Akasha - Culver City

Gimme something good to eat. 

The food feels good going down, healthy like the Hummus & Crudite, with all that color on the plate. The hummus is good but not a standout and acts as an enhancer rather than a self-aggrandizer. It peps up neutral flavors like white cauliflower and crunchy radish, complements the peppers and cukes and takes some edge off bolder greens like the arugula and broccolini. 

Silky cubes put sweetness on an earthy papadum in the Yellowtail & Pomegranate Crudo. A memorable sauce where coconut collaborates with the citrus, a strong yet smooth, surprisingly deep flavor that lingers. I might pair it with a less delicate fish, and then I would drink it up. 

Lunch is a bit of a limited menu, IMO, offering only salads and sandwiches. I would have liked to see some entrees, but that's not on them. The Wagyu Beef Burger is a good one, an impressively seamless combination, with a very juicy patty that blends into the chopped-onion-cheese and fixins. Fries are often an afterthought, but theirs are very enjoyable - they're more savory somehow and even better when dunked in an aioli with a fantastic finish. 

Akasha got a lukewarm review from my first visit, but I think they deserve a warmer reception than I initially gave. The food is good, and I can't expect everything I eat to blow my mind. Here they seem to be gunning for good, and at that, they are successful. 

Taco Tour #13 - Evil Cooks - Los Angeles

Taco Tour lucky #13, and what an appropriate number. If Wednesday Addams opened a restaurant with Morticia as the host and Gomez at the grill, this place would be it. The ominous name and metal-morbid theme is deliciously dark, and the outdoor patio's giant skeleton and fountain of blood is everything a Halloween aficionado ever wanted.

Despite earning my respect for choosing a theme and doubling down hard, I believe only a truly evil person would have chosen these fonts for the menu. I have never in 40 years found such an eyesore, and I swear I couldn't even focus for more than a moment, nevermind read the menu and figure out what I want. I ordered one of each on their most popular tacos list just to stop the assault on my eyes, and this is coming from someone who has taken multiple 8-hour boards. Then again, this kinda goes with the theme. 

Theme aside, the tacos are the best. So many uniquely different options, I'm sold on all the seafood. 

The Simmons is a strong start; presentation on point, a sensual slab of tongue on display. Tender beyond belief, just woefully under-seasoned.

The McSatan is just a burger, but the best burger I've ever had. Juiciest patty I’ve ever tasted, seasoned just so, crunchy bacon on gooey cheese with acid guac and a thick tortilla that's better than any bun. 

I didn't love the Rock Lobster as it's impossible to eat. Cannot pick it up, cannot eat neatly, must be taken apart and reassembled to get all elements in a single bite. But I'd still get it again just for the fantastic flavor of the lobster tunnel inside, coupled with a super-crunch tortilla and sour-salsa tomatillo.

The god of aquatic tacos Poseidon makes magic with octopus pastor. The tenderest tentacles, blackened by flames, with a sweet pineapple tide.

El Goth is black tortilla, black pastor that pops. Super crispy crust on the pork, super sass and spice in the seasoning, a marvel of a spice mix, so good it survives without a spit.

El Asesino: The two best meats they make, complementary color, flavor, texture too. Two perfect makes too perfect. 

All black is back, and I personally love knowing that anything I wear is bound to match their food and decor. The tacos are truly amazing, and I laud their remarkably clever use of very little space. It isn't about the amount of space, it's about what you do with it. And here they're doing big things in that tiny little kitchen.

Feng Mao - Olympic - Los Angeles

Are you an introvert? Are you SO introverted that you avoid dining out just to avoid service? Say no more! 

For a weekday lunch at Feng Mao, you can grab a table with minimal eye contact and zero words, scan the code on the wall and order off your phone. Your food will arrive with as little interaction as you desire, though a quick "thank you" might be nice, and you can watch your skewers sizzle on this futuristic self-turning contraption with no further human interaction for the remainder of your meal. 

There's not much to say anyway - the food is just fantastic. The restaurant is Korean-Chinese, and you get the best of both worlds. They comp you all your banchan so there's plenty to nibble, should you need to sate your hunger while your meat-sticks sizzle. You get all the pickles; kimchee, daikon, and seaweed, and you even get a little salad with sesame-ginger dressing. There's a dish of boiled peanuts from the Chinese side, too. 

Apps are optional, but this spicy Shredded Potato serves as a cold and crunchy contrast to the hot meat, an adequate appetite-whetter for what's to come and a palate cleanser as well.

Firm, roasted Lotus Root soaked in garlic serves as another inter-meat intermezzo, ordered with zero necessity, eaten with zero regrets. 

Skewers are the main event, and one only needs the slightest whiff of the cumin clinging to the Lamb Kebab to see how Feng Mao got famous. The fire crispy-crusts the outside, sealing the juices within. 

Other options include Marinated Beef with a sweet sauce, a come-over from the Korean side as northeastern China's food runs salty. 

Beef Tendon is tender and supple, texture adding to taste. 

Chicken Gizzards can be more chewy, especially when you let them overcook (oops...), but a good stick of offal is never truly awful. 

Wider strips of Maitake Mushroom grill into something tender, but require a good dunk in the side of seasoning as they are otherwise rather bland. 

