Buy your tickets now to the 8th Annual LA WineFest, this June 8th and 9th at the historic Raleigh Studios in Hollywood!

The LA WineFest brings over 500 wines, brews and spirits from around the world to your doorstep in a fun, relaxed environment.

The Fest also offers local celebrity chef demos, live entertainment, fabulously fun seminars (think wine and cheese – yum!), some of LA’s most popular food trucks, boutiques to browse, festival merchandise and more!

Saturday’s festivities are from 2-6 p.m. with VIP’s getting in one hour earlier and Sunday goes from 12 – 5 p.m.

I’ll be there Saturday if you want to come by and stalk me!

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS!

LINK TO THE EVENT WEBSITE

It’s difficult for me to try to describe what Water Ice is.

It’s like a slushi. But not.

It’s like sorbet. But not.

It’s like ice cream. But not.

It’s kind of like all three. It’s like a slushi that stays frozen longer. Scooped out of bins like ice cream but tasting more like a sorbet.

But not.

It’s creamy, flavored, pureed ice.

Straight from Philly.

And so freakin’ delicious. My friend, Chesty Morgan, nearly had an aneurysm she was so excited to, once again, try her favorite childhood dessert.

As a hot flash aficionado, I always appreciate a frozen treat. I would choose a popsicle over a hot meal any day.

Even as my final meal on death row.

What I also appreciated about Rita’s is the use of real ingredients.

The Cherry Ice had real bits of maraschino cherries. The Swedish Fish flavor had bits of the candy floating about.

And the stuff hardly melted, a disappointing fact about your typical slushi.

Another disappointing fact is you have to drive to Redondo Beach to get your Rita’s fix. But before you know it, one will soon open up in Santa Monica.

Rita’s has other frozen treats as well, including custard and shakes and Gelati’s which combine the custard and the water ice.

But for your first venture to Rita’s, you should stick to the Italian ice. Choose a large which nicely fits three different flavors. May as well go now. I’ll wait to hear what you think.

403 N Pacific Coast Hwy
Ste 101
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(424) 247-7511
http://www.ritasicesbla.com

Fritzi Dog is a new gourmet hot dog stand inside the Original Farmers Market next to the Grove.

It’s going to do well because of it’s location. Naive, innocent, nubile tourists are going to spend too much on a hot dog because it’s right there and well, why not, this must be an LA thing, right?

It sure is.

Now, Fritzi Dog boasts hot dogs without all the junk in the trunk. “Made locally, raised humanely, vegetarian fed, antibiotic free, no added nitrates.”

So, you’re paying $8 for all that.

SOME HIGHTLIGHTS:

I loved the pretzel buns, even though they’re more filling. Very tasty.

I appreciated being able to order the smaller (5 inch) sizes of all the dogs.

The Cali Dog’s unique spices really shone through.

The Tots were perfection. Although there could have been a bit more buffalo sauce.

Very friendly service.

SOME LOWLIGHTS:

They’re a buck or two overpriced.

The dogs were rather thin.

The toppings overpowered and I could barely taste the actual hot dog.

6333 W 3rd St
Stall 742
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 936-9436
http://www.fritzidog.com/

Mother Dough is a charming, neighborhoody upscale pizza parlor in the Los Feliz area serving Neopolitan pizzas. Which, I guess means thin crust? Not sure, lemme look it up.

OK, according to Wikipedia, Neapolitan pizzas are generally made with tomatoes and mozzarella….uh…how that is any different from a regular pizza, is anyone’s guess.

Finding a parking spot near Mother Dough proved comical.

Well…not for me. I’m a parking space GOD. If it’s there, I will find it. Valet be damned to hell (in a handbasket)!

My friend Clyde…not so much. Any spaces located more than a block from the destination are void as they would require actual physical activity on his part.

If the located parking space is not 40 feet long, Clyde will not take it as his vehicle will surely not fit.

If the located parking space is found 10 feet from any other object such as a garbage can or muttering homeless person, it is nixed because his vehicle will surely be damaged.

Anyhoo, Mother Dough’s thing is simplicity and high quality ingredients.

