Hangari Bajirak Kalguksu - Los Angeles

"Jody! Ask for more daikon!"

"Jodyyyyy...more daikon!"

I refuse to be a pregnant woman asking for more pickles. But the pickles are so good. Kimchee is a classic, but in case you haven't realized, the daikon is awesome. Goes good with some barley-rice. 

Steamed Dumplings. No spice and an absolutely mind-blowing mix of ground meat and veg, a flavor that puts half of San Gabriel to shame. Dip in lots of vinegar to make the savor pop. 

Busan Milmyeon comes highly recommended. Cold on a hot day, full of chewy noodles in a beef-based broth that burns so good. 

You get a side of Spicy Pork Bulgogi full of pork so flavorful you'll regret not ordering the full-size portion. 

A steaming-hot soup to balance the cold. Manila Clam Kal Guk Su is savory like the sea, and the clams are fresh and tender.

Check out the precision on these knife cut noodles. The texture is out-of-this-world. 

I know so little about Korean food and I want to know so much more. I have a bestie who's well-versed in Thai and Filipino, but when it comes to K-town I'm lost. I'll keep wandering and wondering, though. I've never met a Korean dish I didn't like. 

Fatto a Mano - Redondo Beach

Italian pasta by Italians. Thanks for moving in, guys, I can finally say there's good Italian food in the beach cities. 

And it costs nothing. You're barely over $10 if you get a bowl of Gnocchi with Pesto. These are big couch cushion-sized, and they're cohesive and smooth. A fresh pesto clings to every surface.

A sweeter tomato and a savory, moist meat pile on the Linguine. Their Bolognese is bomb. 

Pizza by the slab, Roman style. One of these slices can be a meal, they're so rich and filling. The Gustosa has a thin layer of shaved potatoes, fragrant with rosemary, creamy with fontina and pecorino. No sharp sauces, just comfort-carbs on carbs. 

Cacio e Pepe is a sauce they won't deliver, but try it with pecorino and mozzarella on a base of yeasty dough instead. It's cream for days, just cream and some soothing cheese. 

This may be the best take-out I've ever had, but I think I'm missing out by not sitting down inside. I'll be back soon: There's a carbonara that looks to die for and a slice of sausage pizza screaming my name. 

Ginger's Divine Ice Creams - Culver City

You can make a meal out of Ginger's, and that's exactly what I did. 

Who needs a rice bowl when you have a waffle bowl with half-scoops of Campfire Marshmallow and Burnt Sugar Vanilla? The marshmallow tastes like campfire embers, and the vanilla has sugar tracks. 

Find a friend to share with. They have too many can't-go-wrong options, and even their vegan selection is extensive. This bucket of half-scoops is packed with something chocolate and rich, a milky Cookies and Cream, and a ripe creamsicle of Farmer's Market Strawberry. 

Take some to go. It's guaranteed to make you smile and feel better about life no matter what you do and where you go. And get a brownie while you're at it. They're moist and perfect for soaking up a sundae. 

Kin Khao - San Francisco, CA

I came to SF with a bunch of recs, but trying to eat here is hard. It's a food mecca for sure, but you have to wade through the sea of overpriced Michelin monarchs to find something affordable that doesn't require a 11:59 PM login for a reservation 3 months in advance. 

Kin Khao will give you that quality without the hassle at lunchtime, reasonably-priced, elevated Thai food that doesn't lose its colorful flavor profile despite the top-notch ingredients. 

The Som Tum Papaya Salad is a an underrated starter. The strips of papaya are julienned into perfect, even strips. The surface areas is spread with a mix of spicy chili that bites, cool lime to refresh, and a mildly funky fish sauce, all of which soak thoroughly into each shred. 

The Pretty Hot Wings have a little burn, but they're bearable even for a spice novice. The fish sauce sweetens the sriracha, the garlic adds some punch, and the hint of tamarind brings the acid. Add a Thai tea if you need to wash it down. 

Eat your vegetables. The Stir-Fried Choy Sum is light and white with garlic and barely soy for salinity. 

We will try the entrees. All the entrees. 

Khao Mun Gai, is a THainan chicken, juicy slices blanched and poached. I never did get the cult following behind this chicken, but with a perky sauce and a bed of addict-making rice in chicken fat, I can see where they're coming from. 

