Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate". What have you tried in L.A.?
NY seems to dominate most episodes, but So Cal's well represented but I've only tried a couple (Office Burger, Godmother). What have you tried from the list? Good or just hype? I'm willing to drive if it's good.
SEASON 1:
Episode: "Between Bread"
Pastrami Sandwich - Langer's Deli
704 S. Alvarado
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050
www.langersdeli.com
Godmother Sandwich - Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
1517 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Episode: "With Bacon"
Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar - Animal
435 N. Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-599-6990
www.animalrestaurant.com
Office Burger - Father's Office
3229 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310-736-2224
fathersoffice.com
Episode: "Sugar Rush"
S'Mores - Luna Park
672 S La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-2110
www.lunaparkla.com
Chocolate Hazelnut Purse: - Riva Restaurant
312 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451 -7482
www.rivarestaurantla.com
Episode: "Pizza"
Breakfast Pizza - Little Dom's
2128 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 661-0055
www.littledoms.com
Episode: "Wake Up Call"
Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes - BLD
7450 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-9744
www.bldrestaurant.com
Pasta Mama - Hugo's
8401 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993
www.hugosrestaurant.com
Episode: "With My Hands"
Chocolate Coconut Cupcake - Joan's on Third
8350 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-2285
www.joansonthird.com
Episode: "Filled With Envy"
Famous Garlic Noodles - Crustacean
9846 Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 205-8990
www.anfamily.com
Shanghai Lobster - Chinois on Main
2709 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 392-9025
www.wolfgangpuck.com
SEASON 2:
Episode: "Hometown Favorites"
Burger - Umami Burger
4655 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027
323-931-3000
www.umamiburger.com
Episode: "Cheesy"
Macaroni and Cheese - Cafe des Artistes
1534 N Mccadden Pl
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 469-7300
www.cafedesartistes.info
Lasagna Verde - Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 297-0070
www.angeliniosteria.com
Episode: "Meat Fest"
Bar-B-Q Beef Sandwich - Cold Spring Tavern
5995 Stagecoach Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 967-0066
www.coldspringtavern.com
Episode: "Snack Attack"
Korean Short Rib Tacos - Kogi BBQ Truck
Los Angeles, CA
kogibbq.com
Lamb Skewers - A.O.C.
8022 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 653-6359
www.aocwinebar.com
Episode: "Chocolate"
Chicken Mole - Loteria Grill
6627 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 465-2500
www.loteriagrill.com
Episode: "Crunchy"
Onion Rings - Akasha
9543 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 845-1700
www.akasharestaurant.com
Caramel Corn - Arclight Cinemas
6360 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-4226
www.arclightcinemas.com
Episode: "The Classics"
Chicken Pot Pie - WoodSpoon
107 West 9th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 629-1765
woodspoonla.blogspot.com
Chili Dog - Carneys
8351 W Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 654-8300
carneytrain.com
Episode: "Hot & Spicy"
Crying Tiger Pork - Jitlada
5233 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-3104
www.jitlada.com
Episode: "Served Cold"
Egg Salad Sandwich - Euro Pane
900 E Colorado Blvd #107
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 577-1828
SEASON 3:
Episode: "Grilled"
Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs -Chosun Galbee
3330 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 734-3330
www.chosungalbee.com
Grilled Diver Scallops - The Ranch House
102 Besant Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-2360
www.theranchhouse.com
Episode: "Simply Irrestible"
Grilled Cheese w/Short Ribs -The Foundry on Melrose
7465 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 651-0915
www.thefoundryonmelrose.com
By pharmnerd
on Jul 29, 2010 12:04 AM
View »
Video
If memory serves Dommy and i have had between us 19 things on the list Most would be thought of as good but some like the Wood spoon Pot Pie were Excellent. It really depended on the source of the rec. and the staff the night we went. [Riva served us a cooled Chocolate Hazelnut Purse which is not awesome just pretty good]
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I should also note that I MADE Pasta Mama as per the Video on Hugo's site (It's AWESOME) and is not being counter in our tally of 19.
