Bread Head - Manhattan Beach

I may not love the location, but I do love the story. A pair of new parents needed a work-life balance that their fine dining careers would have forced them to forgo, and their solution was sandwiches. 

Great bread, this thin and airy, beautifully crispy focaccia, so good the filling almost doesn't matter. 

Get the Combo Grinder but be sure to eat it fast. The dressing seeps into the bottom bread and soaks it through in minutes. The meats are  reminiscent of BCD's claim-to-fame Godmother in their tenderness and smooth texture, but I like their balance better. The salty salami, punchy hot coppa and smooth smoked ham just pop a little bit more, and the fixins are just enough to add some acid with the greens. 

I caught the newly released hot sandwiches, but I'm pretty meh about the Roast Pork & Broccoli Rabe. The bitter broccoli is far too forward, overpowering at tender super-savory, but much subtler pork. 

The Roast Beef suffers similarly, as two inches of bitter arugula hit tender, blander beef quite hard. I do love that mayo and the pop of fresh horseradish, but I feel I could have made this myself minus the bread. 

This little shop of fabulous focaccia has me quite conflicted. The focaccia is fantastic and its airy crumb and crunchilicious crisp is an undeniable draw, but the fillings fall rather flat. Sandwiches are often associated with comfort food and home cooking, but if I'm paying for someone else to make my sandwich, I'm looking for a taste of something I can't get from home. For me, Bread Head just misses the mark. The bread is an awesome start, but a bit more creativity, a bit more pop, a bit more focus on the filling could make them the best thing since sliced bread...and more than just sliced bread.

Tomat - Los Angeles

A sleek wood-work building pops out of a dystopian parking lot surrounded by an utterly random mishmash of old-Westchester mom-and-pops and conglomerate chains, a gentrified beauty among urban decay. Eater LA and Michelin were quick to call it a place with a penchant for greatness, and my curiosity was killing me. I just can't get there for dinner anytime soon, so I went for the daytime menu to try to sneak a peek.

For starters, they do know their tea. The Hochija Latte is a beautiful balance between tea and sweetened milk, subtle sugar with toasty-roasty undertones. 

The Smoked Trout is more of a toast than an open-faced sandwich. The fish is buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, and absolutely stunning, but $14 is a steep price to charge for something the size of your palm. Not your hand, your PALM...MY palm - I have tiny hands. 

Then the classic Croque Monsieur. Hoo boy, someone really messed that one up. Can barely taste the ham, can't taste any cheese, and there's supposed to be raclette so I'm PISSED. Between the mustard-hinted salt-goop on top which was overpowering even after scraping it off and the side of carrots with muddy-salty-something, there isn't much flavor left.

They do get props for the gorgeous case of pastries, all of which are baked in-house. Those morning buns look legit, and I wish I'd gotten that instead because those seem to know how to bake. They say they make “English-inspired” fare, which isn't known for its deliciousness, but I recently went to England, and they could at least make a sandwich there.

Again, they’re known for their dinner menu so I know what I had during the day isn't entirely accurate, but based on what I had for lunch, I absolutely will not risk paying what they’re charging for dinner. 

Boeuf & Coq - Dublin, Ireland

People were hungry, and we had to just sit down somewhere. They have outdoor seating and a tourist & express lunch menu which seems like a fair deal, and it's all very appropriate for our situation. 

The food on that menu is fair, but I would avoid the Fresh Mussels & Frites. They're about as fresh as you'd expect; not bad but but you want better. The cream sauce is decent, though. 

Steak & Frites comes with a striploin that's on the tougher side, but nothing a steak knife and a full set of teeth can't hack. There's a brandy peppercorn sauce that's not half bad. 

We ordered off a menu designed to chew through tourists who want to chew through their food fast so they can continue touristing, and we got exactly that. The real menu looks alright, and you're not pressed for time and still insist on sitting here, I recommend perusing that instead. That said, I can't recommend this place based on what we ate.

Sizergh Cafe - Kendal, UK

A casual cafe, typical fare you'll find at any tourist attraction, but fresher and better. They source what they can from the castle gardens, and I believe they make their own pastries in-house. 

The Cheese Scone is right on, a flour-forward brick. 

This delectable goody is a sticky and honey-sweet conglomerate of super-crunchy wheat grains, and they call it a Flapjack. It’s reminiscent of a rice crispy treat but with much nicer ingredients inside.

