Republique - Los Angeles

It's beautiful. I walk in and catch my breath. My eyes wander, and I can't help but look. Long tables lounge across a bubbly cobblestone between vestigial windows, setting the scene for a leisurely lunch-brunch on the cafe patio of a Parisian city street. It channels an old-school simplicity, the glamour of days gone by. 

Sip a delicate Mimosa while people-watching, and let the prosecco shines sharp through a delicate fresh-squeezed juice of orange.

Luxuriate in a low and sloe House G&T, smooth and bitter brightened with spring citrus and wintry thyme.

Let the Watermelon Spritz sweep you away in summer sugar, a whiff of candied fruit over-ripened on the vine. Dashes of lime and aperol cut through to finish with a bitter snap.

I sip from my glass, and I raise it in a toast to all of the toast. 

The Ricotta Toast is the first toast, one for the sweet tooth for sure. A bed of bold, crusty sourdough, a topping of thick, creamy ricotta, and honeyed stone fruit. The peaches and pomegranates are kissed by the last rays of summer sun, juicy molecules that graze the tongue, riding on a golden stream of honey that hangs heavy and sweet. 

The Mushroom Toast is for the savory tooth. Airy crevices of comfort-bread, crammed with fluffy eggs and squares of tender ham. The wild mushrooms are a velvety confluence with silky spinach and a waterfall of hollandaise. 

The Croque Madame gets a honorable mention, a salty house-cured ham, thick with gruyere and a runny fried egg that works wonders.

The Mushroom Omelet sings of enchanting chanterelle, porcini, and cheese. The herb sprinkles disperse through the thin wrapper of egg like fragrant fairy dust.

I've had my fair share of pastries, but Republique bakes in a class of its own. The entrees may be out-of-this-world, but the pastries can almost eclipse them entirely.

Even the simple Danish is the peak of perfection, sweet slices of roasted apple stack on layers of flaky pastry, grounded by a sweet cheese anchor.

The Berry Crostata is crusty with character; moist crumbs with a black berry burst.

The Key Lime Cake is a fragile column, a pristine cup that stings sharply citrus-lime with the mere flick of a fork.

None are a match for the Raspberry Matcha and Almond Bostock. Moist brioche-y bread and bold matcha give structure to sugary raspberries against a robust almond backdrop. I've never had anything so superb, and I doubt I ever will.

I never thought I'd see the day I was blown away by brunch. I've had plenty of hangover lunch, but Republique brunches on a whole new level. There is so much complexity in their simplicity, so much cleverness in their combinations, so much beauty in their execution. Republique is easily the best brunch I've had in years.

Sushi Yoshi - Torrance

If you're looking for a fancy place...this isn't it. No-frills, just basic sushi served in a small square of tranquility, a hole-in-the-wall in a random strip mall somewhere in outskirts of Torrance.

It's only $9 for small, square Chirashi bowl, featuring several mediocre cuts of fish. The tuna and halibut will do in a pinch; the octopus, surf clam, and shrimp are okay; and the egg could be a lot better.

At first glance, the pricetag looked too good to be true, and in a way, it is. You only get one slice of each fish, and the box is small. The layer of rice is spread thin as well, and though the price is not unfair, even I can't get full from something this insubstantial.

You need at least one a la carte roll to feel not-hungry. Not full or satisfied, just not-hungry. Well, a la carte may be the best way to go.The Sea Eel Roll is fresh, with soft avocado and sweet slices of eel. Needs more eel, but it is by far the best-tasting thing they've made.

The 12-dollar special is more of the same. Sounds like a steal, isn't even a deal. Again with the mediocre fish. The tuna, salmon, etc are fine. The ikura is fishy, though, and the tuna and cucmber rolls are whatever. Everything is bland-bland-bland, and I've had enough.  

Not the best sushi, but it'll do as a lunchtime escape for those who hate their coworkers or as a dash of dinner for those who just hate people. The couple who run this place are super cute, but if you want anything that isn't already on your table, you may have to get it yourself. I do love supporting local businesses, especially the mom-and-pop shops, but this one isn't exactly Kantaro.  

Shake Shack - El Segundo

Shake Shack in da house. Nostalgia, tears of joy, flashbacks to Sundays skating in Bryant Park...wait, what the hell? It was so much better in my memories.

