Sushi Hiroba. (NOW CLOSED)

Meanwhile, on the search for the best sushi in LA...

We tried Sushi Hiroba for Valentine's via a Groupon-type thing. It wasn't a bad experience but the sushi and its portion sizes could have been better.

Seven Samurai Roll.

What this restaurant really has going for it is atmosphere- dark wood decor, conveyor belt bar with cute, colorful plates (they sometimes put food on), specialty rolls with movie and pop culture themes.

Mike had the Seven Samurai roll- Panko shrimp, spicy tuna & jalapeno topped with albacore, tuna, avocado and a mountain of crispy onions with swet garlic ponzu. It was only a little better than the overpriced Marilyn Monroe salmon roll I ordered at the recommendation of our server (meh).

Green Tea Tempura Ice cream.

What we truly enjoyed was their green tea tempura ice cream. It was just as tasty as it looked, incredible.

We probably won't be back here unless there's another online offer, although I'm tempted to come back for more ice cream...


> Sushi Hiroba
776 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Ramen Jinya, all the time, ya.

Tonkatsu Black Special.

Ramen Jinya is hands down my favorite Ramen joint- authentic, food high-inducing deliciousness. Nothing beats their Tonkatsu Black Special: Pork broth with pork chashu, spinach, green onions, fried onions, dried seaweed, garlic oil, and special flavored runny egg (heaven in your mouth). I usually like pairing that with their iced matcha green tea.

Tan Tan men.

That's my usual, but a few visits ago I wasn't feeling like ramen so I tried their Tan Tan men, their spicy no soup ramen (originated in Sichuan- Noodles with rich spicy sauce, minced pork, ground prok, Tokyo negi, bokchoy, red bell pepper, and chilli oil). It is a definitely a tasty alternative to their broth ramen.

However, DO NOT, BY ANY MEANS, ORDER THEIR VEGETABLE POTAGE RAMEN- thick soup with a salad forest on top. Just don't do it, there are may more ramen dishes worthy of your palate here- like the Tonkatsu Red, the spicy version of the Tonkatsu Black special. $10.50 is a small price to pay for ramen heaven.

> Ramen Jinya
5174 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(also coming soon to Sawtelle!)

 p/s: At the time of this entry, I have been to Ramen Jinya almost once a week for the past 2 months and I'm so glad I plan to go again today because writing this entry has been torture.

My Habit, The Habit.

The burger business is booming- just take a look around Hollywood! But pricier and fancier doesn't always equal better, and that's where burgers at The Habit come in. Their basic Charburger with pickles, mayo, melted cheese, fresh tomato and lettuce on their juicy beef patty with carmelized onions hits the spot every time. And as a bonus, their onion rings are perfectly crispy! I'm sure we know how hard it is to find onion rings that don't come apart when you sink your teeth into them... The Habit also has shakes and malts, which I hear are also top notch.

Whenever I don't feel like joining the crowds at In-n-Out, you'll find me here. The Habit has definitely become my burger habit.

> Habit Burger
(Multiple locations!)
103 E Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91502

Din Tai Fung Super Lunch.

Spicy dumplings. (delicious.)

Shimp & Pork Shaomai.

If we want to talk about epic mealtimes, this was it. Din Tai Fung, home of the steamed dumplings. I'm not going to to say much. I think I'll let the pictures do the talking. Some of the dumplings had broth in them and were enjoyed with vinegar and ginger, others were desserts. Some were spicy, and there were also noodles and rice with meat dishes on the menu. Everything was so epically delicious, I shed tears. This restaurant is a must visit. Make a reservation and GO RIGHT NOW.

Din Tai Fung
1088 S Baldwin Avenue,
Arcadia, CA 91007

Steamed pork dumplings.

Pork chop fried rice.

Sesame noodles. (THE BEST)

Pork Buns.

Fried rice cake?

Black sesame dessert buns.

Red bean dessert buns.

Akasha for dineLA.

Chopped chicken liver.

Akasha is one of  my favorite fancier restaurants in Downtown Culver, so when I saw it was participating in dineLA, it was too good to pass up. So we made reservations for a triple couple date on half-price wine Wednesdays and feasted to our hearts' content.

Albacore & grapefruit crudo.

Duck leg ragout.

I've eaten at Akasha before so I knew everything was going to taste incredible. Each set 3-course meal started at $34, with 3 options in each category. This was our chance to try chicken liver, so my boyfriend Mike ordered it and it came with capers and grilled ciabatta. I also had never tried liver before and it was very rich, but not bad at all. I ordered the albacore and grapefruit crudo with blood orange ponzu and daikon sprouts and that was quite tasty as well.

For the main course, we both ordered the duck leg ragout with green garlic gnocchi and parmesan, which was also very rich and delicious. And finally for dessert, I went with a Pineapple upside down cake with coconut-lime sorbet and passion fruit sauce (not pictured). 


A fancy meal for an "unfancy" price in downtown Culver. Definitely a night to remember.


Akasha
9543 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Fabiolus dineLA Friday.

Bigoli al Granchio.

We had a girls lunch last Friday at the Fabiolus Cafe in Hollywood. Off the dineLA menu, I had a chance to try the Calamaretti Fritti- "Lightly fried calamari, rings only served with spicy tomato sauce", Zuppa di Cavoli "Velvety cauliflower soup with shaved parmigiano cheese", Bigoli al Granchio "Homemade thick rustic spaghetti with Crab meat, basil, garlic and onions in a spicy tomato, brandy and cream sauce", and the Tiramisu.

Gnocchi Radicchio e Salsiccia.

Everything was delicious. This was the thickest spaghetti I've ever had but the balance of crab meat and sauce was exquisite. I had a bite of the Gnocchi Radicchio e Salsiccia "Homemade Italian style potato dumpling with red radicchio and sausage in garlic and olive oil sauce" and it was also quite good.

Dessert didn't disappoint either. Tiramisu was alcohol-free which was good news for me, and the ricotta cheesecake was yummy too. All in all, a great dineLA purchase, for $16 too. We'll be back in October!



Fabiolus Café
6270 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Tiramisu.

Ricotta Cheesecake.

Lauren's Fine Home Cooking.

Cheers, Lauren! Your whole wheat spaghetti, meatballs from scratch and tomatoes with mozarella  was truly a meal to remember. It was an honor and a privilege being there for it. Mm mm...