There's a simple Egg Salad Sandwich with fresh greens. A bit bland but not at all bad. 

The special is a BBQ Pork Sandwich topped with slaw doused in enough Mayo to make a southern boy blush.  There could be more meat, and the sauce is on the milder side like most things in the UK, all on a nice and fluffy bun. 

As far as tourist feeding areas go, this is one of the better ones. The ingredients are fresh, and it's a nice touch that they're grown on the grounds. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but it's a perfectly good food stop if you come here and don't feel like packing a lunch. 

Appetisers - Kirkby Lonsdale

At around 3 pounds per sandwich, this quaint takeaway shop is a frugalist fantasy and a foodie dream. The small space features a single lady slicing roast ham and loading sandwiches into a sizzling panini press. 

They don't serve your everyday deli meat - this stuff looks like it was sliced off a roast. 

The Ham and Brie Panini is hot and gooey,

the Roast Ham Baguette is cold comfort. 

Cake comes at 50 pence per slice, displayed but unlabeled so choose what your eyes embrace. One is a classic, crumbly tea cake that sandwiches a subtle icing 

and the other has sprinkles and a berry swirl. 

This is absolutely the English countryside experience we came to seek. It's so simple it's a standout, small and sweet, easy to eat but hard to forget. 

Bombay Tandoori & Banquet UPDATE - Torrance

I might not have thought much of their take-out, but the lunch buffet is where it's at!

Get a plate and then get more until you just can't anymore. It's quite a selection of both vegetarian and not, plenty to eat, lots to like. 

Start by ordering a mango lassi - they're included with the buffet, and make sure they drop off a steaming basket of garlic naan - it's some of the best I've had to date. It's pleasantly chewy, nicely fluffy, and super fresh.

There are too many dishes to remember, and this plate holds maybe a third of all that they offer. The samosas are just okay, but their fish pakora is pretty good. Goat curry is my fave, and you can bet I went back for thirds. Spinach saag is just okay, chicken tikka masala as well. I also remember a really good Alu Gobhi - potato and cauliflower combo, and I think there was a channa masala, a veggie masala, a mild daal makhni. The green beans dish was probably my favorite veg, and there's even rice pudding at the end. 

All these complaints about inflation, but here, for less than $20, you can still get all the delicious comfort food you can eat.

Joliet Cafe & Bar - Playa Vista

I love this complex. There's every store you want selling everything you need and don't need, and this little indoor stall-mall known as the Runway is one of the classier outfits south of LA. 

Every vendor has a well-curated collection, whether it's bespoke children's clothes or this pretty little turquoise cafe serving scrumptious sandwiches and steaming caffeinated drinks.  

Even on a deserted weekday they exude a lively vibe to offset the food coma that comes quick from this thick and meaty Pastrami sandwich. The pastrami is chewy, a little bit dried from the grilling to make it more like a smokier, thicker bacon. A bitter brown mustard and delicately sour cornichons cut through the chunky, melty cheese and thick, tear-with-teeth baguette. 

There's a Fig Serrano special here, where heat draws out the oils of a savory Spanish ham. Arugula anchors a gooey cheese on ciabatta and a gorgeous slice of fig shows its face.

The sandwiches run on the smaller side but they are filling and rich. There are pastries in the case as well if you're just looking for a croissant to go with your coffee, and I'm told the drinks are good. Highly recommend as a breakfast break, a lovely lunch, or a refueling mid-shopping snack.

Nonna Mercato - Long Beach

Lauded as one of Long Beach’s best restaurants, the line on a Saturday morning is proof that it’s at least a local fave. I don’t know if I was quite as enchanted as Eater, but I did like the apps a lot. 

In a cute cafe with an airy patio, Italian brunch and dinner are made from scratch, and the bakery churns out plenty of pastries and bread.

Spanish Milk Tea is a fantastic drink, a murky black with sweetened milk that finishes with floral notes and an aroma of orange peel. 

Bruschette should be basic but they make it their own with gorgeous wedges of heirloom tomato that carry such a depth of flavor. They taste like tomato but you didn’t know tomato could taste like this. I’ve only ever had savory bruschetta, but this one is sweet with creamy burrata, and threads of drizzled honey that make it absolutely divine.

I thought I’d tried all the cheeses, but the Tomino Alla Piastra is very new to me. It’s mild and smooth, slightly nutty, a salty/savory variety with a firm and rubbery (in a good way) rind. It’s an agrees with both sweet and savory pairing while still asserting its own unique profile. It’s a harmonious clash of sweet and tangy with acerbic notes of mustard that also mix with tangy-sweet dried apricot. I’ve never had anything like this, especially in this combination.

