Jasmine Market - Culver City

We've gone to an auntie and uncle's house for a dinner party, and they've put out a folding table for the kids. And the auntie and uncle are the warm and sweet kind. They're busy cooking all the comfort foods of their country, but they're never too busy to make sure you're enjoying your meal. 

I cannot go to a restaurant that serves Goat Curry and not get goat curry. So we got goat curry. Because I have no self control. 

It comes in a combo with jasmine rice and a hearty side of veggie stew, a definite plus.

I am no stranger to Chicken Briyani so I can say with conviction that theirs is good. This one is lighter than I'm used to because they go easier on the spices and make it easier to eat. But the rice. Wow, the rice. It is incredibly savory, having soaked up so much chicken-juice, yet it stays firm and decisively delicious.

Something old, now something new. The Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup must be more Burmese because it's one I haven't had before. Tom ka married chicken ramen and spawned a creamy stew, thick with coconut and chicken-oil dripping from ropy Chinese noodles.

When should you come to Jasmine Market? Not when it's Saturday night date night and you washed your hair and put on a dress and heels. There are many lovely places to go, and you will look lovely in any place, I recommend Jasmine Market for take-out if you're dolled up for a night in, but if you're looking for intimate, romantic, upscale, or formal, you should save Jasmine Market for a different night. It's impossible not to soak in the warmth and joy that goes into their cooking, but you will enjoy it much more if you're mentally prepared for a casual folding table and styrofoam plates.

Bettolino Kitchen - Redondo Beach

A slow Sunday night, winding down a weekend. A beach breeze blows, as we breeze into Bettolino Kitchen. I've wanted to try this place since it opened, one of the first of many new kids on the fancier blocks of Redondo Beach Riviera. 

A kitchen with potential, that much is true. I usually skip the salad, but they had a Figs & Zola, and I was weak. The greens are a sharp mix, and there are slices of not-the-sweetest figs chillin' on cool pears. Gorgonzola brings its gentle pungence to a sweet smatter of caramelized walnuts. The ability to make a perfect salad is very underrated. This one has balanced proportions of all ingredients, so each bite is as colorful as the last, and the shallot vinaigrette dressing enhances rather than hides. 

The Pomegranate Apple jives just as well; arugula is delicately bitter against crunchy pomegranate, and goat cheese brightens a tart Granny Smith. Avocado adds smooth substance, and the a simple balsamic pulls it all together. Bettolino Kitchen may be the first restaurant that doesn't overdo the dressing.

By the beach, from the ocean. The Calamarata is a clever concept, al dente pasta that mimic the calamari ring. The actual calamari tastes a bit fishy, but the white wine sauce works well enough with the clammy brine.

Heavy and hearty comes next with Tagliatelle all'Antica. The pasta is perfect, but there isn't enough, and the duck is weighed down by olives and tomato. Love all the pasta, just meh about the sauce.

It's A-OK, Bettolino Kitchen. Italian comfort, great salads, good pasta. I'll keep looking for better because I know there's plenty, but Bettolino Kitchen isn't bad.

Rice Man - Torrance

The farmer's market in Torrance is my favorite place in the South Bay. In all of LA, it joins ranks with the LA Flower Market and the Getty and Getty Villa. There is something soothing about the bright, open-air stalls, brimming with everything fresh, organic, and homemade. 

My Asian food craving hit right around Rice Man, and a duet of stamped Spam Musubi hit my craving hard. This popular Hawaiian snack is right on point, but despite the obvious benefits of certified organic rice, the texture is a little too mushy for my liking.

Same goes for the Juicy Beef Don. The thinly-shaved beef on top is soft and savory, but the onions are overcooked to a pulp and bland. The "juicy" component sogs up the rice, and though the flavor is right on, the texture of the rice is downright off-putting.

The farmer's market is retail therapy in its finest form, and edible shopping is my favorite guilty pleasure. I'm looking forward to trying that lamb sausage we bought, and those organic eggs are worth every penny, but Rice Man is one food stall I can skip.

Mayura Indian Restaurant - Culver City

I haven't had good south Indian food since medical school, and I wasn't prepared for Mayura. All this food comes with a flood of memories, of so much heritage and culture fed to me by friends. The recipes were definitive, but they were never set in stone. My friends would make the recipes their mothers and grandmothers had passed down, adding an occasional extra shake of the spice spoon to add their own personal touch. Impromptu post-exam dinner parties, idly on a whim, I had almost forgotten all that, and I almost forgot how much I miss them all.

"ID-LEE. Think Freud meets China." My first pronunciation lesson, and my favorite south Indian staple. Idly doesn't look like much, just round white-flour cakes of lentils and rice (pictured on on the appetizer basket below). Steamed with varying degrees of fluff, dipped in a hot, spicy Sambar and cool Coconut Chutney; warm, wet bites interspersed with comparing our answers for questions #42.

Someone says C, but I think the answer is A. A for Assorted Appetizer Basket, a plate of all things deep fried. The onion pakora could top a delicious veggie burger, the mixed vegetable pakora are pillowy fritters of orange and green. There is a samosa with peas and mashed potatoes encased in a chewy skin. The vada are new for me, dense, deep fried, savory lentil donuts.

5 Cocktail Uthappam is a platter of minis topped with variations on a theme; tomato, carrots, green onion. It comes with channa, a dense stew of chickpeas, a thicker, equally spice-ful variation on the sambar theme. I used to literally break this bread with my med school BFFs, and now a table full of residency BFFs break bread again. Same uthappam with the same camaraderie and warmth; the bonds of those who trudge the trenches together are not so easily cracked.

