Brodard Chateau - Garden Grove

At a far fancier iteration of the original, the legend of Brodard lives on. Resembling a modern-day Disney-fairy-meets-Little-Saigon castle, this rather rich rendition retains its place in Vietnamese food-royalty. 

They make Spring Rolls aplenty with every imaginable filling, but there's no need to stray from the glorious grilled pork. Tender, meaty, patty-pork lays parallel to fresh-fried crunchy bits with cool carrots and cucumber and uplifting leaves of mint. Dip into a warm goopy sauce, nay, gravy, with an aroma of orange for a combination of just perfection. The grilled shrimp seem the most similar if you don't prefer pork, and the others look quite good, but there is something powerful about the original that you really need to try. 

Chicken Satay is a please-all appetizer, and these skewers feature tender meat with a thorough spice. Dip in a creamy peanut sauce or drench with leftover spring roll sauce for maximum enjoyment. 

Banh Xeo is a gorgeous, glow-yellow crepe with a fried-mochi crunch. Shrimp and pork are a savory stuffer. Wrap in lettuce and add fragrant leaves and fish sauce. 

Grilled Prawns & Mango Salad was a must - the picture was so pretty. Mine does it no justice, but do note the chunks of fried mochi that accompany these jumbo prawns and sweet shreds of cabbage and mango. 

Tiger Prawns & Garlic Noodle are not the prettiest presentation, but god, those noodles are GOOD. A addicting almost-creamy coating of garlic catches a tinge of wok-char, making the prawns, though delicious, seem like an afterthought. 

Traditional Chicken Curry is a deep yellow/Massaman-like gravy-soup with chunks of incredibly flavorful dark meat, stewing with a few potatoes. Get it with a side of baguette and use their super-soft and chewy bread to sop up the slurry. 

Shaken Beef is the tenderest you'll ever have, with chunks of filet that release their rivers of juice. Eat that salty, sticky soy sauce over a bowl of rice for maximum flavor. 

Macarons to go are a must, and their range of flavors is impressive. Ranging from festive fruits like lychee, strawberry, passionfruit, and mango, to fun Fruity Pebbles and richer sensations like pistachio, espresso, chocolate, and salted caramel, it's worth buying a box and trying to guess the flavors. 

Eat anything at Brodard, and try to eat everything once. It's done so right and done so well, there's no way you won't love every bite.

Curry Express by Midoh - Torrance

Another gem hidden among the Torrance powerhouses, a humble little pick-up place cranking out bowls of hot, sweet and earthy Japanese curry. 

I've only tried it mild, but you don't need the heat to feel the flavor. The texture is gravy-thick and runny-smooth, and it works with any topping. 

Don't worry, they have everything you can think of. You have to try the hashed beef, it's tender, flavorful shredded slices, and the beef tongue is nice as well. A bit tougher than the hash, but no less of a meaty marvel. 

Katsu is always a win. 

Menchi is extra munchy, a crunchy cover with a juicy, extra-tender patty underneath. 

Mackerel tastes like fresh fish, no bones, just moist meat with panko, 

and if you want a good veggie, the Eggplant is right on. 

You have to look closely to find it, but no one puts curry in the corner. You'll see it across from the Daiso, right next to Bistro Beaux. Swing through for a quick dinner, call ahead if you just can't wait. The people are polite and pleasant, and it's just a lovely way to lunch. 

Sakae Sushi - Gardena

Sakae makes super-sushi, and it's the best thing I've seen all year. 

It's Kyoto-style or Korean-style pressed sushi and giant, super-stuffed savory-sweet-pickled rolls. The rice is right on, and they're not shy about the vinegar. It makes the sweetness of the al dente Inari swell and brings out the brine in the Mackerel. I hate mackerel, but I love how they make it here. Slices of Ebi are tender and fresh, and they contrast the gooey, ripe avocado in the best California Roll you'll ever eat. Tamago-maki is topped with firm slices of sweet egg, filled with savory spinach and shiitake with a healthy hint of pickled gourd. Nori-Maki is the same stuff wrapped in nori, and I can't decide which one I love more. 

