Destroyer - Culver City

Destroyer does exist! It's impossible to get to if you're not working a 9-5 in the neighborhood, but for once, it fails to allude me on a few-and-far-between Tuesday off. 

I have no idea what to expect. What exactly is Nordic fare anyway? If these bowls are any indication, it's when someone goes out with a fancy bowl and scoops up a chunk of tundra. 

Rustic greens grow like lichens atop the steamy Chicken Confit. Smooth hierloom grits grasp the juices as they spill from a juicy chicken confit. Spigarello adds an earthiness alongside the tartness of roasted summer strawberry. 

There is something about this bowl. The steamy grits, the plush chicken, the splayed strawberries, shrouded in a mysterious layer of foliage...I never thought I could call a bowl sexy, but the chicken confit is a first. 

The seductiveness doesn't end. A smoky Beef Tartare is slick with smoked egg cream. It's got game, and a firm pickled mushroom adds a little acid. Radish sprouts spring from the tartare terrain, and every bite is beefy bliss.

The dessert pastries vary, and they sell out fast. This Jam Bar is my jam; not too sweet and not too tart and tastes like strawberry with a hint of rhubarb. It's like a baked fig newton but so much better. 

A flaky Croissant hits a sweet spot with a hint of a nutty paste. It tastes like pistachio and has a texture like silk inside a pastry cocoon.

The critics were right about one thing: Destroyer is undoubtedly different. Those looking for a traditional lunch will hate it, but Destroyer's unconventionality is its strongest feature, and the menu is a myriad of delectable dishes to back it up. Embrace the unfamiliar at Destroyer; I don't think it'll ever get old.

Lasa - Los Angeles

I don’t know much about Filipino cuisine, but I love my limited exposure, which consists of whatever the nurses at county made on Doctor’s Day...and Lasa. It’s a heavy cuisine, full of sauces, fats, and starch, usually in a colorful array, so many textures, colors, temperatures that collaborate and contrast like a palatal opera. 

A fizz-tastic Green Mango Soda starts things off, a not-so-sweet carbonated concoction that tunes up the palate and cleanses it between courses.

The Inasal Skewers are strong, a bold leap into the unfamiliar for me. The tender, chewy texture of chicken gizzards reverberates with the savor of meat laced with ginger in a dark annatto marinade, and sukang sili vinegar sings soprano with bold notes of acid.

My favorite dish is the Rockfish Kinilaw, but it's definitely not for everyone. I'm told it's a Filipino ceviche, but that won't prepare you for patis. Ah, patis. The Chinese have a version of this, but the one here is on steroids. A pungent, punch-in-the-throat fish sauce that tastes like a velvety baritone. It starts so smooth, but it sneaks up from behind to deliver the ultimate sucker-punch, and even the anger-issue cucumbers (i.e. smashed), smooth avocado, and usually neutral watermelon radishes are no match for this patis.

The Inihaw Na Hipon is a bit of a break from the novel and the foreign, a bit whitewashed for the guests who can't handle the strong stuff. It's neutral, like a song someone would play at a garden party, and unobtrusive, nonintrusive, aesthetically pleasing array of blandly-grilled shrimp on sticks. Fried shrimp heads are the best, but these heads need to be better fried. The shell was a bit painful to chew in several places, and I ended up spitting a few pieces out. 

Of the entrees, the Twice Cooked Pork Belly is the table's favorite, and it's hardly fair. There's a giant slab of juicy, crispy-on-the-outside belly that releases rivers of fat-juice. Smokey eggplant puree and fresh summer squash are embittered by ampalaya powder, a healthy contrast to all that fabulous fat. 

The Surf & Turf is an interesting interpretation. I've never had longanisa before so I don't really have a basis of comparison, but I do like it. The filling is gentler than I expected, lightly spicy and lightly spiced. I do wish they had done something more with the octopus, though. 

The Lumpia Sariwa hits a sour note with me. I HATE any food that's been deconstructed. The sauteed mix of peanut-sour cabbage, root vegetables, etc are a delicious hot mess, but not putting it together changes a spring roll into a fall-apart salad. Other than the crepe getting soggy, it really does taste good, but deconstructing is like taking something someone else made and not being bothered to put it back together when you're done, and most people don't appreciate that.

The dessert menu is promising...so we ordered it. All of it. The Market Fruit Ginataan is a less sweet and likable lighter option, coconut cream with peaches and tapioca.

You can't go wrong with Condensed Milk Ice Cream with a coat of black sesame polvoron, and this one probably the best dessert in Far East Plaza, even with Scoops only ten feet away.

The Kesong Puti Fritters are the underdog a mix that sounds like it could be exceptional...or an exceptional disaster. The fritters are fine, like a firmer beignet from NoLa, and the salted duck egg custard is a brilliantly creative topcoat, a sandy icing of yolk and salt.

I like Lasa. I don't love Lasa, but I like it. The food has potential, and I see definite glimpses of genius despite what little I know about the cuisine. I would eat here again in a heartbeat, just to experience the full variety that they have to offer, and maybe next time, they'll have ironed out the kinks.

Ten Ren's Tea Time - Los Angeles

Bobaaaaaa! Chewy little Chinatown pearls, black tea, green tea, milk tea, peach tea, every kind of tea you can dream of, all under one tea-shop roof.

There's a robust Oolong, softened with milk and sweetened by honey, and a premium Honey Crysanthemun, beautiful and floral, and worth every penny for the extra 25 cents. 

Ten Ren's has made itself a staple in the Far East Plaza. An ideal cool-down for a hot day or a warm comfort on a cold one, boba is the perfect filler for an afternoon snack or a time-killer as you wait in line for Howlin' Ray's. 