While many of the other gourmet pizza joints are piling high the unusual ingredients, MD’s offerings are all very basic and traditional.

And delicious!

When you bite into the oven roasted tomatoes, you don’t wish there were also ramps, ferns, nettles or poison ivy hanging out on your pizza.

What’s the point in messing with perfection?

That being said, I enjoy all kinds of pizzas and if you want to throw some lawn clippings or bovine organs on my ‘za, so be it.

Even bad pizza is good pizza.

4648 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-2885
http://www.motherdoughpizza.com/

What I love about Slicetruck is there isn’t much to say about it.

Come in. Grab a slice. Eat it. Go.

(I’m sure there’s a story behind them but I’m too lazy to look it up).

(OK, I just did. They started as a food truck).

What I love about Slicetruck is the enticing pizza smell. Aw, I miss that.

As much as I love LA’s gourmet pizza joints, they don’t seem to hit you with a wave of pizza perfume as you enter.

I guess that’s what happens when you serve things other than pizza, like silly vegetables.

Slicetruck serves simple New York style (and the Grandma size, which is that tasty square pan style).

If you don’t mind a little spicy and a little garlicky, make sure to order the Hot Garlic. They sautee a bunch of diced garlic and place it beneath a layer of spicy sauce.

It’s a bit intense but worth it.

The pepperoni was thick yet not greasy. I was impressed cuz I usually don’t order those tiny circular grease boats as a topping.

The lunch special is 2 slices and a soda for $7 bucks.

OK, so I started with “there isn’t much to say about it” and then completely lied.

If you have a problem with it, then shove a slice of pizza in your gob. Preferably, from Slicetruck.

2012 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 444-9550
http://www.slicetruck.com

Sycamore Kitchen is a trendy breakfast/lunch spot on La Brea that, when visited at the wrong time, can bring on heart palpitations.

You saunter up to the counter, place your order and then hope to God you find a place amongst the hoards of people to sit. I wonder if there are extra seats in the bathroom?

The problem with a seating crisis at a breakfast spot like Sycamore is that it’s happening early in the morning. You don’t have the brain function to handle much stress at that time.

Sure, I could keep my nighttime eagle eyes open for a spare seat at the bar when my next cocktail depends on it.

But when you roll out of bed, you want easy and casual. Your PJ’s become day wear once a hat and shoes are worn in conjunction.

The thing that really pisses me off about this whole situation is that the FOOD IS AMAZING!!

This place would have been so easy to dismiss if the food was crap but my goodness it’s heavenly.

The super rich and crispy Brioche french toast was coated in sugary toffee caramel and the apple slaw nicely balanced out the onset of diabetes.

The famous Salted Pecan Babka Roll lived up to it’s reputation. It was soaked in flavorful goodness (an actual and rare ingredient) and we left not a crumb.

The dish that blew me away the most was the Scrambled Egg and Chorizo sandwich. Super simple. The chorizo wasn’t overpowering but, well, magical. The thick, soft, pillowy pan de mie never once aggresively tried to push out the delightful contents.

My advice would be to come early when normal people in LA aren’t even awake (or properly hungover) yet.

Problem solved.

143 S La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-0151
http://thesycamorekitchen.com/

To say that Bestia is the hottest restaurant in LA right now is an understatement.

Just try showing up last minute (like we did) and see what happens when you ask how long the wait is for a table.

“We’re sold out”

“So, think something would open up in an hour or so?”

“We’re sold out all night“.

It was silly of us to think we could show up at a peak dining hour to LA’s most talked about restaurant and finagle ourselves a table.

The hostess eyed the crisp $5 bill we were waving in front of her face with boredom. We told her there was at least one more where that came from.

Anyways, she pointed to two spots at the bar which were empty and said “You’d better take those now”.

So glad we did. Only two other spots opened up at the bar the entire time we were there (about 2.5 hours).

People crowded behind us, waiting to snag our spots. When I stood up to stretch and sat back down again, I heard a half dozen hopes fall.

My friend Clyde says this is his favorite new restaurant. But what does he know?