Limited selection, everything cooked, pretty and packaged into a traditional box with string and paper. Sounds simple, but there is something about the freshness, the quality, and the attention to detail, where every ingredient does a job, that makes it truly exceptional. Pick-up only, cash-only, call in advance. Sounds inconvenient, but believe me, you'll keep calling. 

Eatalian - Gardena

LA has its Eataly, but you go to Gardena for Eatalian. Fast casual, the food tastes fast-casual. 

The EnjoEat Pizza is a chewy thin-crust, and those gorgeous sheets of meaty bresaola accented with arugula and nutty parm make the most of this otherwise simple pie. Crust is good, toppings are great, not sure if the amount of bragging they do is abrasive, but either way, I'll eat. 

Tagliatelli is a solid pasta in a savory beef and pork ragu.

They make a great Crostata, prettier than this plate would suggest. Raspberry is fruity and sweet like a jam, and nutella can do no wrong. 

Super casual and super fun, great for kids to eat cafeteria-style or for take-out. It's not the South Bay's best Italian, and there's nothing fancy about it, but when I want to eat Italian, I'd be okay with eating Eatalian. 

Wadatsumi UPDATE - Torrance

When you get take-out, Wadatsumi will wow. When you choose to dine in, Wadatsumi is a wow-wow-WOW.

Of their murky-dark Curry with crunchy katsu, we can't get enough. It's rich on the rice and the very definition of cozy comfort, if such a sensation had a flavor. 

They've been having a Beef Tongue Bowl among their specials, and there is nothing like mixing a runny egg with thin, tender slices of tongue and a slick and slimy tororo to coat. 

A lunch set Sashimi covers all the cuts, from sweet salmon and surf clam to tuna both meaty and seared. 

Splurge on a tongue-tingling Toro Bowl, it's like tuna-butter soup seeping into a bed of rice, and there's even some chopped with scallion on the other side. 

Wadatsumi will take you on a wild ride whenever you visit, and I can't stop salivating at the thought. Its high-quality, good-quantity, Japanese cuisine's finest hits are synonymous with the word wow, and I can't say it enough, but wow-wow-WOW. 

Fishing with Dynamite UPDATE - Manhattan Beach

It's a warm winter Valentine's day on their parking-spot patio, and the sea breeze blows through the sides. It's a tasting menu for all at this time, with all of the dishes incredible. 

A Japanese Hamachi Sashimi to start, a pearly pink cut cooking in a cool citrus ponzu. Avocado adds to the smooth, buttery texture, and the subtle sweetness contrasts a kick of chile. 

Atlantic Salmon Tartare soaks in a subtle sauce which whispers with ginger and pear. Perfect dip for chips, and they serve it with giant fried wonton.

We splurge for the SS Minnow, but there's plenty of food on the tasting menu alone. Unnecessary but unregrettable, the butter-brine west coast oysters are a spectacular slurp. Clams taste like a salty, tender sea, and the PEI mussels make a sweet-y, meaty middle, the perfect transition to succulent shrimp and lobster. 

Service stops at this point, and I'm none too pleased. We're in no hurry, but the lag between apps and entrees and the blank stare when we ask leaves us on a sour note. 

We eventually receive the Pan Roasted Pacific Striped Bass. The skin is super crisp, and the fish is pure perfection. Topping a sweet potato, tempered by a sharper swiss chard, this dish is one of the best fish entrees I've had this year.  

Steamed Purple Clams and Salt Spring Island Mussels sizzle in a spicy tomato soup with fatty bits of chorizo for flavor. A spear of baguette is spread with a rich aioli, make for soaking in sauce. 

They still make the best Key Lime Pie, a tart filling beneath a magical meringue and above a crumbly graham cracker crust. 

The Chocolate Praline Bar is a rich chocolate crunch, a hunk mousse-y chocolate with hints of hazelnut. Little dots of pear butter add a little floral fruit, and the ice cream cools it down. 