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19! That's impressive.
I've only tried Office Burger & Godmother. FO burger was just ok to me, but will definitely try again, as the sides & beer were worth the trip. Godmother was ok, but was in a hurry so bought a pre-made one, which was probably a mistake. Will try again, but order fresh.
As a sidenote:
Only thing I've made from the show are the Union Bar Nuts from the "Snacks" episode. Super-easy & good, but found need to up the butter amount a bit. Used mixed raw nuts and added handful of unsalted peanuts from Trader Joe's. I chop the rosemary a bit more than how it looks on the show.
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Thanks... things like The Garlic Noodles and Shanghai Lobster were part of my ole' wine and dine days... and NOT my choice... LOL! We love the show, if anything it can a be a trip down memory lane.... keep waiting for Micheal's pea soup to show up.... LOL!!
--Dommy!
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Add one more for the first season, Animal's Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar. It was better than I thought (Not a huge fan of rich chocolate desserts) but not the most impressive item of the meal. I much prefer the Sirarcha Bar at Chego for a crunchy chocolate bar...
--Dommy!
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the chego sirarcha bar is pretty good?> have you tried the fried apple pie with cheddar ice cream at a frame, that was pretty darn good i thought, though the portion was way too huge.
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Yup! I got it as a whim one day but it really works, and it's not only about the heat, but the textures and how chocolate really plays off a savory flavoring.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/20...
Have yet to make it to A Frame... will have to check it out!
--Dommy!
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update on the Chocolate Hazelnut Purse:
i had one at Fraiche about a week ago.
completely unbalanced, underwhelming dessert.
big gloppy, syrupy, very dense, VERY sugary chocolate goopy bomb, wrapped in thin pastry, with a tiny tablespoon of vanilla ice cream which i'm sure was meant to offset the tremendous heaviness and sugariness of the chocolate goopy thing. the ice cream might have had some of that effect if they had put more than a tablespoon of it on the plate. . .
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IMO Langer's is all that it's made to be - a solid, east coast quality pastrami that's definitely worth the visit (of course, the hours can be an obstacle). Have not been to Bay Cities for a measure-up though I intend to in the upcoming month.
The Bacon chocolate brunch bar at Animal is certainly worthwhile - it means you'll not only enjoy a great dessert, but (obligatorily) all the meaty pleasures that preclude it.
In terms of burgers, I'll take Umami over FO any day. Discounting the unnecessary attitude from FO, I think the Umami burger is simply better. Both are tasty but neither is truly transcendent - still in search of that.
Everyone always talks about that Lasagna Verde at Angelini Osteria. Personally, I didn't much care for it.
I actually remember watching the episode where Marc Summers dubbed Carney's TBTIEA. I was kind of shocked.
Funny thing - I actually tried to order the Crying Tiger my first time at Jitlada, as a test of palate. Server said it wasn't as painful as I might have been anticipating, and directed me to order another item. I'll have to try it when I go back.
Cho Sun Galbee's short ribs might very well be the priciest item on that list. More than likely you're paying extra to eat in a place that is less resembling of a chimney than most Korean BBQ's; in my book, though... where there is marbling, there is ...
.. well, me.
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If you would like to see what LA board hounds have eaten that they recall as being the "best" single dishes or bites they've had, here are a couple of prior threads which address those very issues: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/694465 and http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6877...
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Eastside market and italian deli
#7 hot roast beef and pastrami sandwich, delish
Eastside Market & Italian Deli
1013 Alpine street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
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I've tried 18 of the 28 listed, and of those 18, the only two that I think really approach being worthy of the lofty title are:
Loteria Grill's Mole - the best
BLD's Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes - not a big fan of BLD in general, but those pancakes...
