Sweet Rice - Gardena

 

Even Michelin made them one to watch. 

And my, what a show. 

There's Jok for breakfast, dinner, or lunch, all day, any day, even brunch. Thick rice porridge, smooth as cream, little pork meatball, savory queen. Mix up the poached egg, enough yolk to go around. Crispy rice noodle to add the extra crunch, patongo fried dough to dunk into your lunch.  

Hurry for yellow curry, the Kao Soi here is king. Egg noodles al dente, chicken or beef, all excellente. 

Thai Pork Stew proves plush, pork belly steeps the hardboiled eggs.

Tom Yum Noodle runs a bit thin. Thin rice noodles don't let much in. Pork, fish ball, fish cake, sun-dried shrimp all simmer, but still the flavor of the soup is dimmer.

Of the Thai Omelet, they should be proud. Crab and three eggs sit fluffy as a cloud.

                  

Mango Sticky Rice is must for the season. To skip this ripe release, I see no reason.

Michelin rarely misses the mark. Sweet Rice cooks with some serious spark. 

THH Sandwiches - Westminster

 

Sandwiches that have some savor, crust that doesn't cut my mouth. Is that so much to ask?

In the South Bay, yes, but even the simplest sandwich shops to the south are stellar.

Start with Vietnamese Spring Rolls, stuffed with the shrimp of summer, if you wish, but that's not why you go to THH. 

Get the House Special, with cold cuts and creamy pate. 

Grilled Pork is neat and sweet, but breast is best so try the Shredded Chicken Breast. 

Some days they're heavy-handed with the fish sauce, others the mayo is a slop. Still good, still a pleasure, and a good sandwich is an opportunity I can treasure.

Little Fatty - Los Angeles

It's a restaurant. Called Little Fatty. What could you possibly NOT like about a restaurant called Little Fatty? 

Let's start with their signature Chinese BBQ Pork. It's a barbarically beautiful shank of bone-in, skin-on pork roasted into a deep crimson colored with a soy-sauce blood. Cut through the garnet skin and watch the gristle glisten as the juices flow. Sandwich the slices inside a soft bao and slather with hoisin and slaw.

Free Pickles with your order; the tiniest hint of sweet with sour brine. The crunchy wood-ear mushrooms are worthy of a mention.  

The XO Fatty Noodles rock. Rice noodles roll right into some XO sauce.

There's a Sunday Gravy for those who love the carbs. It just sounds like something decadent, a rush of fatty pork braised in sweet n' savory smothering al dente pasta. Hoisin brings the sugar and the savor is in the fish sauce. 

Then there's the Hainan Chicken. I've had my share of Hainan chicken, and there has never been anything like this. The chicken is steamed so savory the skin's started to yellow, and fat caramelizes down the sides. The garlic sauce is potent, and the drippings sink straight to the bottom.

I tried a couple other things on the takeout menu, and I liked the Lion's Head Meatballs less. Lamb tames the lion, and it makes the meatballs gamey and dry.

The Braised Pork Belly is another less stellar item. It's a slab of heavy meat soaked in a sweet broth of soy sauce. It's delicious, but even I could whip this up in an Instant Pot, and I just wish it had some of the uniqueness of all the other dishes. 

Sesame Balls for dessert are a standard sweet delight. They fry light and airy, and the red bean filling is right. They even travel well, not the slightest hint of sogginess in transit. 

There is nothing not to like about this restaurant called Little Fatty. It'll make you a little fat, but it will make you a lot of happy, and it will bring you comfort in more ways than you know.

Jin Jja Roo - Gardena

 

Chinese done by Koreans. What does that mean?

It's not so much a culture clash but more like a collaboration. Overlapping cuisines for a menu that makes the best of both; flavors similar, sometimes diverging, and always fabulous. The Fried Dumplings, for example, seem more Chinese, filled with ground pork, glass noodles, and scallion. The filling is juicy and a little more delicate than generic gyoza, and there is something lighter in the frying as the wrappers come out airy.

Like all things Asian, the portions are generous, and even a single Black Bean Noodle feeds two or more. These noodles are more Korean, a starch-sticky and chewy al dente. The paste is thick with black bean sauce, and the texture of the noodles makes it stick in an even coat. 

Mongolian Beef is simply sliced, thin pieces of beef tossed with green onion. 

Chicken in Hot Garlic Sauce is a marriage between General Tso with the slightest hint of sweet and sour, and a better match was never made.

Oh how I hate sweet and sour. The sticky s*** that's plagued my childhood whenever white people get takeout. No one in China makes this crap. The garbage that comes from a can has none of the Chinese-signature vinegar-sugar sting. Their Sweet and Sour Pork isn't that either, but it is undoubtedly delicious. They coat their pork with a lovely golden batter, and it's fried so fluffy. The dip is not so bad either, less cloying with more subtlety in both sour and sweet. 

I always thought Korean women had the best sense of style, and in this food it shows. There is an understated elegance to Jin Jja Roo, and no one makes a better plate of chicken.  

Pho So 1 - Gardena

Only 3 and a half stars for Pho So if Yelp has the say-so. 

Pho So is no-frills, and Pho So is so-so in service if sit-downs are to be believed, but these eggrolls are are at least five. That texture on that skin is crispity-crunch, and it's fluffy with air. The filling is savory, juicy pork and veggie carrots. 

The Pho is good, warm and filling and hits the spot. Mine has tendon, and rare steak sealed separately (I put it in for the pic). Dump in the broth and watch the steak slowly steep. 

It's Pho So, not Pho So-So, and I like it, far more than a 3-star Yelp rating would imply. I like it, I love it, I want more of it, and although it won’t win any awards, I'd easily revisit for pho and some egg rolls.