Floppy, folding Rigatoni tubes come with a tomato-based sauce with deeply cheesy notes. it’s beautifully rich but the sharper notes of rucola as a balanced finish that makes you just keep eating.

Pappardelle belts are impossibly long and wide, and the texture is the reason I’ll always order it if it’s there. The sauce is a meaty ragu, one that’s meaty and not much else. Too heavy and a bit crude, imo. 

Their bakery sure is pretty, with colorful croissants and every flavor of cupcake. The pink and white croissant has a creamy crust and is filled with the smoothest cream with just the right amount of sweetness and a breath of strawberry sunshine. A raspberry cruffin has a similar filling, and both taste more like dessert than a companion to your morning coffee. The matcha croissant just has the crust on top. The inside just has those airy, chewy layers, and I think it’s this simplicity I’m seeking. Like the ragu, they’re a bit heavy-handed with the bigger flavors.

S’mores cupcakes are a fantastic dessert later that night, and I may be biased because of my obsession with marshmallow, but these seem to be the perfect size to enjoy but not overindulge in, with just the right ratio of icing to cake. 

I liked Nonna Mercato but I can’t say I fell in love. The made from scratch concept is endearing, but their pastas could use more polish, and their baked goods try to be glam but venture into gimmick. If the 45-minute wait for a weekend brunch is any indication, there are plenty of people who don’t agree with my assessment, and in all fairness, even I’d be willing to eat there again.

Wax Paper - Frogtown - Los Angeles

I get a bit cynical about sandwiches these days. They're just a bunch of stuff, stuffed between two slices of bread, and they seem to be a lost art. Assemblers tend to do too little or too much so they feel like an afterthought or something that tries to be special when it isn't. 

Not here. Only the best sandwiches come out of Wax Paper's pickup window. Some of LA's best bread blankets fresh white turkey in this Terry Gross. The focaccia is the best I've had, and it's the highlight of the sandwich, but it enhances the flavor of the ingredients, including shredded cheese and a crisp, refreshing slaw. 

The Steve Julian is in the style of a banh mi without trying too hard to be. The roast pork inside is shredded and mixed with miso aioli so it finishes like a like tuna salad but more savory than I could ever imagine. That full flavor blooms under a chewy baguette, contrasted by light pickles and veg. 

They make magic here, but don't expect over-the-top, hit-you-hard concoctions using exotic ingredients only found in three places on earth. The secret is in the balance, in their seamless, harmonious, not-too-many-ingredients but-each-one-essential approach. They know how to make a good sandwich here, and this spot is perfect for grabbing a filling lunch that won't make you fall asleep at your desk all afternoon. 

Fatty Mart - Los Angeles

I love Little Fatty, but I just can't get out to LA on a random night anymore. but now there's Fatty Mart, a cute little curated store full of all the things that make being Asian a joy. 

They don’t have decaf, but they have all your standard coffees. Props on the biodegradable cups. Get one or don't - the Taiwanese Breakfast Roll is the reason you're here. Crispy scallion pancake encases eggs, cheap cheese, and a fabulous Chinese sausage with spicy mayo. The pickled mustard greens make it classically Chinese and evokes cold winter mornings when you wake up to porridge and pickles. 

The Breakfast Burrito is fun as well with the addition of tater tots for crunch. Their beef birria is solid, especially with pepper, onion, and salsa, but it's just not as special as the other.

If I am to be honest, I don’t need to leave the South Bay to get most of the groceries, but they do offer some unusual flavors in candy and chips. They even carry stuff from La Espanola Meats (South Bay pride!). 

It's too early for the lunch options, but you can grab some of their better offerings from the fridge for later.

Be still my heart, they sell their Hainan Chicken here. So far it's the only Hainan chicken I'd ever go out of my way to order. The skin is fatty and yellow, and the meat is full of real flavor, unlike literally every other blanched-bland iteration of this inexplicably popular white stuff. The rice is the same yellow color, packed with fatty savor.

Dan Dan Noodles also reheat surprisingly well, and these squiggly noodles are the best. Savory with a kick of Sichuan spice, this dish is awesome in the afternoon. 

Great little store, much fun to be had whether you're popping by for a pickup or staying for a quick and casual meal. Until I can get to the restaurant, this little mart will do.