Beyond that, the others I've had that I'd say are definitely worth a try are:
Langer's Pastrami
Father's Office Burger
Crustacean Garlic Noodles
Umami Burger
Cafe des Artistes Macaroni and Cheese
Kogi Short Rib Tacos
And the ones I'd take off the list are:
Animal Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar - love Animal, but this is their least impressive item
Luna Park S'Mores - really? whatever
Hugo's Pasta Mama - maybe I caught them on a bad day, but mine was almost inedibley dry and bland
Angelini Osteria Lasagna Verde - eh
A.O.C. Lamb Skewers - love A.O.C., love lamb, but these were just okay
Akasha Onion Rings - Duff went a little overboard, these were good, but not great
Arclight Caramel Corn - eh
Carneys Chili Dog - eh
The Foundry Grilled Cheese - way too much going on
Bay Cities Godmother - let’s agree to disagree
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18! Y'all are impressive.
Your "worthy" and "worth a try" are now on my short list. Interesting about the Lamb Skewers, as they looked awesome on the show. Will probably give it try some day though.
Agree, it's hard to wade thru Duff's enthusiasm to tell how good it is. Looked like any ol' onion ring to me.
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Part of the reason I like the show is because it seems SO much more genuine than anything on the food network. You can see the spark and passion in the eyes of many of the food personalities that made me believe, for the first time, that they DO really love good food and the effort put behind it. Lemme tell ya, when Giada raved about Woodspoon... my respect for her increased 1000x... Plus, they are really hitting good vibe with the show. The most recent when Sunny snorted... "What does Fondant Boy know about Chili?!" I almost fell off my couch...
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I had the AOC lamb skewers 2 weeks ago, they were good but not memorable. I had much better lamb skewers in Greece, for example.
In that list I had Chosun's ribs too. OK, nothing so special about them.
Umami's burger. I'm more into the Port & Stilton one than their signature burger, it is my favorite LA burger. But I'm totally biased because I live right around the corner of the original location and I can walk and pick up my burger to go. The Umami is very good, but I don't dream about it, whereas the port & stilton one...
Joan's on 3rd cupcake. meh. Too sweet.
And that's all.
205 Crescent Ave, Avalon, CA 90704
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Umami Triple Pork burger does it for me...and AOC's bacon wrapped dates seemed like they were their signature dish when they first opened...
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Whoa, first of all thanks for tracking all of down for us.
As to your question, of the ones I've tried these are indeed good:
- Chicken pot pie at Woodspoon
- Egg salad sandwich at Europane
- Breakfast pizza at Little Dom's
The ones that are more hype than hope for me:
- Office burger at Father's Office
- No. 19 at Langer's (duck!)
- Garlic noodles at Crustacean
- Short ribs at Chosun Galbee
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Yeah, I have no life and was REALLY bored last night.
Hmm. Seems the Pot Pie is receiving a few nods. Added to my "list" and as a plus, only a short drive away.
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Worth it... plus Woodspoon all around has excellent Apps and a wonderful cinnamon water, even my jaded top chef able mom attempted to make herself... LOL!
--Dommy!
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In addition to the pot pie at Wood Spoon, my husband loves the steak sandwich and we both love the pork burger...
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... and don't forget her cookies!
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Whaaaaa....??? Coooooooookies???
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Seriously. what? I've been to Wood Spoon maybe 15 times, and I've never had the cookies. What have I been missing!
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http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/3916...
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Yup.
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Can you describe the chicken pot pie? (and do they sell them whole?)
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It's a chicken pot pie with a nice flaky crust, not to heavy, but not too flakey (have you had the flying pie man's meat pie? That verges on too flaky). The filling is well spiced, complex, but not challenging... it also have of texture points... the traditional ones but then has the bonus of melty logs of hearts of palm. The pie is of good size, not huge, but not this tiny precious this either. Totally worth the drive and visit to try at least once...
--Dommy!
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Interesting and intriguing description! Hearts of palm, now that's an unusual ingredient for chicken pot pie.
"(have you had the flying pie man's meat pie? That verges on too flaky)"
.....I've not had this pie, where is this place?
I love the chicken pot pie from Clementine's. How would the above compare?
P.S. One of the owners of Roman Cucina in Fullerton told me about a guy who makes killer chicken pot pies in Huntington Beach and delivers them but I'm too far.
