Brenda's French Soul Food - San Francisco, CA

When you go to SF, your aim is to check out the city. Walking to Brenda's will give you an opportunity to check out the entire city. A walk through the Tenderloin is eye-opening, even in the harshest light of day, and that is the only time I would ever recommend not taking a cab. 

It's worth the walk or drive. Brenda's serves all sorts of comfort food with southern sass and Cajun flair. Just come hungry because all their food is incredibly rich. 

Start with a Beignet Flight if you can't decide. They're mostly sweet, but they'll work as an app or sub for a main, and they'll do just fine for dessert as well. The Crawfish is their most unique, a mildly spicy, gooey-cheese mix with a few tender tails. The Plain is a fluffy classic - sometimes simplicity is the sweetest. The Chocolate is rich, dripping with a filling of molten Ghiradelli chocolate - save this one for last. The Granny Smith Apple might be my fave, it's like a buttery apple turnover inside a hollowed-out fritter. 

Shrimp & Grits, the slightly grainy, butter-and-cheese tradition, topped with fresh pan-kissed shrimp. There's a tomato-bacon gravy that pulls it all together. The texture is more like a warm salsa than a goopy gravy, and the acid from the tomato brightens things up a bit.

You don't need it, but a Sweet Watermelon House Tea is a surprisingly light sip to break up the heavy bites. The watermelon dilutes the sweet tea so it's not the same sugar-rush as the traditional supersaturated southern tea. That said, I might prefer the sugar rush sometimes.

I'm not sure I'd go back to Brenda's but only because SF has so many other options I'd rarely visit the same place twice. But if you're in the neighborhood or have the hankering, Brenda's is worth at least one visit.

Chong Qing Xiao Mian - San Francisco, CA

The food is hot and the portions are huge. Share the pain if you wish to survive but if you do not, take comfort for death is delicious.

The apps are alright but the noodles are the main event. Nibble on some Szechuan Style Mouth Watering Chicken if you so choose, but know that there's not much meat. You're mostly gnawing tidbits off chicken bones which can be a lot of work if you're trying to keep your fingers clean. The leftovers are a lot better when you let them soak all night.

The Bean Jello in Red Chili Sauce, a staple of the south. Again, they need some serious marination. The sauce just slides right off, and there's no discernible flavor in the jelly cubes.

If you're wanting something hearty and some grease to offset the spice, the House Special Crispy Pig Feet have a lot of grease, and they're a bit over-fried so they end to be tough and dry. 

Their Chongqing Hot Numbing Spicy Noodle is their namesake signaturem, a flaming bowl of al dente noodles and cabbage. 

The Spicy Beef Noodle Soup is a sweeter, more savory broth, with tender chunks of tendinous beef. 

Read the fine print and ask for your food to be made less spicy if you're new to southern China spice or if you haven't spent the past decade snacking on Carolina reaper. That said, we didn't heed their warnings but the suffering was pretty sweet. The noodles have flavorful broths, made to delight, not just to damage...No pain no gain. I'm glad I had the experience, but I would probably pick a place with better apps. 

Dim Sum Bistro - San Francisco, CA

I've been to every Chinatown in every city, but there's never been one like this. The streets are wall-to-wall storefronts, little stalls selling fresh fruit, veggies, dried goods, and all sorts of take-away. It's all rather condensed, but if you didn't tell me where I was, I could be made to believe I was anywhere in China. 

Dim sum is a dime-a-dozen during the day. We mostly stumbled into Dim Sum Bistro because they at least have some seating. Small tables, some shared, but if you get the Shrimp and Chive Dumplings you wont' care about the seating. These crystal wrappers are study and thick, and they have the absolute best chewy texture. The Shrimp Hargow are just as good, and these classic Shumai carry a porky heft that leaves you food-coma full.

The Turnip Cake is on the lighter, more neutral side. It's among the better cheap ones. Skip the Pot Stickers. The filling is just okay. 

Sesame Balls and Peanut Mochi make the best desserts. There's a fluffy and light slab of rice cake too if you're looking for a less sweet and mildly salty mix. 

No basis for comparison, mostly praises for Asian brunch. I'd come back just for those shrimp and chive dumplings, even if it's the only place I ever see in Chinatown.  

