Bavel

While planning out our eating destinations when we were in LA, I had some ideas that made it onto the final cut.  However, with the help of Mijune, I was able to fine-tune the list which meant I *had* to visit Bavel.  One of the more popular restaurants in LA, it resides in the hot arts district along with its related restaurant, Bestia.  Yes, this is from the same folks who run Bestia, which is an LA institution.  We ended up with a great meal there and expected nothing less from Bavel, albeit with a different theme in elevated Middle Eastern.  We were able to get a reservation and scored a seat outside on the patio.  Pretty windy, but loved the atmosphere and amount of natural light.

Starting off with 2 spreads, we had the Duck 'nduja Hummus with pita bread and the Babaganoush with fried pita bread.  Creamy, garlicky and almost airy, the hummus by itself was already flavorful and delicious.  There was was a light dusting of sumac to add some spice.  However, the aromatic and spicy duck 'nduja provided the depth and body that transformed the hummus into something super impactful.  The smokiness of the babaganoush was the first thing that hit my palate, then it gave way to a tanginess and finally some earthy tones from the mushrooms and coriander.  The side of fried pita was also a star being fluffy and light with very little grease.

Normally, I'm as excited about vegetable dishes as rush hour traffic on the I-5, but both the Cauliflower and Mushrooms blew me away.  Nicely charred and smoky, the cauliflower was still firm despite being cooked all the way through.  It was not as spicy as it appeared, but still had impact.  There was a level of sweetness that provided balance.  On the side, the crème fraîche was the cooling touch needed for the plate.  That was good, but the mushrooms were life-changing (well, not really, but close!).  Beyond the natural meatiness of the oyster mushroom, the preparation created even more body.  It was smoky from the grill and aromatic.  The seasoning was on point where the umaminess was magnified.  Loved this dish.

Our last small dish was was the Octopus which was nicely charred where the crust on the outside was firm and caramelized.  That gave way to super tender meat that required very little chewing.  There was a noted spice from the chili oil while the avocado cream underneath had an earthiness from the coriander.  Loved the pickled okra as it added the necessary acidity.  Onto the larger dishes, we had the Aged Duck and it was fantastic.  The breast was prepared on a large skewer where the skin was crispy and decently rendered.  As for the meat, it was still juicy and tender with the gaminess of aged meat.  The duck confit leg was fantastic.  With crispy rendered skin and tender gelatinous meat, it ate really well.  Seasoning was on point too.

All of our dishes were great, but the Lamb Neck Shawarma was the proverbial icing on the cake.  It was super tender and full-flavored.  The earthiness of the cumin and coriander was quite evident as well as a hint of cinnamon. It rested on top of bread and we ate it like a taco with the condiment which included pickled veggies, sour cream and cilantro.  As you can clearly tell, I really loved the food at Bavel.  It was familiar, yet completely interesting at the same time.  Textures were how they should've been, but the imactful flavors, whether they were profile of the dish or in the background, were absolutely delicious.

The Good:
- Textures were on point
- Flavors were impactful and balanced
- Interesting food, not just the regular

The Bad:
- Parking in the area is frustrating
- If you chose to sit outside, make sure you bring a jacket

Guerrilla Tacos

So we didn't get to Guerrilla Tacos the night before due to classic LA rush hour traffic.  I mean, we *could* have braved the I-5, but was it really worth it?  I guess that was in the back of our minds as we decided to go to Guisado's instead.  Now don't get me wrong, Guisado's was truly good and that wasn't a mistake.  On the other hand, everyone keeps raving about Guerilla Tacos and in actuality, the place is different than Guisado's.  Fine, we decided to head there for lunch the following morning just because we didn't want to risk missing out.

We started with both Tostadas including the hamachi and ahi tuna.  The hamachi was buttery and tender with a bite.  It was on the saltier side, but there was plenty of umaminess and earthiness.  There was a bit of spice from the chile de valle, but it didn't overwhelm the fish.  I have to say that it was a truly beautiful thing to look at.  Too nice to eat!  Even more colorful, the ahi tuna was buttery and soft as well being lightly sweet.  It was dressed in a cilantro-forward avocado chile and accented by citrus wedges.  As a result, the tostada was bright and herbaceous.  The combination of white miso and nori paste added a fermented deep saltiness with a taste of the sea. There was enough acidity there to bring impact to an otherwise mild-tasting creation.