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I've actually never had the Clementine Chicken Pot Pie... I need to try it out...
Flying Pie Man is the winner of this year's Good Food Pie contest. He's a Japanese man and currently sells his pies mail order. Although he does occassionally show up at shows like Artisanal LA and at the Cheese Cave in Claremont...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dommichu/5128053942/
http://flyingpieman.blogspot.com/
--Dommy!
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Well I will certainly have to taste one of his pies!
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We did have the Flying Pie Man's pies. They were good, but not something I'd go out of my way for...he's moved up north btw.
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To add onto Dommy's description - the pies are single-serving size, maybe 5 or 6 inches in diameter. I always eat half and take the other half home. One of the things I love about it is that the filling is of perfect consistency - not too runny, as some other pot pies are. Also, it comes with a sort of Brazilian aioli sauce which adds the perfect creamy-spicy note to each bite of pie. And the chicken is perfectly moist and tender - no dried-out chunks. Yum!
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Yes, it's small (or smaller than most chicken pies around town) but I also think's it's heavier (denser maybe?) than most of the larger pies. In this case, the looks can be deceiving as to how filling the pie can be.
I dunno if it's necessarily the best pie around, but it is very very good.
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I've had ten:
- Pastrami Sandwich - Langer's Deli
- Godmother Sandwich - Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
- Office Burger - Father's Office
- Chocolate Coconut Cupcake - Joan's on Third
- Burger - Umami Burger
- Lamb Skewers - A.O.C
- Onion Rings - Akasha
- Caramel Corn - Arclight Cinemas
- Chicken Pot Pie - WoodSpoon
- Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs -Chosun Galbee
I'm so happy to see Wood Spoon on this list - the chicken pot pie is SO wonderful, and the owner, Natalia, is one of the nicest people in the world.
I just had the lamb skewers at AOC last month, and they were fantastic. I wished it was not a small plate though but rather a gigantic plate! It was but a mouthful when split between three people.
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I noticed you're the only one that mentioned having eaten the Chocolate Coconut Cupcake at Joan's on Third. I tried it and was not a fan at all. How this compares to Sprinkles' Red Velvet, I have no idea. I am wondering if this has to do w/ my disdain for Alex Guarnaschelli though.
btw.. I've had 11
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I've had it and agree with you... I much prefer Susie Cakes for Cupcakes...
--Dommy!
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Agree 100% on SusieCakes
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susie cakes also sells a petit lemon bar type of thing that i like.
dunno what they call it.
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I'm the wrong person to ask because I'm not a cupcake connoisseur at all. Frankly, I think cupcakes are very awkward - it's hard to get the right amount of frosting and the right amount of cake in the same bite, and it always ends up on my face or in my lap or both. Give me a slice of cake instead any day!
But, that said, I thought Joan's cupcake was a bit too sweet. I prefer Vanilla Bakeshop....
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Forgive the very late reply (just started reading this thread), but the trick is to rip the cupcake in half and smush the former bottom on top of the frosting. Voilà, instant cupcake sandwich.
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Thanks for piping up about the Lamb Skewers! I haven't had them in AGES and have been itching to head back to AOC... Woodburning oven is just calling me...
--Dommy!
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Is Chosun Galbee better than Parks BBQ?
955 S. Vermont Ave, Suite G, Los Angeles, CA 90006
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Hardly... it's just more 'polished'. I am guessing the person who picked it, had an experience like me. Invited to a party meant to 'impress'...
--Dommy!
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how about the banana cream pie from bandaras
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Great topic to liven up the board. I will learn something from this post. Thanks.
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Pastrami Sandwich - Langer's Deli
- Hands down the best Pastrami (and YES, better than Brent's). The Reuben style with zippy cheese is the way to go
Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar - Animal
- Pretty delish. My only criticism is that the bacon bits were a little overcooked; although, I believe it was intended to be this way. In my amateur opinion, leaving a little bit of fat un-rendered in the bits allows for a more harmonious play between the bacon fat and the luscious ganache. But hey, I'de order it again in a pig's heartbeat.