Pasta Sisters - Culver City

We are living in dangerous times. In a world where Silicon Valley pays $60 per gallon for sewage, and man-buns freely walk the streets, nothing is certain anymore. 

Aside from dodging the occasional hipster and pretending a 2 year-old with a cell phone is the norm, I get by pretty well. But a new danger has descended upon me, one I was not prepared to face. Pasta Sisters has opened a Culver City location, and I am lost. There is no cure for this addiction affliction, now that some of LA's best pasta is a reasonable drive away. 

I wanted to try some new dishes here, but I can't. The Gnocchi with Pesto is a plate of potato pillows, and nothing suits it better than basil puree. The pesto is colorful, and a plethora of extras round out the flavor. The pine nuts add a little sweet, pecorino is the cream, parmigiano is the salt, and garlic gives it a gentle kick.

Ribbons of Pappardelle are the lap of luxury for the off-menu Black Truffle Sauce. The robust and creamy finish folds itself into the pasta, an assertive decadence that never gets old. 

And what better way to wash it all down than with Italian soda? The Chinotto is a dark sugarcane and has a bitter finish. I prefer the Gazzosa, which is a better club soda with a splash of sugar and lemon. 

The favorites are still my favorites, but this time, the Spaghetti with Bottarga joins their ranks. Flakes of dry Sardinian mullet roe in olive oil cling to columns of spaghetti. There is a salty, fishy finish, absolutely irresistible for lovers of the sea.

There will be a next time for the bottarga, and between that and the truffle sauce, I'll be back for more. I can't get over the quality and affordability of the pasta here, and the convenient location is only more motivation to go. I once said that Pasta Sisters makes the best pasta in LA, but that has changed. They now make the best pasta in LA AND the greater LA area!

Kansha Creamery - Gardena

Two minutes before opening time and I already can't get in the door. The crowd has already gathered, and the line snakes as people try to fit inside. The store is small, chic is its bare-minimum, immaculate beyond reproach. 

This week's flavors are recognizable, and all are delightful. I sample the Pistachio Ripple, the least sweet flavor of the day. The milk ice cream bolsters a savory-side nut n' butter, and I fully support the swirl.

The Malted Salted Caramel is a beloved favorite, creamy caramel, salt highlighting sweet, and the malt adds some oomph.

The Mr. Universal and Lupicia Select Matcha are my faves - can't argue with crunchy caramel and oatmeal cookies in milk. The matcha is a green tea flavor, the likes of which I've never seen. The flavor is full-on, creamy and sugary but so decidedly tea that it saturates the senses.

Good stuff. A dynamic first impression, a lasting memory of a glimpse of greatness. A single visit, and it's obvious why they sell out within a couple hours. They satisfy and satiate, impress and excite. The only thing they leave me wanting for is a branch closer to my house.

Pho Hong Long - Gardena

I hate to admit this; but I've never had good pho. All the broths I've tried are thin and forgettable, and it's a torturous taste, like a sneak preview to the unique powers of star anise, but a preview that barely scratches the surface.

Enter Pho Hong Long, recommended by my Vietnamese twin. Here they do the pho, and here they do it better.

The #19 Pho Tai Gan Sach is my usual, tender raw beef that cooks juicy-pink in the steaming broth, and my go-to mystery-meats, the soft tendon and tendrils of chewy tripe. The broth here is thick, a little bit creamy and cloudy with a deeper savory edge that tastes a lot more like tails, bone, and msg.

The #22 Pho Tai Gau is another fun choice with raw beef and fall-apart fat brisket.

This is more like it. I have yet to unlock the full power of pho, but at least I have an idea of how it's supposed to taste. Pho Hong Long is a definite step in the right direction, and it's worth the extra steps to Gardena.

Bettolino Kitchen UPDATE - Redondo Beach

I was NOT a fan of Bettolino Kitchen the first time I came. It remains nowhere near my favorite Italian restaurant, but I must admit, my second experience is one of significant redemption.

The Ricotta Di Miele is a gentle start. The ricotta cheese is creamy, and local honey adds a little extra. Unfortunately, the pears are a theoretical pairing. A juicy sun-kissed fruit always meshes well with honey and cheese, but these pears didn't have much flavor. This dish also comes with a superfluous semi-cracker crostini. Nothing wrong with it, but why bother when their complimentary bread is some of the best I've had? 

The Scampi Con Polenta makes a bigger statement. The shrimp are succulent and fresh, soft against a grainy grilled polenta. The lake of parmesan fonduta is the best part; gooey, rich, and cheesy, fun for drinking...or dipping bread if you're feeling a bit more civilized.

Handmade pasta always has my admiration, and the ropy ebony of the Squid Ink Tagliolini is a lovely al dente. They have more of that awesome-sauce shrimp on top, though I wish they'd take it easy on the sauce. The pesto is an ocean, in which the pasta almost drowns. I'm always down for some basil, but cutting back to a gentle coat would give the pasta a chance to shine.

The entree is less likable. The Capesante Alla Sardegna has scallops grilled just fine, but they're not a stand-out. I could have done without the noncontributory red pepper sauce, and the couscous and asparagus are blander afterthoughts.

The Salted Caramel Semifreddo turns salted caramel mousse into the texture of a flaky shavings, like a gelato-icing love child. This one is like a slice of cake but lighter, and though it is faultless, I'd rather spend the money on something better.

Barely endearing and far from the best, but Bettolino Kitchen is growing. Their menu seems to have worked out a lot of kinks despite the awkward and disjointed, however polite, service. It's not quite smooth sailing here yet, but if they continue to get better, they may start to grow on me.