One of the more surprising tacos was the Sweet Potato with almond chile, feta cheese, fried corn and scallions.  For something without any meat, this ate very hearty and almost meaty due to the full-bodied thick slices of roasted sweet potato.  They were firm with a soft bite while being sweet and caramelized.  There was a touch of spice and also creaminess from the cheese.  Loved the pops of sweet nutty corn as well.  Onto a meat taco, the Pork Belly was soft and tender while being mild.  On top, the smoked trout roe provided a smoky brininess.  Another non-meat taco as the Smoked Cauliflower where it was cooked-through retaining an appealing firmness.  The apricot slices were sweet and fruity while almond chile and pistachios were nutty and aromatic.

The Grilled Steak Taco sported jack cheese, chile molcajete, charred chile and avocado salsa.  This was plenty spicy and cheesy where the flavors were apparent and impactful.  However, we thought the steak was a bit too chewy with many pieces of sinew. Last to arrive, the Lobster Quesadilla was my favorite dish of the bunch.  The whole thing was so buttery and crispy while loaded with springy lobster meat.  Plenty of spice from the chile de valle that was tempered by the runny egg and silky whites.  The Oaxacan cheese added a pleasant umaminess.  As you can guess, Guerilla Tacos is completely different than a place like Guisados (including the price point).  Both are good in their own ways where Guerilla offers up grander creations with bold flavours and eye-catching plating.  I'd do this again when I'm in LA.

The Good:
- Bold flavors
- Colorful 
- Appealing plating

The Bad:
- Not cheap
- Parking is tough to find in the area

Guisado's

Often, I have these elaborate plans for food during our vacations.  This would include traveling quite a distance such as going across town or even through several suburbs.  So while we were staying in Burbank, the original dinner destination was Guerrilla Tacos in the hip Arts District.  However, that meant driving in classic LA rush-hour traffic to get there.  Hence, the usual 17-minute jaunt down the I-5 would take us over 40 minutes according to the current update on Google Maps.  We moved onto plan B instead and merely walked up the street to Guisado's instead for less fancy tacos.

Now that doesn't mean we weren't getting legit tacos though.  That we did with Viv's Taco Sampler which included smaller versions of Bistek en Salsa Rojo, Tinga de Polo, Chicharron, Mole Poblano, Cochinita Pibil and Steak Picado.  Although not as large as the regular ones, this was enough food for one person.  Our favourite was the bistek en salsa rojo as it featured tender pieces of flank steak that was spicy and sweet.  Since it was simmered, the flavours penetrated the meat.  Spicy from the green serrano chilis, the steak picado featured equally tender pieces of beef.  The addition of bacon didn't hurt things either.  Equally blessed with heat, the chicharron was texturally soft due to the pork rinds simmered in chile verde. For me, I really enjoyed the Mole Poblano where it sported chicken that was fairly mild with the nuttiness of the mole coming through.  We got essentially the same selection for our regular-sized tacos and the picture is there for comparison.

I also got something different in the Pescado with grilled white fish, black beans, cabbage, avocado cilantro cream, chile arbol and pico de gallo.  Predictably, this ate much lighter and brighter than the other tacos.  The fish was nicely charred and flaky where the cabbage added freshness and crunch.  I haven't even mentioned that the hand-made tortillas were really good!  Soft and thin (without any gumminess) but maintaining a bite, these helped make the tacos extra good. Just for kicks, I added the Queso Tamale topped with a fried egg.  I was indifferent about this tamale due to the dense texture.  I prefer mine a bit fluffier (with more lard I suppose).  Tastewise, it was on point with plenty of gooey cheese and tangy salsa verde.  The runny egg yolk did help add some necessary moisture though.  Now we didn't come here for the tamales, so if I had to talk about the tacos only, I would tell you to go try them.  They are good.