Office Burger - Father's Office
- Nice but massively over-hyped. It lacks the juiciness and serious beef flavor that I expect from a burger. However, finding a better sweet potato fry would not be an easy task.
Burger - Umami Burger
- THE BEST BURGER I EVER ATE Period. The So-cal, Hatch, Truffle, Pork, Manly, and Port Stilton are my favorites. Not to keen on the Umami and Turkey Burgers.
Korean Short Rib Tacos - Kogi BBQ Truck
- Very good but a little overspiced for me. I would like to taste the meat a little more but I eat here whenever I see the truck.
205 Crescent Ave, Avalon, CA 90704
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I'm an LA novice! I've only had the caramel corn (yum) and the kogi tacos......the tacos were good but not good enough to wait in a long line for. Luckily I didn't have to (are they still popular, btw?).
I also ordered the beef jerky from the salty episode that comes from Ohio and it was AAAAAAMAAAAAZING.
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Had my first Langer's #19 today. It's the real deal. Looks/tastes exactly as described by Adam Gertler in the show. Ask for hot mustard if need to counter the sweetness of the cole slaw. A definite "must try" in my book.
Hoping to hit Wood Spoon for the pot pie soon.
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I've been to Langers for the Pastrami and the Beef Brisket. I got the Pastrami on rye and the Brisket I think on rye and sometimes on sour dough. I used to work in downtown LA and used to take the bus over there or if I took a long lunch I would walk. It's quite a distance to walk but if I took a long lunch I could do it and burn the calories I ate. I have not been there in years though. I wish I had seen the episode when I went there.
To me though the "Pastrami" taste like corned beef to me though.
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Langers #19. Sorry for the awful pic, but I was in a hurry to dig in. Was to-go, so looks a little smashed.
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I was eating at Langers with a friend about 8 years ago and in walks in Actor, Producer, Writer, Albert Brooks. He is in with another guy. So he eats and gets up and we look at him and he sees us and he gives us a wave. I suppose the guy he was in there with him is another Hollywood guy and they are talking some development deal. There are no studios near Langers, no ritzy neighborhoods (the opposite) so I suppose they came all the way to Langers with the intent on having some great food. You have to really like a place to drive a distance to get to it if you are not normally in the neighborhood.
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FYI, saw a couple new episodes with reference to 2 LA dishes, both from WP by coincidence:
Episode: "Close to Home"
Wolfgang Puck - Whole Branzino Roasted in Sea Salt - Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 297-0070
www.angeliniosteria.com
Episode: "Bang for the Buck"
Wolfgang Puck - French Dipped Sandwiches - Philippe, The Original
1001 N. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-3781
www.philippes.com
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More SoCal entrants for Season 4. I've only tried Slippery Shrimp at Yang Chow (good, but best thing I ever at???). The Pot Roast at Jar looked interesting because, well, it looks like pot roast.
Episode: "At a Deli"
Marc Summers - Corned Beef Sandwich - Brent's Delicatessen and Restaurant
19565 Parthenia St.
Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 886-5679
www.brentsdeli.com
Episode: "With Chopsticks"
Adam Gertler - Slippery Shrimp - Yang Chow
819 N. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 625-0811
www.yangchow.com
Episode: "That I'm Thankful For"
Jeff Henderson - Sweet Potato Cheesecake - Harriet's Cheesecakes
1515 Centinela Ave
Inglewood, CA 90302
310-419-2259
Cat Cora - Mandoo Vegetable Dumplings - Susan Feniger's Street
724 N. Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-203-0500
www.eatatstreet.com
Episode: "Crazy Good"
Rocco DiSpirito - Pot Roast - Jar
8225 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
323-655-6566
www.thejar.com
Giada De Laurentiis - Matterhorn Cake - Sweet Surrender
6439 Ming Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93309
661-835-8530
www.sweetsurrenderbakery.com
Episode: "With Garlic"
Eric Greenspan - Garlic Naan - Al-Noor
15112 Inglewood Ave.
Lawndale, CA 90260
(310) 675-4700
www.alnoor-restaurant.net
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Dommy and I went to Al-Noor because of the episode and while the garlic naan good the chile naan was excellent
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I love Brent's deli. The corned beef is great but their Black Pastrami Rueben is one of the best sandwiches in LA.