The Shack Cago Dog. The only hot dog I'd ever pick over a burger, but maybe not anymore. The frank is thick, and the savory-sour-spicy combo hits a high note for me. Relish and mustard are my favorite toppings, but the cubes of cukes and onion are a break from the pickled and the processed. Mildly spicy sport peppers add the kick I'm looking for. But it tasted better in New York. The hot dog tastes a little over-boiled, and the toppings are a bit off in both portion and proportion. 

The Shack Stack is just good. Two of their best stacked into one can't-close-your-mouth monster, a tender burger patty and a juicy fried cap of shroom, gooey cheese, and the Shack sauce of legends. It's awesome, but a ten-dollar burger it is not.

Cheese Fries with bacon because things are better with bacon. Some of the fries are less crispy that I'd like, but I do like that the cheese makes it all the way to the bottom.

Dessert is always a Custard. This one has brownie, marshmallow, and graham crackers, a cold, creamy campfire s'more...but better. 

Maybe I'm old, but it seems the price of nostalgia has made an astronomical rise. Never have I paid ten dollars to relive a memory, and that memory is a lot smaller than I remember. My wallet can't handle more flashbacks at this rate, and though I'll always remember Shake Shack fondly, I think it's better if I leave those memories in NYC.

Marugame Udon - Los Angeles

LA's noodle legend hits closer to home. The handmade udon in Los Angeles can be counted on one hand, but the number of eager hands reaching for those remnants is many. 

Marugame has often lead the pack, with its uni bowl of legends, its prowess hampered only by the dozens that got there before you. With Marugame Udon setting up a streamlined Sawtelle shop, those days of Little Tokyo lines are long gone.

Marugame Udon is the same hand-made good stuff, served cafeteria style. They start with a basic bowl and broth, made to be customized by your crafty hands.

The Beef-Tsuke Udon needs no adornments, though I'm sure a few pieces of golden tempura wouldn't hurt. The udon is cold, the beef is hot, sweet, and tender, full sauce soaking each paper-thin slice. The broth is so savory, carrying every molecule of flavorful fat. 

The Spicy Chicken Udon is an unexpectedly awesome, soup that tastes like it fell off the bone with a bold stab of spice for exhilarating warmth.

The Green Tea is wholesome and thick. It calms the carbs and ices the burn.

They only make a limited quantity of Mentai Cream Udon, but a bowl of plushy cream with microns of cod roe brine is a must. 

And if all that udon doesn't do you in, there's light Chirashi Bowl to boot. Tender chunks of tuna, salmon, egg, and ikura will hit the spot, and slices of fresh shitake will mix things up.

Handmade udon cafeteria? I had my doubts too. But every last noodle is al dente, and every sip of soup is as soul-quenching as the one before. The menu is full of can't-go-choices at prices are a steal for such a high quality bowl, and I can't think of a single reason not to skip the Tsujita for a steaming bowl of udon once in a while.

The Sycamore Kitchen - Los Angeles

The counter is petite, a short stroll of pastries, just door to menu to ringing up. The majority of the seating is on a garden-like front patio, with heat from a few fiery lamps. 

A casual cafe, on the smaller side, sunny and sweet with homemade smells that stir up all the feels. Smaller doesn't mean less at Sycamore Cafe, and they have the pastries to prove it.

There's a Flourless Lemon Tart that manages to be both light and dense. Sunshine and citrus shimmers and settles, a glimmer that is both bold and bright.

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The Salted Caramel Babka is something else altogether. Moist rolls swirl around in sticky-bun layers, spilling delicate pecans drizzled in gooey caramel syrup.

The Croque Madame stands strong, like any single lady should. She is hard, salty ham with sharp, melted Swiss on a crispy, chewy bread. She is softened by sweet bechamel, mollified but not pacified by a effusion of a fried egg yolk, the one accessory that pulls it all together.

The Double B-LTA brought them Jonathan Gold-level fame, and it's not hard to see why. The crispy pork belly is takes bacon to the max. It stays savory and sharp as the braised pork belly melts to a viscous liquid. There are exactly enough strips in just the perfect thickness to provide full coverage to this holy-grail of a classic, and the ripe avocado adds to the buttery lettuce and fresh tomato. 

Another French-style cafe, famous for its baked goods and brunch, barely a couple of blocks from Lefavre legend Republique. It begs the comparison, but really there is none. Sycamore Cafe is a such a sweet and special place; its reputation as a standout is well-deserved, and it deserves to stand alone.