Yaowaraj Noodle is named after a Bangkok Chinatown street. It's a drunken noodle, stir-fried with chicken and egg. The XO sauce is the seasoning, and you can adjust the side of chili-soak to your level of desired pain.

The Khao Soi is my favorite. I love that deep, warm curry. The chicken is warm, the broth finish just a little sweet, balanced by pickled mustard greens, all clinging to ropy egg noodles. 

I didn't expect to be blown away by some noodles and wings, but I'm guessing Michelin didn't either. If this is lunch, I'll have to come back for dinner. 

Teuscher Chocolate - San Francisco, CA

For the price of an inexpensive lunch, you too can indulge in a few pieces of Swiss luxury. Turns out, the watches aren’t the only thing from that country to fetch a price.

My favorite is the Florentine, a nutty dark chocolate cracker, fine flakes of almonds and hazelnut.

The Orange Slices are candied and gooey, and I love the half-dip. But I would have been happy with just that one orange slice...or 50.

The Honeycrunch is a nugget of crushed almonds and hazelnuts. There's a hint of honey, but I wouldn't have minded more. The chocolate is just so perfect though. 

Switzerland. Known for neutrality, covered in luxury, and these creamy, smooth little masterpieces are sure to keep the peace. Very pricey and NOT a regular indulgence, but worth a treat yo'self or a gift for someone you really, REALLY like.  

Waterbar - San Francisco, CA

They had me at dollar oysters. And I thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone else eat them. 

Actually, that really sucked because they were clearly amazing. But I did get the Oven Baked Oysters as a consolation prize, and they were actually amazing. The first cooked oysters I've actually liked since French Laundry. These oysters keep the flavor, and the texture stays tender instead of going to mush. The garlic butter highlights the sweeter notes, and you can't go wrong with some parsley and bacon. 

I think they called this giant thing a pancake. It's a mountain of fluff, and an order comes with two. Split this one if it's what you're feeling. A person can only eat so much dough. The stone fruit is great, though, and it fills a craving for the breakfast side of brunch. 

The oysters are fantastic, and the view is hard to beat. I'll come back when I can eat more seafood and I imagine I'll like it a whole lot better. They make good food - I just wish I could have tried more of their specialties.

Angelini Osteria - Los Angeles

It's a small dining room, and it's packed every night. Impossible to get a reservation at a decent hour, and I've been trying to months. 

It's still light out at 6:30 PM when we sit down, but I'm just happy it's not 9 PM. We munch on crisps over some complimentary starters: a briny cold salmon with pickled red onions and soft raisins and a neutral, hearty farro with peas. 

The Polipo is amazing. The octopus is tender with gooey, grill-curled edges, cocooned in crisp arugula to add a peppery spice.   

The Roasted Veal Bone Marrow is possibly the best thing I've had this year. I don't know if it's how they make it or if the veal marrow simply concentrates the savor, but this buttery trough of fatty decadence packs so much flavor. There's a pillow of asparagus and saffron gnocchetti beneath, like gnocchi ripped to shreds, a bed of textured, saucy bits in aged balsamic.

The appetizers are blow-you-away quality, but the pastas leave me rather meh. We're spoiled by the effortless al dentes of Pasta Sisters and casual counters of Jon & Vinny's, and Felix Trattoria rules them all. It says something about the depth of noodle-making in LA when I can take a bite of Linguine with Santa Barbara sea urchin with a shrug. The pasta is flawless, but the sauce is a bit more harsh brine than I like, and that's saying something. The garlic roughs up the edges instead of smoothing them out, and the seafoam sting finishes rather harshly. 

The problem with all Potato Gnocchi is that although they are delicious little pillows, I've never had a gnocchi reach the depth of other pastas, like chewy ribbons of pappardelle or sauce-clinging spirals of fusili. Their gnocchi is great, and I do love lobster, but the sauce is just a basic tomato, and it overshadows the more delicate flavors of lobster. 

We skipped dessert in favor of Milk, which sits conveniently across the street, and that says something about our experience at Angelini. The apps are great, but at this price and with this much hype, I expected a whole lot more. Nothing bad, and service is impeccable, but there are too many favorites to return to and too many newer, better places to try.