19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324
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Nothing can touch that sandwich.
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what makes it a black pastrami reuben, rather than just a mere pastrami reuben?
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Nothing at all, it's just the name they call it and it's a great sandwich.
From their menu: Black Pastrami Reuben Incredible!
Served on Grilled Rye Bread
with Melted Swiss Cheese,
Hot Sauerkraut and Russian Dressing... “It will melt
in your mouth.”
http://www.brentsdeli.com/
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Yeah, the garlic was good, but not POW garlic... The Chile Naan however was one of the best breads EVAH!! Beautiful too...
http://yfrog.com/c8uo30j
--Dommy!
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LOVE Al-Noor. Not only is their garlic naan delicious, but their parathas are perfection. I also have not ever had a better palak paneer!
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Hit most of these as well... although now they are running out of ideas and I recently went to a PR site that was touting they got one of their clients on the show. SERIOUS let down...
--Dommy!
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Gotta take all the "best of" food shows with a grain of salt I guess.
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Yeah, they had me going on this one, at least initially because the chef's talked so passionately about the foods. Sometimes they would be more passionate about the dishes here then they would be about the dishes on their own show! I mean seeing Alton Brown wax poetic about the beauty of bibimbap (one of my favorite things ever!) was so refreshing... Anyway, like I mentioned now you can tell who is phoning it in.... :/
--Dommy!
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I always considered myself a junior foodie. I guess I have graduated to the big time!
Pastrami Sandwich - Langer's -
I love this sandwich. It rivals my first experience at 2nd Ave Deli. Surprisingly they they don't have great pickles.
Godmother - Bay Cities
Old school LA. Darn good.
Pasta Mama - Hugo's
Another excellent LA standby.
Caramel Corn - Arclight Cinemas
Surprised how tasty, but kinda greasy.
Chocolate Coconut Cupcake - Joan's on 3rd
Umami Burger - Umami Burger
Good burger. Not the best just darn good.
Lasagne Verde - Angelini Osteria
Amazing.
Short Rib Taco's - Kogi
Whatever! I prefer Chego's beef bowl!
Chicken Mole - Loteria Grill
Pretty good. I love the potato tacos.
Chili Dog - Carney's
Ate here my whole life. Nothing beats Tommy's on Rampart though.
BBQ Short Ribs - Chosun Galbee
Great vibe for big groups of friends.
Whole Branzino Roasted in Sea Salt - Angelini Osteria
Excellent.
French Dipped Sandwiches - Philippe, The Original
You're not a real resident of LA if you haven't had this. I prefer the lamb double dip. Don't forget the mustard. You gotta try the pickled egg for kicks!
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The Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar is absolutely amazing! It totally got me hooked on the bacon/chocolate pairing! In the past year and a half since I've had it I've been trying to convince my culinary team to use the pairing more often (or at all) and everyone just looks at me like I'm nuts. Same with the pig ear in the sambal sauce and fried egg. Oh well.
435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
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I did pretty good w/ 10 checked off the list but this thread is more awesome for putting 6 new spots on my absolutely must-try list.
thumbs up in order of preference:
langer's pastrami - the best!
europane egg salad - perfection.
Philippe french dip - the mustard is what elevates this for me but i'd rather have a cole's dip
bay cities godmother - though i find the bread the best part, too many elements for it to be a perfect sandwich for me
kogi short rib tacos - tasty but not worth the wait
BLD ricotta pancakes - better than everything else on the menu but not worth a special trip
slippery shrimp @ yang chow - good in a guilty pleasure sort of way
thumbs down:
little dom's breakfast pizza - the crust gets soggy within seconds of arriving to your table, every other thing on the menu is better than their pizzas
umami burger / office burger - overhyped and not that delicious
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I prefer Cole's too! I think we're in the minority here though.