Destroyer UPDATE - Culver City

Still a mostly industrial area, Destroyer keeps its office hours of 8-4. Inconvenient for many, but it couldn't be better for us on one of our many weekdays off. 

There's no line, but even on a Monday, more than half the tables are full. The pastry case is more than half empty, and I snagged the last Passionfruit Tart to go. It has a light cream and some of that fabulous sweet n' sour, but I do wish there was a stronger flavor. The Sweet Corn Cookie is a subtler show-stealer, much like a sugar cookie with the aftertaste of sweetest corn. There's a Pecan Molasses Cookie as well for a gooey something-sweet.

But the pastries are for later - the real menu is so much more.  

Start lighter with a bowl of Forbidden Orchard Berries. Icy blueberries in a creamy coconut yogurt. I usually hate coconut but this has a perfect, thick texture, and tapioca pearls to bring out the flavor and add a bit of gentle grit. Black currants and candied beets add a rich sweetness.

There's Loaded Avocado Confit, a glorified melange of why millenials have no money. The charred avocado is creamy, the cherry tomatoes are blistery and cozy. Smoked prosciutto brings salt to the creamy burrata, and a fried egg with its gooey, runny yolk ties it all together. Smear all over a slice of crusty country bread for the best combination of flavors. 

That giant half-loaf slab is the beautifully, evenly egged Persimmon French Toast. Beautiful persimmons line a bowl of apricot-passion fruit jam, centered around a creme fraiche you'll never get enough of. Drizzle light syrup over the spongy bread and take big bites. 

The Smoked Fish is nordic in a nutshell. Flaky slices of gorgeous white fish under a silky, savory yogurt covered in a crunchy layer of onion granola. A seedy icelandic rye adds earthiness to the smoky-sea fish.

It's all good and mostly great, but this Sweet Corn Porridge is the real standout. Sweet corn kernels are interspersed with little pearls of couscous, each coated with viscous porridge, packed with so much flavor. Mix in the poached egg to add the liquid yolk, and crunch on bits of chicken skin and burnt onion. Dig deep for leaves of blanched lettuce which adds another layer of depth. 

If you go to Vespertine expecting to see some high-end translation of Destroyer's magic fare, you will be sorely disappointed. Destroyer is where the magic is made, and it is where the magic stays. Both breakfast and lunch are affordable here, and I'm surprised they haven't earned any Michelin stars.

Creative Crepes & More - Lake Tahoe, CA

I try not to get too political, but there's been a lot of buzz lately about how the younger generations "don't want to work." If you're trying to understand why, just come here on a weekday and it will all be crystal clear. 

One young lady commands the counter, alone against the long line of patient customers. She takes the payments and makes each crepe or waffle to order, and it's not a quick process by any means. The credit card swipe stops working properly so she's forced to enter every card by hand or take the time to count out change. I asked her where her coworkers and managers were and she quietly tells me that the manager lives 30 minutes away and therefore "has difficulty commuting" so they just told her to unplug the credit card machine and plug it back in. (This has not worked after 4 attempts and they are aware of that). The owner lives "all the way in Reno", one hour away, and therefore can't show up (???). There hasn't been serious snow at all, and though I don't know the details, I'm not sure how any business can justify this utter refusal to provide any aid to their hard-working employees. 

So they make crepes. The wait was so long that I couldn't take photos because my kid was falling apart. I kept it simple with the BSC, which could have used a bit more of everything. Not bad though, especially considering everything was being made under duress. 

The Basic liege waffle is delicious with its sugar-batter, but be prepared - it's a lot smaller than you'd expect for a waffle. 

The food is fine and the service is as well, considering the circumstances but I will never come back here because I can't feel good supporting this business. That poor young lady was clearly not supported at all, and it's just not okay that they treat their employees this way. 

Farmshop - Santa Monica

Millennials may have killed the retail market, but Brentwood’s brick-and-mortars stand strong in a world where online shopping reigns supreme. 

It’s no surprise this wonderland of well-curated whimsy still caters to the deepest desires of all who dream of beauty, within and without, stomach-deep and skin-deep as well. 

While I refuse to buy a candle that smells like anyone’s vagina and don’t cook well enough to indulge in kitchen comforts, there’s plenty of gourmet food for all, if you’re willing to pay the price for culinary gold. 

