Katz's Deli - New York, NY

Man, I miss those Jewish delis. I was a stickler for Second Avenue, and I never did make it down for Katz. 

I sure did miss out, but thanks to mail-order, I regret no more. I got my hands on some Corned Beef and pounds of Pastrami. 

All that smoky, melt-in-your-mouth fat, gristle-galore glows pink. Pretty sandwiches on their fluffy rye bread (not pictured here), incomplete without puckering pickles and sauerkraut. Spread on some mustard and spring for the Russian dressing as well. 

Now THIS is a Hot Dog. Their kit includes those fluffy buns and an all-beef frank that extends past the bread so you get some with every bite.

Hot and almost fresh, here's hubby's first Knish. The square ones have a crispy coating, a layer of frying with mashed potato underlying. Dip in yellow mustard, pair with pickles. 

Salami both hard and soft, both made with beef with a big flavor, much more gamey and robust than those delicate deli slices. I prefer the soft for its smoothness as I'm put off by the strangely rubbery texture of the hard. 

Less-known is the Knoblewurst, a big-beef sausage, seasoned much like a kielbasa with a little less salt and big bite of garlic. You can taste the quality of the meat, and it's best when cut in half and seared. Throw it into a bun or build it on a bagel for breakfast. 

Kugel makes a fantastic side, and you can just pop the whole tray into the oven like that. Theirs is more sweet with sugar and cinnamon, and it finishes fruity with visible vittles of orange. 

I've always loved Jewish delis, and Katz is the ultimate OG. I've had some pretty close contenders, but it's hard to compete with the original. 

Park's BBQ - Los Angeles

Their quality meats and magnificent marinades have steaked their claim in K-town, and this year they catch the critical eye of Michelin. One star for the P1, IMHO, even though Michelin didn't agree. Order that Taste of Parks BBQ to sample all the meats that matter.

Plenty of Banchan to play with, little plate of pickled delights. Even the salad looks like a work of art. 

Started off with a small side of Dumplings. Savory pockets of juicy pork, tasty, but not truly necessary. 

They'll grill the meat for you if you're helpless, so sit back and relax because they'll never let it burn. Service is swift and attentive, without being overbearing. 

Paper-thin slices of Brisket come off the grill as fast as they go on. The pieces are tender, but you do have to chew. 

Side-by-side sits a Short Rib, a beautiful cut with marbled veins. This meat is not even solid - it turns to liquid in saliva. 

Ggot Sal, too, melts in your mouth the moment it hits your tongue. Juicy, beefy bliss. 

Galbi is scored for tenderness with a sweet marinade to maximize the savor. Bulgogi is thin and dripping with sweet soy, no less delicate, no less delicious. 

Break it up with cold bites of Naengmyeon, it spaces out the mouthfuls of meat. The sweet chili broth is refreshing, and the noodle texture is on point.

I've had good Korean BBQ and I've had great Korean BBQ, but nothing comes close to Park's. I don't have the words to fully capture the magic of their meat - you have to eat it to believe it. 

Love & Salt UPDATE - Manhattan Beach

I feel guilty making this post. They shuffled tables to accommodate us with just one hour notice on a Sunday night, and the service was just stellar. The food was fantastic, though the light and my cell phone skills made it not so photogenic. 

Right off the bat, the bread was addicting; this thick, crusty, super-chewy core of Fett'unta, a hit in the mouth of gooey garlic, soaked with olive oil, grilled to a juicy crackle. I could have had just this for dinner,

But save some to dip in the broth after these soft Salt Spring Mussels. Savored with sausage, uplifted with some leeks, the plate may be blurry, but the sea-sweet quality is clear. 

Whole Roasted Branzino has a crispy skin and the flesh is white as snow. The taste is so pure, fresh as the day it docked, on a soft bed of lentils, a sweet contrast to bitter Brussels. 

They sure can cook their carbs. A simple-sounding Rigatoni all'Amatriciana is anything but, with a deeply textured pasta, tangy tomato smoothed out with a salty guanciale, creamy with pecorino smear. 