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Nope -- Eastside Market Deli -- much bigger and more satisfying.
On the westside, Victor Jr.'s does a great Italian beef with dipping jus on the side.
10113 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
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Added to my "gotta try" list. Thanks for heads-up. How might it compare to Portillo's in Buena Park?
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philippes doesn't make a french dip, they make a roast beef sandwich with soggy bread.
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So I visited LA for the first time this week (from Montreal). I ended up trying some of the things on this list and here is what I thought.
Korean Short Rib Tacos - Kogi BBQ Truck
really liked these, I also tried the spicy pork and tofu ones which were good but these were REALLY good.
Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes - BLD
Really enjoyed these! They were soo rich though I was feeling it for a while after.
Also tryed their benedicts and only thought they were ok,
Umami Burger
LOVED IT!!! Probably the best burger I ever had.. Had the Truffled cheese one, really amazing
Pasta Mama - Hugo's
Really disappointed in this one. Just made me think how the hell can someone say this is the best thing he ever ate!!! It was really nothing special but still ok. My girlfriend had the Chilaquiles and those were just pretty crap.
Godmother Sandwich - Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
Another disappointment. Come on its just a regular sandwich with cold cuts in it! How is that the best thing you ever ate! I did enjoy the place though, would definetly be one of my spots if lived down here.
Other things I had that were not on the list was a breakfast sandwhich at 26 beach , which was very sloppy and made me and my girl very angry but it was pretty good despite.
Had a lobster roll from lobsta truck which was ok.
In n out burger was horrible Im sorry to say. tasted like mcdonalds.
Hama Sushi in little tokyo was pretty good considering there wasnt teriyaki and tempura which I would normally order both of when going out for sushi. Liked the spicy tuna hand rolls very much
Had a fish taco at Baja fresh which I kinda enjoyed surprisingly.
And finally Woodspoon was closed so i couldnt try the chicken pot pie :<
Definetley cant wait to come back, lots more to explore!
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How did a sloppy sandwich at 26 Beach make you and your companion "very angry" (there has to be some sort of story behind that particular statement)?
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Well everytime we tried taking a bite the whole sandwich would fall apart. It was quite frustrating. My girlfriend ended up eating it open faced with a fork and knife. All the ingedients inside the sandwich were good though
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Jay...
Of course Hana Sushi did not have teriyaki and tempura. It's a sushi shop. Perhaps you should have gone to a regular Japanese restaurant, which would normally serve things like teriyaki and tempura.
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I had no idea, went with friends who recommended it. Wasnt a big deal though.
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"In n out burger was horrible Im sorry to say. tasted like mcdonalds."
McDonald's where you live must be mighty good.
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Funny you say that, actually the quality of mcdonalds is apparently better in canada. But still garbage in my opinion. Maybe my expectations were really high considering I heard from many people that its great, but its a paper thin burger with what tasted like big mac sauce. There's just so many better options. It boggles my mind how everybody thinks that its a good burger. Am I the only one who feels this way??
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I like the burger but hate the fries.
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It's just a cheap drive through burger done well and made fresh to order, not frozen. Nothing like McDonald's at all
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Agree about In n Out Burger, it's flat out awful.
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+2 OC Mutt and jay_81k
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More from Season 3:
Episode: "Sliced"
Duff Goldman - Charcuterie de la Maison - Church & State
1850 Industrial St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
www.churchandstatebistro.com
And, from Season 4:
Episode: "With Garlic"
Duff Goldman - Half Chicken with Garlic Sauce - Zankou Chicken
multiple Los Angeles area locations
Los Angeles, CA
www.zankouchicken.com
I know there's a lot of Zankou chain-haters, but when you hit it on a good time/day (juicy meat, crispy skin, etc), it's more than worth the price of entry IMO.