The highlights were the most popular pasta on the menu, the Cavatelli alla Norcina. The sausage and truffles proved a rich and decadent pairing. I wouldn’t dream of separating those two again. This is a perfect sharing dish.

The meatballs were an accidental order thrown our way. I would definitely recomend.

The pizza was super flavorful. Crust was more chewy than crispy and the sparse use of the homemade ‘Nduja (spreadable salami) was much appreciated.

They make all their cured meats in house (which, you kind of have to do these days if you’re an Italian restaurant worth your sea salt) so make sure to order things in that contain them.

Make sure you order the chocolate budino tart or I’ll be pissed. I want another one right now, in fact. Order an extra one for me the next time you go and I promise I’ll pay you back.

Please note: this place is located in a lonely, desolate part of downtown. Supposedly the Arts District, but your GPS is going to seemingly take you away from all that you know to the dark unknown. That’s how you know you’re almost to Bestia.

2121 E 7th Pl
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 514-5724
http://www.bestiala.com/

Soba Sojibo’s reviews have been tepid at best, lately.

Apparently the service can be awful; the waiters rude.

As that stuff doesn’t phase me, I did walk in expecting to be ignored. Which is fine, I knew it would just make my blog post all that more exciting.

Sadly enough, I was NOT ignored and was actually promptly seated. And the guy was even sorta nice.

BORING!

My cold Spicy Beef noodles (which you dip in hot broth, so each bite is more on the lukewarm side) were solid. But I probably wouldn’t order them again. My friend absolutely loved his hot Soba with enormous tempura shrimp, so I think the hot stuff might be a bit more impressive.

What’s the difference between soba and ramen, you ask?

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and are often a bit thicker and nuttier than Ramen’s thin egg and wheat noodles. BTW, Udon noodles are really thick, short and also made from wheat.

2006 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-1200

Chesty Morgan and I were seeing Beauty and the Beast, a show at the Pantages theater so we decided to grab a bite locally.

Locally, meaning the skanky stretch of Hollywood Blvd which is mostly Hookah lounges, tattoo parlors and wig shops.

And tourists and junkies.

I also feel this section of town is covered in a permanent layer of grime.

Even Juicy Burger, which is a sorta/kinda trendy establishment with several locations has seemed to fallen into disrepair.

I guess you can only have so many homeless people coming in looking for leftover fries before it starts to leave its mark.

The employees seemed like they were just hanging out. Waiting for their shift to be over.

While I didn’t have high hopes for the food, the burger was absolutely fantastic. The beef patty was the perfect thickness, very juicy (as promised) and there were plenty of onion strings and bbq sauce to create the pefect Western ambiance.

The fries, on the other hand? I think even a homeless person would have tossed them in the trash (probably spotting something more valuable underneath after throwing them away).

They were hard and dry and had little black burn spots on them, like a drunk 1950′s housewife had angrily put her cigarette out on them. Like they had been very bad and needed to be punished. She had also perhaps dug the heel of her stiletto into a few.

That didn’t stop me from chowing down on most of them.

While I probably won’t be back again (unless I’m in the area, looking for crack) it wasn’t the worst experience ever and was kind of fun to tourist watch while I ate my delicious hamburger and shoved cigarette burned potato sticks into my mouth.

6340 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 465-8429
http://www.juicyburgeronline.com

The historic Del Coronado Hotel (est. 1888) located in sunny San Diego is one of my very favorite places in California and the 1500 Ocean restaurant located at the hotel never disappoints.

Please note: Nothing about this hotel or restaurant is cheap, so bring yo dollar bills ya’ll.

It’s worth the second mortgage.

Everything we ordered was delicious. Not a bad item in the bunch. Even the simple starter salad and bread were delicious!

The chicken bites were juicy perfection. The Berkshire Pork was perfectly cooked and the beef portion was the size of my head.

The only difference between this place and any fancy restaurant in LA is the enormous (but not gratuitous) portions.

Two people can definitely split any of the meat entrees comfortably.

That way you can drink more.

Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave
Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 522-8490
http://www.hoteldel.com/1500-ocean.aspx