Even on a Thursday, Farmshop requires a reservation and our early arrival has us waiting for our table. Only half the tables were occupied at any given time so I would have appreciated at least an offer to sit down and sip on some water. 

The food is good. Great ingredients grind a grainy Avocado Hummus. Earthy chickpeas are sweetened by creamy avocado and finish with a chunky, nutty sprinkle of pistachio. Smear sumptuously upon strips of lavash for pre-meal perfection. 

Pulp Fiction had the $5 milkshake, Farmshop has the $26 sandwich. The House Made Pastrami puts tender meat between two surprisingly smooth slices of rye, balanced by an ideal amount of kraut and the perfect punch of mustard. A sweet n’ tangy side of slaw is just right between bites.

Good, straightforward food, stuff you’ll feel good eating. You’ll leave full, not stuffed, at a cost that is not unsubstantial. A lovely place for a weekday treat or a weekend wandering but a bit too luxe for a regular stop. 

Cadoro Bakery - Inglewood

Drive slowly as you weave your way through back streets of warehouses, slow down when you see the sign they sat in the middle of the street. Park along the curb and head up to the bright yellow take-out window, a stark contrast to the sterile white of the warehouse. 

Their sliced bread is probably the best thing since sliced bread, full and half-loaf options cut fresh for your order. The sourdough is to die for.

The cafe menu has a selection of sandwiches, also a few offerings of salad and soup. The Short Rib Panini will set you back $16, but it's worth it for the melt-in-your-mouth shreds and caramelized onion. 

Oh man, this is good. Come for lunch and get some bread to go. No place to sit, and the view isn't picturesque, but the sandwiches are all you need to see. 

Pane Bianco - Los Angeles

With all the buzz around the pizzeria, another Bianco can't be bad. 

Enter Pane Bianco across the way, a one-stop shop serving slices and sandwiches for those who have to go. 

I'll admit I was put-off at first. Usually the fine-dining comes after the casual cafe passes the test. But one slice of the daily special and I am fully sold. Beautiful greens of bitter broccoli spigarello stand up to sweet fennel sausage, crisped up with shallots and punctuated by olives and fresh sliced garlic bits.

Beautifully balanced sandwiches are sizeable, even the simple Burrata will make you a memory. The focaccia bread has an audible crunch, and the burrata is chewy-gooey with roast red pepper. 

Soft sheets of Mortadella are sliced so thin. The savors are subtle, but they go beautifully with a semi-sweet spread (I think it was apricot?) and sharp arugula on top. 

Eat your pickles - the shallots have a bite, the banana peppers make a sandwich pop, and the green beans are just so great. 

What I love about both Biancos is that they just serve good food. Not trying too hard to be weird or new, not trying to reinvent the wheel. Their wheel is still round when they're done; it's just the most polished wheel you've ever seen, and you can't help but sit in awe. Anyone can make a sandwich, but Bianco has this innate ability to pick the perfect ingredients, make them more perfect, and balance them so brilliantly that you'll never see them the same way again. 

Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga

We almost got married here despite it being double the price. It's a worthy price with this view, though - this is clearly where fairytales are made.

Fortunately, if an entire wedding isn't within your budget, you can still treat yourself to breakfast or lunch at a creekside table. 

Let the beautiful breeze cool your Cappuccino and marvel at the magic of the tiny stick of rock candy you swirl to sweeten to taste.

Listen to the water trickle as you peruse a menu full of familiar sandos and plates. Place your order with the server who might be the most genuinely sweet stranger I've ever met. She's down-to-earth but has a way of making you feel like you matter.

You'll feel like royalty when you dig into the Duck Bacon Omelette, a fluffy egg filled with sweet, melt-in-mouth chunks of duck belly and strips of brie and caramelized onion. Take a break with the side of purple potatoes and fresh salad with simple vinaigrette. The portions are generous, and this dish alone is almost enough for two.

Even a simple wrap has a layer of luxury; The Shrimp & Green Papaya Wrap is a lighter option. Cold papaya adds a refreshing crunch to tender jumbo prawns, bolstered by leaves of fresh mint. The flavors meld with the background of rustling branches and cheeping birds. Fries are crisp and cut, clearly right out of the fryer. 

The food here is simple, nothing you haven't seen before, but that's the best part about this place. Everything is so beautiful, yet it's so relatable to the life you know and love. I’m the kind of person who experiences physical pain at any mention of fairies in the forest, but even on my worst day, I can’t not marvel at the magic of this place, and I'll always say yes to seeing it again.