The Masala Dosa is a must. A crispy crepe with spiced mashed potatoes; what's not to like? Theirs is good, but the last dosa I had was made by my friend's mother, and I'm pretty sure her spices had crack in them because I still dream about her dosa. 

Still, I can always handle an extra dose of dosa, and I'm never had Paneer Burji Dosa before. The sweeter, milder Indian cottage cheese has a Tempurpedic pillow-y texture, filling but light.

The carnivores must have the Chicken Tikka Masala. It's a staple of the north, and it is textbook.

A sizzling platter of Tandoori Mix & Kebab is full of flavorful chicken, glowing red-hot next to thick chunks of spicy kebab.

The Kerala Special is new for me, and it is exceptional. The kerala chicken curry is spicy, an indescribable spice-mix in a savory curry. It fills every nook and cranny of the fluffy rice pancake it comes with.

The Bhindi Masala breaks up all that meat. The okra is stir-fried dry (in a good way), and the tomatoes suck out the slime.

Dessert is a round of take-home boxes. Like every south Indian I've ever known, they are very generous at Mayura. They dish it out, and they pile it on, and everyone at the table has a light lunch. Indian food tastes just as good the next day, as each cube of chicken soaks in all its spices. 

Unlike north India, south India is mostly vegetarian. You can stuff anything into a dosa, and they can cook a good chicken, but at Mayura you don't really need the meat. Every dish is will leave you wanting more, and if you've never had south Indian food, you really need to try it.

Hamakaze Sushi Izakaya - Los Angeles

We made it just in time for happy hour, but that may have been a mistake. Their sushi list looks legit, and you probably get what you pay for here. 

They do the basics well. The Seaweed Salad is cold and fresh, crisp and a little sweet. Textbook and much better than my picture makes it look.

The Agedashi Tofu simmers in a warm broth with a slow-to-sog tempura coat that keeps the tofu soft.

We didn't even pay for the Salmon Tartare; it's free for checking in on Yelp. The salmon is fresh, though I don't think it's raw. The ikura on top adds a refreshing touch to the mixture of mayo, and the cucumber is a genius cracker-substitute.

The Kick Ass Japanese Fries are just disappointing. They're home fries, and they are perfectly crisp and golden brown. There may have been a sprinkling of togarashi, but really, they are just chunks of potato. They are by no means bad, but it is really hard to get excited about cubes of potato, and I would love to know who got excited enough to call it "kick ass". 

The Aloha Roll is a preview to their sushi potential, and I wish I'd had the time and stomach space to explore it a little more. The crab and spicy tuna filling has a nice, though non-authentic balance, and the tuna on top is clearly quality.

What I think happened is that we ordered all the wrong stuff. We were in the mood for a light, simple dinner, and I don't think what we ordered truly reflected the potential of the place. Instead of a star rating, I think a thumbs-up placeholder is in order, at least until I can come back to try the sushi.

LA Smash Cakes - Los Angeles

I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Jenny in person yet, but she is clearly generous and fabulous. I did have the pleasure of sampling a "mini" cake creation, and it was amazing!

Think pinata. But instead of gaudy crepe-paper and small children who lack hand-eye coordination swinging weapons, there is a pretty chocolate dome. Smash it with the party-mallet provided, and all sorts of candy and treats spill forth.

There's no way your party doesn't need a cake like this, and LA Smash Cakes is awesome. I haven't found the right occasion yet, but my bachelorette party is right around the corner...

Cafe Piccolo - Long Beach

The food can't be good. I accept this fact from the moment I walk in because there is no way the food will be of any acceptable quality after they spent all their money on decorating. Cafe Piccolo is one of the restaurants I've seen, and even the minimalist beauty of icons like French Laundry can't compare to this indoor-outdoor paradise garden. The indoor area feels like Victorian living room, and because it's winter, the outdoor patio is greenhouse-d in clear walls so you can still eat in Eden-after-dark, by the quiet gurgling of a mini-waterfall. Patio umbrellas twinkle like stars, and a warm brick floor glows by the light of a hearth-y fire pit.

My eyes scan the menu, and I think it must be an elaborate prank. The prices are so reasonable, and each entree comes with a salad or a cup of soup. The Salad is a generous portion, with croutons, a standard dressing, and a couple of olives.

The Curry Lentil Soup is the best decision I've made all night. Hearty lentils swim in a thick broth with a light touch of curry, and a full-bodied flavor is rounded out by an accent of bay leaves.

The portions are just perfect, but we can't resist a Steamed Clams appetizer. The white wine caper sauce clings to the briny clams, adding a bright breath of boldness.

The clams are light, but I need something more substantial for an entree. That's when these dense ropes of al dente Black Linguine with Shrimp and Calamari hit my hunger hard. The pasta is among the best I've had, and the secret is in the saffron. The sauce is rich with pungent garlic soaked in butter, but it's the saffron that makes the cream sauce pop.

From sea to land, with a classic Linguine Carbonara. The proscuitto is thicker-cut and infuses the whole plate with bacon cream. 

When is too much cream too much? Never. The Coppa Mascarpone is like a whipped parfait, rich chocolate lightened by airy mascarpone, sweet tempered by an amaretto-cookie crunch. 

I love Long Beach because it's so full of surprises. Small slices of paradise tucked into all sorts of random corners and streets, just waiting to be discovered. Cafe Piccolo is a hidden gem for sure, and part of me hopes it stays that way so that I can always find a seat.