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee - Torrance

I will have all the donuts. 

Starting with the Sidecar Classic 6-Pack to sample all their signatures. The basics are a sure bet; a classic Old Fashion topped with a sugary glaze, and a lighter Butter & Salt.

Every day is like a birthday if you grab a Birthday Cake.

But if it’s my birthday I’d rather have some savory bacon bits tapping into a glaze of sweet maple syrup. This Maple Bacon is my fave.

They pack a berry bright summer into the Huckleberry donut.

And the Saigon Cinnamon Crumb has a sweet and crumbly crust.

October brings a Trick or Treat Yo'self Sampler. They have Halloween Cake which is birthday cake with black and orange sprinkles. The Pumpkin Pie & Everything Spice is amazing, and I can't enough of this fluffy donut in pumpkin glaze. The mascarpone pumpkin mousse on top makes it taste like a pumpkin spice latte solid form. I LOVE that Spiced Apple Cider too. The donut itself is full of apple chunks, and the surrounding batter tastes like cider.

They also throw in a Maple Bacon because it's awesome. The Choc-A-Lot is heavy classic that looks and tastes like a moist and decadent bundt. There's also a Manila Vanilla Sweet Potato that's so simple yet so satisfying, just a buttery cake of comfort food.

Aside from Honda and Toyota, Sidecar may be the best thing that's ever come to Torrance. Serving Bernie Botts every flavor donuts, it's hard not to get hooked on their creative flavors and flawless execution!

Saddle Peak Lodge UPDATE - Calabasas

It's a Calabasa classic. A hunting lodge tucked into the canyons guarantees a breathtaking sunset drive. 

Start with a warm amuse of vegetable bisque. The texture is creamy, but it's light enough to just whet the appetite. 

The reward is as pretty as the journey. Order the Cast Iron Johnnycake first - it's made to order so it takes a little longer to bake. It's cornmeal and so much butter, melty maple-y butter, fluffy and filling. 

There's a decadent Mushrooms & Bone Marrow, a sanguine red wine reduction encases strips of tender mushrooms and emphasizes popping bubbles of marrow sandwiched in a flaky, buttery puff pastry.

A vegetable is a much-needed cool-down as these Brussel Sprouts break up the protein and carbs, crisp and bitter with vinegar to cut the salt and savor.

The Chef's Game Trio is perfect for splitting, especially when you fill up on apps like we did. There's a serious emu strip, dense and miraculously not dry despite the lack of fat. The braised bison short rib talks a big game as it falls off the bone. The Elk Tenderloin is the best of the bunch, hearty flavors smooth and tender with a hint of tart cherry. 

There's a reason the classics are the classics. Saddle Peak Lodge's traditional-with-a-twist menu and intimate, good-time-for-all ambiance will stand the test of time. It's a bit far for pretty much everyone, but it's worth a visit year after year. I just hope the sea bass is still there for me to try next year. 

Ji Rong Peking Duck - Rosemead

Order your Peking Duck in advance. 

It's not cheap, but you won't regret a single bite of that skin. It's crispy, airy, melt-in-your-mouth-on impact, and it's not just on the breast, it's an entire duck of SKIN! The meat is tender, and the fatty oils keep it not so dense. Wrap it up with pancakes and add pinches of onion, hoisin, and cukes. They have the duck bone soup with an optional extra charge as well if you're into it. 

The menu is as comprehensive as it is versatile. Plenty of apps, and we start with duck parts as a preview. The Spicy Duck Heart & Gizzard is a cold dish with a kick. Lots of texture, both chewy and tender. I'd probably try something else next time, but I do love me some offal. 

Eat your vegetables. Sauteed Pea Shoots are garlicky and green, refreshing between bites of juice-dripping duck. 

The Shredded Potato with Jalapeno is another lighter dish, and the pepper sting makes you eat a little more. 

I leave satisfied and I depart disappointed. This menu is a collection of literally every delicious thing I've eaten in China, and the two of us just couldn't handle more. Go with a group so you can try a few more mains. Lamb skewers and a house special pancake are next on my list, but only if I can get past the lobster and hot and spicy fish.