The Good:
- Beautifully textured hand-made tortillas
- Noticeable spice
- Meats were on point (not dry nor bland)

The Bad:
- Wasn't a fan of the tamale

Bestia

A few posts ago, I mentioned that we were planning to do some more "interesting" and "better" dining in LA this time around.  This was due to the fact that the kids are older and have more refined palates and also we really do not want to eat mediocre food anymore for the sake of convenience.  So we made sure to add the ever-popular Bestia to our itinerary.  We didn't eat just by ourselves though as we met up with local writers Fiona (@gourmetpigs) and Julie (@juliewolfson).  That was a bonus as they helped us navigate the menu and ensured we ordered the right things!

We began with the fabulous Smoked Chicken Liver Pate neatly plated with appealing negative space.  Visuals aside, the pate was super smooth and creamy.  Other than the gaminess of the liver, there was an apparent sweetness and the mild hint of sherry.  To add a kick of acidity, we found preserved lemon on top as well as date vinegar on the side.  Not to be merely a sidekick, the grilled bread was soft and nutty.  Something that totally surprised me was the Cherries and Tomatoes as it was party of flavors.  Naturally, the tanginess of the tomatoes were at the forefront.  This was complimented by its natural sweetness as well as the cherries.  If this wasn't good enough as a combination, the addition of creamy burrata added a certain level of luxuriousness.  Completing things was nutty black sesame seeds and briny trout roe.

One more small dish we had was the Calamari alla Plancha with persian cucumber, shiitake mushroom, meyer lemon, toasted sesame and calabrian chili oil.  This was another delicious creation where the squid was tender while still retaining a pleasant chewiness.  It was slightly spicy and smoky from the chili oil while the meyer lemon added the necessary acidity.  The plump shiitake was also just as much as the star of the dish as the squid.  For our one choice of pizza, we had the Guanciale with heavy cream, leeks, capers, mozzarella and aleppo pepper.  Well-seasoned and evenly charred with leoparding, the pizza crust was consistent in texture throughout.  I found the edges to be nutty and appealingly chewy.  The meatiness and saltiness of the guanciale provided depth while the pepper added sweetness.  

We followed this up with 2 pastas including Gnocchi al Pomodoro with tomato sugo, housemade buttermilk ricotta and basil oil.   Fluffy and airy, the gnocchi were texturally on point.  They were coated just enough with a sauce that was lightly tangy with balanced sweetness and umaminess.  This was good, but the Spaghetti Rustichella was more memorable.  Normally, adding dungeness crab to anything means it will be lost or overwhelmed.  Not here as it was super apparent and at the forefront.  The sweet and briny flavour helped defined the flavor profile of the dish.  It was beautifully accented by the citrus and calabrian chili as well as the aromatic Thai basil and onion seed.  Pasta was perfect too, being firmly al dente.

We ended the savory dishes with a bang by ordering the 32oz Bone-in Dry Aged Prime Ribeye with arugula and radish dressed in apple balasamic.  Oh boy, this thing was huge!  Better yet, it was perfectly medium-rare with an even cook on both sides.  Furthermore, it had been rested properly where the juices stayed within the meat.  Beyond the caramelized char on the outside, the meat itself was nutty and full-bodied from the age.  The salad on the side was not just some sidekick as it was fresh and full of acidity and sweetness.  For dessert, we ended off with 2 including the Maple Ricotta Fritters which were light and delicately crispy.  The maple butter was light and only subtly sweet while the ice cream was refreshing especially from the tang of the sour cream.

Fittingly, we had the Bar au Chocolate Bittersweet Chocolate Budino Tart with salted caramel, cacao crust, olive oil and sea salt. This was really good where the salted caramel hit all the right notes while being purposefully sweet and balanced.  The chocolate itself combined well with the sweet caramel as the bitterness came through at the end.  Texturally, the crust was firm enough to provide contrast to the rest of the ingredients.  Overall, we quite enjoyed our meal at Bestia, it was solid all around with on point execution.  Vibe was lively and service was efficient.   Definite must-visit while in LA.