These are the first legit lamb skewers I've seen stateside, and they bring me back to the back alleys of Beijing...if Beijing back alleys were clean and served quality cuts. The best food comes from the most curious places, but despite being a very clean and legitimately-run restaurant, Feng Mao truly captures the best of the street food, especially the stuff on sticks. 

Tonkatsu Marushichi - Torrance

Are you here for the food or are you here for the ambiance? 

Tonkatsu Marushichi is for the food. Two counters house eight tight seats, and a few fans overwork with the open door in a losing battle against the inferno of frying as thick cutlets sizzle to order.

The menu stays focused, with just a few cuts and three ways to serve them; over rice, between bread, or under a curry cover. 

It's a beautiful Yaki Katsudon, and the panko still crunches after half an hour of stewing in its steam. The juicy cutlet sits on a bed of egg which blankets a pork-dripping-katsu-sauce-saturated rice. 

The Katsu Sando is hefty and thick, fluffy bread and pink pork cooked low and slow. 

Curry comes with pork loin nuggets; it's a mild and smooth bit of soup. 

No bad choices, but listen when they're talking. The signage tells you the pork is pink, and they warn you to skip the rib-eye if you can't stand the sight of blood. That said, you shouldn't miss it for the world, and I would recommend coming during the cooler winter months so you can sit and eat the cutlet when it's fried to maximum crisp. 

Harry's Oklahoma Style Smokehouse BBQ - Lomita

Harry's is new to me, but they've been killing it for years. Only after 3 or so decades of exclusive catering have they added a small dining area to their algorithm, where a pair of colleagues or a few good friends can enjoy a register-to-grill-to-table meal.

And what a meal it has been. The reason behind their catering success is clear, and it started with the tender, smoky-ringed Pork Ribs. The Brisket is also brilliant, tying the ribs for first - even the lean bits are silky-soft, and for only the second time in SoCal, I've found the smoke to be strong enough. 

Their specialty is Tri-Tip, which is good and steak-y. It's quite different from the usual suspects; more chewing, less shredding, plenty of beefy juice. Burnt Ends are never a bad idea, but I do think the brisket is better. The Fried Okra is fantastic. 

The ambiance is casual contentment, simple tables sitting under photos of famous people. The competence justifies their confidence, and their longevity speaks volumes. In a world where everyone struggles to remain relevant, classics like this are here to stay. I don't know Oklahoma, and I didn't know Harry's, but after having had Harry's, I'd sure like to know both better. 

Pasta Stories - Torrance

I want to love this place, but so far I only like. I usually love simple and affordable, but I find their construct confusing. Their fast food-like setup implies good speed, but every plate takes forever, and it could be closer to an hour during the lunchtime rush. The menu boasts of regional specialities, with hard-hitter words like wagyu and matcha cream, but the sauces are rather light, and frankly the flavors aren't all that fetching. 

I tried my friend's Osaka, a sweet and beefy bolognese-style sauce. The sauce tends to slide off the spaghetti, but the finish is savory subtlety, and this one is so far the best of the lot...which I don't think I liked a lot. 

Fukuoka has an even layer of roe all around, just enough fishy finish for a well-balanced dish. Only for those who like mentaiko, but fortunately, I'm a fan. 

Ehime is another example of their well-balanced sauce, a tomato base carries a comfortable air of seafood. There's an impressive selection from this tiny stall, with shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams; a couple of each and all quite fresh. 

Avoid the Okinawa. Chunks of bland pork in unseasoned tomato sauce look and taste like something I'd throw together with kitchen leftovers and forgot to salt. 

3/4 so far, but I just can't get enthused. I want to try the rest, especially the more unusual options like tuna-avocado and matcha cream. I don't mean to be so dour - they're overall enjoyable enough, and I plan to come back as they're close to work, but I just don't see them topping my list with what I've seen so far. 

Bread Head - Manhattan Beach

I may not love the location, but I do love the story. A pair of new parents needed a work-life balance that their fine dining careers would have forced them to forgo, and their solution was sandwiches. 

Great bread, this thin and airy, beautifully crispy focaccia, so good the filling almost doesn't matter. 

Get the Combo Grinder but be sure to eat it fast. The dressing seeps into the bottom bread and soaks it through in minutes. The meats are  reminiscent of BCD's claim-to-fame Godmother in their tenderness and smooth texture, but I like their balance better. The salty salami, punchy hot coppa and smooth smoked ham just pop a little bit more, and the fixins are just enough to add some acid with the greens. 

I caught the newly released hot sandwiches, but I'm pretty meh about the Roast Pork & Broccoli Rabe. The bitter broccoli is far too forward, overpowering at tender super-savory, but much subtler pork. 

The Roast Beef suffers similarly, as two inches of bitter arugula hit tender, blander beef quite hard. I do love that mayo and the pop of fresh horseradish, but I feel I could have made this myself minus the bread. 

This little shop of fabulous focaccia has me quite conflicted. The focaccia is fantastic and its airy crumb and crunchilicious crisp is an undeniable draw, but the fillings fall rather flat. Sandwiches are often associated with comfort food and home cooking, but if I'm paying for someone else to make my sandwich, I'm looking for a taste of something I can't get from home. For me, Bread Head just misses the mark. The bread is an awesome start, but a bit more creativity, a bit more pop, a bit more focus on the filling could make them the best thing since sliced bread...and more than just sliced bread.