I don't want to say it, but we never recovered from being forgotten. The parking meters are strictly policed in this part of town, and one of us had to leave the table early while the other person paid. It's a long time to be waiting at lunch, and it's terrible to feel forgotten at a place of this caliber. The food is still fantastic, and I'll still be back for more, but it's worth mentioning that this visit didn't go well at a place that's usually the total package.

N Cafe - Gardena

I've been curious for a while. A head chef from Venice legend Chaya defects for Japanese fusion in Gardena must be a headliner, and I must try the dishes that come from those hands. 

I'm starting with a Salad, though this seared ahi may not be the most fresh. Lovely mixed greens, a perky soy ginger dressing, this menu seems set for success. 

And what's not to like? Japanese and American and Japanese-American staples, this Fried Chicken Breast and Curry can do no wrong. The breading layer is thick so the crunch is real against a confident curry (not shown, obv). 

Penne Bolognese is rich and tomato-smooth with meat and little button mushrooms, and I just dig this savory sauce. 

Less successful is the Mentai Butter Spaghetti, with not much butter and a distinctly fishy taste from the roe and rubbery squid. Would not get this again. 

Overall, a great success. Satisfying meals and a solid rendition of so many staples. Next time I need a lovely lunch and a nice dinner, I'd definitely consider N Cafe. 

Sushi Tama - Los Angeles

There are some parts of LA I will make any excuse to visit, but the neighborhood that houses Sushi Tama isn't it. Overpriced Kitson's shares street space with the likes of Chanel and Christian Dior, and it's all a pretentious mess of a concrete jungle. 

Enter Sushi Tama and get a slightly different vibe. A sleek sushi counter, with its starkly beautiful minimalism, houses a humbly skillful chef. A veteran of Tsukiji, he knows his fish, and in a carefully curated Omakase, it shows. 

It's $150 for omakase lunch if you're sitting at the counter, but it's a measly $100 at a table. The devil's in the details - it comes down to whose hands will shape your sushi. Whether there's a difference, I'll never know, but there's plenty to be said about the experience. Seeing the meticulous pinches and subtle flourish is something that can't be bought, and for that I can afford the extra 50%. 

A plate of sashimi starts things off. Amberjack is creamy and buttery, and the Scallop is a cold, thready silk. Bluefin Tuna is a meaty melt.

I'm new to Herring Roe, but I like it. A dash of dashi with a flash of fish from fine bonito flakes, they have a firm texture and burst a bit like pop rocks. 

 

Wild Halibut sheds a thick kombu shroud and finishes sticky and gooey with an earthy fragrance that lingers slightly bitter. 

Sushi starts with a gooey-meat Horse Mackerel,

 

and a delicate rose-petal Red Snapper.

Striped Jack is lighter and brighter, and I felt he was heavy-handed with the rice. The more delicate flavors of these first three pieces were overshadowed by the sweetness of the rice. 

Medium Fatty Tuna is the taste of tuna with drops of oily fat to make it rich. 

Hokkaido Uni lingers, briny and sweet.

It's a preview for a skewer of Fatty Tuna blow-torched for a smoky crust. Each bit drips with juice, rivulets of liquid meat. Dip in yuzu pepper for a spicy sizzle.

Sushi resumes with a Halibut Fin, this one with a springy, chewy texture that tastes exciting. 

Marinated Mackerel is a vinegar wake-up after so many pieces of fatty and smooth.

Seared Sea Perch is another blow-torch beauty, a sweet and silky piece. 

A5 Wagyu is the last of the sushi, liquid beef that tastes just as tender as any fish. 

A Toro Hand Roll wraps up the bar bites with finely chopped pieces of fishy fat. 

And Miso Soup makes you feel better about all you've consumed. 

Dessert is a milky matcha Mochi, a refresher for the road. 

It's a roller coaster of an omakase, and I mean that in the best way possible. The chef will take your tastebuds for a ride, alternating between cool and collected, escalating to the truly intense and thrilling you with more creative courses. The sushi here is spectacular, the counter experience worth its weight.