The Good:
- On point execution
- Solid service
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Parking in the area sucks
- Food came out a bit slow but they were busy

Elite

On my last visit to LA, it was all about the kiddies and a multi-day visit to Disneyland and then subsequent day at Universal.  That left us with very little time to eat anything good and also limited us in terms of location.  Ultimately, we languished in family-friendly eats that wouldn't set any culinary world on fire.  Heck, we didn't even make it out to Monterey Park to try some of the best Dim Sum LA has to offer.  This time around, we did do Disney and Universal, but left plenty of time to wander.  Thus, we made our way to Elite to see how LA Dim Sum stacks up to that of Vancouver.

We ordered a bunch of the standards including the usual Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumplings) and Siu Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumplings).  Sporting a medium-thick dumpling wrapper, the ha gau were quite good.  I found the wrapper to be a bit on the chewier side, but it had good elasticity and mouth-feel.  The filling was on point with meaty shrimp that had a sweet snap.  There was plenty of natural shrimp aroma left which was rather appealing in my opinion.  As for the siu mai, there was a nice rebound texture from the meaty pork and accompanying snap from the shrimp.  I would've liked to see a bit less pork fat as it was hard to chew.  The dumpling was mildly seasoned where I could definitely still taste the pork.

Instead of ordering just one rice noodle roll dish, we had both the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll in addition to the Rice Noodles with Pork Spareribs.  Texturally, the shrimp rice noodle roll was on the thicker side and hence denser.  With that being said, it still featured elasticity which made it a satisfying chew.  In the middle, there were large pieces of shrimp that were similar to the ha gau where the natural flavour was dominant.  We found the rice noodle rolls with the spareribs to be more tender and softer.  They soaked up some of the garlicky pork rib juices as well as the sweetened soy.  The spareribs were meaty and tender with some bounce texture.  I found that there was just a bit too much fat for our liking.

Probably the most surprising items was the Phoenix Talons (Steamed Chicken Feet) as they were some of the biggest claws we've ever seen.  Not only that, but they were prepared flawlessly.  Deep fried with a slightly chewy exterior, it gave way to buttery cartilage and fat.  Despite being soft, the chicken feet stayed intact and were super plump.  Flavor-wise, there was a good balance of sweet, saltiness and garlickiness with some spice.  For our offal selection, we had the Steamed Beef Bible Tripe with green onion and ginger.  This was pretty textbook with mild flavours while the tripe was properly cleaned (not gamy).  Texturally, the tripe had a good chew while being tender.  We only wished they didn't cut some of it into little bits.

Looking pretty pink in the middle, the Beef Meatballs may have looked raw, but that wasn't the case at all.  Whenever the beef is processed along with baking soda, it tends to have a particular color even when cooked through.  Texturally, these were a bit denser and meatier than I would've liked, but there was still the classic rebound with each bite.  I thought they were bang-on with the cilantro where there was only a bit for effect.  Plenty of water chestnuts for an extra crunch.  Unlike some of the other versions we've had, the XO Daikon Cake was rather greasy and saucy.  It was still the right texture being buttery soft while not falling apart.  There was good spice from the XO, but as mentioned, too much oil.

Sporting a fairly thick layer of glutinous rice, the Deep Fried Glutinous Dumplings were pretty good.  Outside was crispy and not overly greasy while there was enough filling in each bite.  I'm never a fan of adding cilantro to the ground pork filling and this one did just that.  Too pungent in my opinion and overwhelming.  Also, they could've lightened up with the pork fat as well.  As usual, we also ordered the Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, which were also textbook.  Beyond the fluffy bun itself, the filling featured fairly lean BBQ pork.  It wasn't as saucy as some other versions I've had, yet it was hardly dry either.  We felt the glaze was nicely balanced between sweet and savory.

