiest match green tea gelato.

I highly recommend this spot and need to come in and try some more dishes out before they get too popular! 🙂

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