Category Archives: food spots

Fresh (French Bread Pizza)

From the five minute healthy breakfast omelet to the slow cooked Sunday stew there’s one key ingredient that will complete any meal, something fresh. One of my all time favorite/ freshest most simple meals ever is a Saturday morning French bread pizza. Right when I wake up we head straight down to the farmers market to get tomatoes, basil and goat cheese made that morning at 4am from Soledad Goats and driven down to the market from Hanford, CA. Then we stop at Giuliano’s Bakery for some fresh baked bread and mozzarella cheese.

I make a sauce by sweating a half a chopped onion and five cloves of minced garlic in olive oil. Then add 14 oz. of canned San Marzano tomatoes (with it’s liquid), salt, pepper, oregano, Parmesan cheese and crushed red peppers. Simmer for 30 minutes to let the liquid reduce to half.

Slice the bread, add a little sauce, chopped basil, cheese, sliced tomatoes and more chopped basil on top. Then place in a 350 degree pre heated oven for 9 minutes.

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Kantaro Sushi (Torrance, CA)

If you want one of the greatest most traditional sushi experiences you’ll ever have head down to Kantaro Sushi in Torrance, CA and order the Omakase (Chef’s choice). For $39.50 per person Chef/ Owner Tadashi will take you on a unbelievable joyride of all different types of sashimi, rolls and nigiri of the freshest fish in town ending with a tasty miso soup, green tea ice cream and hot tea. We eat sushi about once a week trying new spots all the time and I can only compare the freshness to Morio’s in Honolulu, HI.

Kantaro Sushi

1542 W. Carson Street

Torrance, CA 90501

(310)320-0200

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Horon Kushiage Dining

If you’re not familiar with Japanese “kushiage” its bite size breaded and perfectly deep-fried skewers of meat, seafood and vegetables. These small plates and skewers at Horon are made for sharing with your friends while you converse and drink the night away. All the different types of soju and sake will help your apprehensive friends become undaunted eaters (foodies).

Baby octopus, mochi cheese, lotus root with sea urchin and bacon wrapped mushrooms

Bacon wrapped cherry tomatoes and more baby octopus

Whats also great about Horon are all the other none fried dishes you can order like these truffled potatoes with blue cheese

Braised pork cheek

Uni-giri (sea urchin and rice wrapped in seaweed)

And one of my favorites, Wagyu beef liver sashimi (raw thinly sliced beef liver)

Horon Kushiage Dining

2143 182nd St.

Torrance, CA 90504

*If you ever decide to come here please hit me up, I love this place!

 

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Shin Sen Gumi (Yakitori)

Most people know Shin Sen Gumi for their ramen but now in my opinion there’s better ramen out there like Santouka or Yamadaya. But SSG’s yakitori game is on point. If you’re not familiar with yakitori it’s a Japanese term used for grilled skewers. Even though it actually means “grilled bird”, yakitori consists of everything from chicken, beef, seafood and vegetables. For the whole month of March at SSG Yakitori (Gardena, CA) every Wednesday the skewers are $1.50 each which is a steal. So if you’re a fan of yakitori or just want a great dining experience with the most hospitable staff make sure you head down here for some good eats.

What I like most about yakitori spots like this is their use of offal meat, it always interests me to try different things. Highlights of the night were the potato croquettes, chicken thighs w/ green onion, chicken skin, chicken meatballs, pork intestines, pork belly wrapped mushrooms and kobe beef skewers. The only fail was the chicken cartilage skewers.

See you next Wednesday!

Shin Sen Gumi (Yakitori)

18517 S. Western Avenue

Gardena, CA 90248

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Pulled Pork Parfait

Just got this from Bigmista’s BBQ in the Torrance Farmers Market and it was delicious. You can’t go wrong with layers of mashed potatoes, pulled pork and bbq sauce in a cup…

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Winner

Cheese Risotto- Brown rice cooked with chicken broth then pan fried with bacon, onion and a touch of heavy cream. Served in a whole block cheese bowl at your table.

Amazing…

Aburi Shimesaba- Mackerel sashimi

Green Tea Ice Cream Parfait

Tiramisu

Musha

1725 W. Carson Street

Torrance, CA 90501

 

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Hawaii 3-0

Sometimes you plan and expect so much out of your vacation it becomes more nerve-racking than relaxing. For Amy’s dirty 30 in Oahu that wasn’t the case our itinerary was simple- eat, drink, party and unwind.

(click on pictures to enlarge)

View from our hotel

Spam musubi all day

Loco Moco from Vit’s Steakhouse

I’ll call it right now, Morio’s Sushi isn’t just the best sushi in Hawaii it’s the best sushi EVER. Not only was the food fresh and amazing but everything about this little hole in the wall was great (BYOB with a liquor store around the corner!). Be sure to make reservations because it only fits about 20 people and if you bring your girlfriend don’t be surprised if drunk Morio gropes her.

A street food vendor selling Kalua pulled pork sandwiches. Yes please

Stopped by Roy’s in Waikiki for some appetizers

Complimentary edamame seasoned with crack

Roasted garlic & herb butter baked escargot

And this is Roy’s version of a PB&J. Hudson Valley foie gras mouse, curried Maui pineapple marmalade, peanut pain perdue with a red wine gastrique. Mouth orgasm

Can’t thank Oliver and Gwen enough for driving us around the island and being amazing hosts…

Romy’s harvest their shrimp and prawns daily out of their ponds in the back of the shrimp shack.

Bubba Gump you ain’t got shit on these…

Until next time…

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Check it out

IM KING did a post about the place I work at (click image)

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Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly) Ramen

Pork will still remain king in 2011…

Ramen Yamadaya

3118 182nd Street

Torrance, CA 90504

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A Crapulent Christmas

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been on a diet limiting our meat consumption to the weekends. I thought it would be hard but when you got weekends like this to look forward to makes it not that bad. Since I was cooking at home on Saturday we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Christmas Eve. Everything was great but the highlight of the night was definitely the Farmhouse Cheeseburger topped with grilled smoked pork belly, cheddar cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato, mayo and a fried egg.

Yes, pork belly and a fried egg…

And Christmas Day was a normal feast at the Avocado LA house that consisted of raw fish, cooked meat and alcohol.

Bluefin Tuna Sashimi

Spicy Tuna on Fried Wontons

Roasted Asparagus

And a Ribeye Roast (amongst many other dishes but my greasy paws were no where close to the camera).

Always trust a Japanese Chef with choosing the best bottle of Soju and El Charro Tequila is as smooth as Patron and Don Julio but it’s only $13 a bottle! You can thank me later…

On Sunday I finally realized I love the food from BJ’s.

Goodbye gluttony, see you in Hawaii in three weeks!

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