For dessert, we got the Pineapple Buns filled with a mashed pineapple custard.  The best part of the bun was its texture as it was soft, fluffy and light.  It was almost like biting into a cloud (if we could eat clouds that is).  Inside, the pineapple filling was more sweet than pineapple tasting.  There were some intermittent chunks though.  Overall, we thought the dim sum at Elite was generally good.  It was more traditional than modern and that could be said about the decor as well.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Decent service

- Well-portioned

The Bad:

- Pretty standard, nothing modern

- Decor could use a refresh

Mr. BBQ

I know, I know...  The best Korean food in Los Angeles resides in K-Town.  There I said it.  I wanted to get that in before people chime in and criticize my decision to eat at Mr. BBQ out in Fullerton.  You see, due to our tight schedule of eats, the only time we could get Korean was when we were staying out in Anaheim.  So taking our dinner break from Disneyland, we made the short drive over to Mr. BBQ for some AYCE action.  Normally, AYCE means low quality and bad service, but at Mr. BBQ, that couldn't be any further from the truth.  This was some of the best service I've ever had in a non-fine dining establishment.  No joke!

So for the AYCE, the menu is pretty extensive and one could get even more selections with the premium AYCE.  We ended up staying with the standard menu since there was like over 20 items already.  That theme would continue into the Banchan as we were served 14 different kinds including a green salad.  Impressive not only for AYCE, but any Korean BBQ joint.  Even better, they refilled the banchan, salad, water and sauces without us even asking!  Literally, we turned our heads and things were topped up.  Impressive.  Onto the meats, we got all of the beef options including the Premium Wagyu Beef Belly.  Let's just say when this cooked up, it was buttery and soft.  Heaven in our mouths!  Pro-tip, make sure you cooked this through as the considerable amount of fat isn't that appealing when not activated.

Continuing on with the Thinly-Sliced Prime Beef Brisket, it was fairly lean so it was not as soft as the beef belly (also it wasn't wagyu).  With that being said, it was still plenty tender with a meatier texture.  This cooked rather quickly and the grill had a difficult time providing an effective sear.  Hence, you would have to overcook it quite a bit to achieve this. I would ask for the grill to be turned up in this case.  Next, the Black Angus USDA Prime Top Sirloin was not only legit-looking, it was completely legit when we ate it.  Being a thicker-cut, we could get a proper sear on it and still keep the meat around medium-rare.  The result was a super tender and full-bodied tasting steak.  It completely blew our minds that we were getting such quality beef at a reasonable AYCE price!

Not finished with beef, we had the Marinated USDA Prime Sirloin as well as the Marinated Black Angus Choice Chuck. Due to the marinate, these did sear up a bit more easily and of course didn't need much at all of the sauces on the side except for the aromatic sesame oil.  I thought the prime sirloin was somewhat similar to the steak, but less meaty due to the marinade.  As for the chuck, it may have been a lesser cut of meat, but due to being thinly-sliced, it was soft.  Our last beef dish was the Premium Wagyu Finger Short Ribs.  This was essentially, the remaining meat on the bones which meant it wasn't exactly tender nor buttery.  Rather, with the tendon and fat, it ended up to be pretty chewy.  If you really wanted actual short ribs, you would need to pay another $10.00pp for the premium AYCE.  Our first non-beef meat was the Teriyaki Marinated Chicken.  Being thigh meat, it was tender and was also well-seasoned.

Onto some other meats, we had the Premium Cut Fresh Pork Belly along with the Premium Sliced Pork Neck.  For me, I wasn't as impressed with the pork compared to the beef.  It wasn't as if the quality wasn't good, it was well-marbled and fresh.  Rather, with the grill not being hot enough (possibly our fault not asking it to be turned up), the meat didn't char properly and it became a bit chewy since it cooked so long.  We really wanted to try more meats, but we were at our maximum meat consumption.  So we ended off with the Spicy Garlic Pork Butt and Fresh Shrimp.  Due to being thinly sliced and marinated, the pork butt ended up to be much more tender and tastier than the other 2 cuts of pork.  As for the shrimp, we cooked it just enough so it had a meaty sweet snap.  By now, we couldn't eat anymore despite many more items on the menu.  For the price, the quality of the meats was also very good.  I also can't forget to mention the awesome service.  I've never had such good service at a Korean AYCE before or most other casual restaurants.

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Meats are good quality
- Outstanding service

The Bad:
- Floors are pretty slippery
- Lineup is crazy during peak times