What I'm Eating

Inspired by Jonathan Gold's 99 essential places to eat in LA, I'll try my bestest to chronicle my culinary adventures. Surely, they will never rival Gold's passion - I have neither the time, pocketbook, or expertise - but I will be more focused on the Santa Monica area and the price range of most of my blog readers.

Recent New Place: Cora's Coffee Shop. I'd been meaning to try it for awhile, and used the recommendation from Gold as an excuse. The inside is tiny - two tables and a counter. Most people sit out on the patio. I ate breakfast - prosciutto and cheese omelette with coffee. The coffee was good. Not as good as the Omelette Parlour, but serviceable. The omelette was medium sized, solid, and better tasting than the Omlette Parlour. The bread served with the bfast was great - a toasted white bread - reminded me of challa. They also included half a baked potato - actually it felt like it was half baked, half fried. Not bad. Overall cost - $15 with tip and tax. Overpriced, if you ask me. It won't become a regular bfast spot for me, although I want to try the burger sometime.

New Food: Greek Style Yogurt. Delicious! I picked it up as a lunch request for someone at work a couple weeks back and got one for myself to try. I don't like yogurt very much, but in these fru-fru grocery stores on the westside like whole foods and wild oats they have an abundance of greek-style yogurt. I like plain vanilla - which is sometimes flavored with orange cinnamon or the honey flavor. The texture is thicker - almost cream like - and without too much suger - it's a very nice little breakfast with fruit.

Bay Cities: Yes, I still always go there. Recently I tried a little variation on the traditional meatball and got Mozzarella cheese on the sandwich (in addition to the sprinkled parmesan). Yeah, it was awesome.

Insomnia Cafe: This organic place I avoid like the plague below my office. All vegan crap and overpriced. One day I was feeling a salad and whole foods was grossing me out, so I went and tried the Indian chicken salad. Basically a bed of fancy greens with some diced chicken and a few little tomatoes. I feel like a douche paying $11 for this thing I could make with may ass cheeks. Sure, it's healthy, I guess...but $11 for lettuce and some cut up chicken? What has society come to?

Holy Guacamole: I don't really like this burrito spot on Main Street. Having previously navigated in the USC - Silver Lake - Los Feliz area and being accustomed to the Yucca's, Machos Tacos, and La Taquiza triumvirate of burrito treats - my Westside burrito spots are a considerable downgrade - Chipotle, Baja Fresh, Holy Gaucamole, and Tacos Por Favor. However, the bean and cheese at Holy Gaucamole was surprisingly perfect for my food mood last night - something small, yet filling, and I was delighted at the free chips and good salsa. I may return.

Out of favor food: Chipotle. I need a nice long break.