Break the egg on their signature Duck Egg Pizza, and smear. Let the gooey yolk wrap around the bits of bacon-pancetta, and let it run through the shaved potato. 

Complete the perfect meal with a dessert of Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch. The crispy wafers with layered chocolate make a high-end Nutty Buddy, and I can't imagine anything better. 

I was fond of Love & Salt the first time, but I didn't fully appreciate it until now. The consistent delivery of fabulous flavor and quality is indisputable, and they're stood the test of time. Their food is as relevant now as it was when they burst in brand-new, and I will never stop loving Love & Salt!

Ackee Bamboo - Los Angeles

"Hold the bag by the bottom, the gravy tends to leak."

The gravy should always leak. If you're not given a portion so generous that there's a brown mushroom cloud of gravy running over the sides of your styrofoam take-home, you're not getting real Jamaican. Ackee Bamboo is real generous, and Ackee Bamboo is real Jamaican. 

They were talking about the Oxtail, which, authentic as it was, wasn't my favorite dish. Delicious, but not as gooey and gravy-y as I've had from others. Still, it's a tough meat braised tender, smothered with a kicking spice. 

I love any Curry Goat, and theirs is a good contender. Spicy and hot, it's rich, stew-y comfort.

Jazzed about the juicy Jerk Chicken. This one isn't just a spice rub - the soup soaks to the bone. 

The sides are important too. Rice and peas are full of flavor, like they've been steamed in broth. Plantains are sweet as sugar, soft enough but not quite caramelize. Cabbage is a cool-down, and Festival Bread is a light and fluffy fry for a mouth-party made of cornmeal. 

Like the restaurant, love the cuisine. Wish I lived closer so I could keep coming back for more. 

Temecula Pizza Company - Temecula, CA

I love places like this. Sweet, clean, and homey, with a menu full of good eatin'. 

Don't be shy when you order - the portions are generous, but the food's meant to be shared. The Love Potion #9 Salad will easily appetize a table of four, and maintain a nice balance of romaine lettuce with a rotisserie-quality chicken, with cranberries and blue cheese. They make their own dressing, and it is a sweet delight. 

The decor is simple, but they would hold up against any pizzeria in LA. The White Tiger Pizza features a whole pound of fabulously fresh shrimp, cooked into that perfect al dente (can you use that to describe shrimp??) texture, and that creamy, pesto-speckled white sauce has one heck of kick. 

I left reluctantly, feeling full but like I haven't had enough. Every single item on the menu looked like something I would love, and if I lived in Temecula, I'd have pizza and beer here week after week. 

JJ Bakery - Torrance

Family-owned, not so corporate, halfway between work and home. I've wanted to stop by, and soon I got my chance.

Hubby wanted for his birthday, of all things, a Black Forest Cake. JJ makes one of few in this town, and they do a great job with spongy chocolate layers and light cream frosting. They don't do well with spelling, and this customization really takes the cake. 

I spelled my husband's name THREE times, "S as in Sam, T as in Tom". "Juftif" just laughed and credited them for a birthday he would remember, but I can see where this could ruin the birthday party of a child. 

I picked up a variety of pastries since I was already there, and every single one tasted stale, like they'd been sitting out for days. Plural. 

The "Special Bread" is dough with a little sugar. Dense and nondescript, truly nothing special. 

The Matcha Croissant was fine, but the Earl Grey Croissant tasted like a mouthful of scallion. Not only is it unappealing; if you have allergies, it's pretty damn appalling. Be careful what you eat here - cross contamination is a real concern. To their credit, they make a deep-dish Egg Custard Tart, and the filling is delicious. 

The Pineapple Bun is also whatever, 

and there was also a Taro Bread which was not unpleasant. 

I really wanted to give them a better rating - family-owned businesses are near and dear, but I've already encountered too many issues for it to be worth my time. I'll just stick with 85 Degrees for now - at least they have quality control.