1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021
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Agreed! I have one of those otherworldy experiences at the Pasadena Zankou last time I went. Fabulous.
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why was it so great?
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Don't know. I have been eating at Zankou for over 10 years and the last time it was really, really good. Probably the best it has been in at least the past 5 years.
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In case you missed it, Bernard Manzke, late of Church & State, is now in residence at Le Saint Amour in Culver City. This estimable brasserie now boasts the #1 pate & #2 sausage maker in the city -- Bruno Herve-Commereuc -- & the #1 sausage & #2 pate maker -- Manzke -- in the same kitchen. Charcuterie platter is smaller & pricier than Bruno's halcyon Angelique Cafe days, but still rocks the taste buds.
1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021
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Just had the Office Burger at Father's Office last week. Pretty damn good. Not Mindblowing, but almost.
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This list is pretty spot on! I'd also add Hickory Burger from Apple Pan, Fried Chicken Sandwich from Son of a Gun, Jitlada Morning Glory salad, Mastros steak, Spicy Tuna and crispy rice at Izaka Ya, corned beef sandwich at Nate 'N Al's
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man, that fried chicken sandwich from Son of a Gun was fucking awesome.
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OK, here's what I've tried:
1. Umami Burger -- the SoCal burger is my favorite burger, ever, period. There is no burger that is so juicy and delicious, and the SoCal has the good old melty american cheese and thousand island dressing to make it perfect. Umami Burger is definitely worth a drive.
2. Phillipe's French Dip -- I've been in love with the pork sandwich (double dipped) since I was a kid -- used to be a reward for me and my sister after flouride treatments from our dentist in Little Tokyo. Worth a drive. The macaroni salad, potato salad, and mustard are all must-haves too. Much better than its rival Cole's.
3. Slippery Shrimp at Yang Chow -- very good but really sweet. To me, not worth a long drive. Yang Chow does have another location in Canoga Park though if that's closer (or is it Woodland Hills?)
4. Korean Short Rib Tacos from Kogi's -- Yes, worth a drive to have them at least once. Personally I prefer going to the Alibi Room to get them to waiting outside in front of a truck. Alibi has a decent beer selection and there's some stuff on the Kogi menu there you can't get from the trucks. Personally I like the short rib sliders even better than the tacos, and the kimchee quesadilla is deliciously indulgent with some sort of red pepper aoili.
5. Half chicken with garlic sauce from Zankou -- Their garlic sauce is fantastic. Personally, I prefer the chicken tarna sandwich with double garlic sauce. It's worth a drive. That garlic sauce is unforgettable. The rotisserie chicken at Zankou is good but not the best ever, however, the tarna is done shawarma-style and spiced, super-tender.
6. I have not tried the chocolate-coconut cupcake but I want to give a shout out to the Oinkster's peanut butter and jelly cupcake, which is amazing. Like biting into your happiest childhood memory.
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I really WANT to try the Foundry's grilled cheese w/short ribs!!
Have tried:
Langers-#19 is good, but it's more like corned beef than the east coast pastrami I knew & loved
Phillipe's-def. an institution, lamb double dip is good, but the lines suck
Bay Cities-Godmother is good b/c of the bread, that's about it, like their hot subs better
Animal-Bacon crunch bar, was good, but too full from the other menu items to consider it best
Yang Chow-we had one down the street from us in Pasadena the only shrimp my DH would eat
Crustacean-garlic noodles are good, but not best
Umami-only have had the Hatch burger, but it is delicious
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FWIW, Season 5 has started.
Episode: "Combos"
Duff Goldman -Chicken & Waffles -Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles
1514 North Gower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-7453
www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com
Episode: "Fried Chicken"
Michael Symond -Coconut Fried Chicken -Cha Cha Chicken
1906 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405-1044
(310) 581-1684
www.chachachicken.com
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I do love the chicken and waffles at Roscoe's, nice comfort food. (I've gone to the one in Pasadena and Long Beach, the former was better.)
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S'mores at Luna Park: Presentation and that chocolate (which I'm addicted to) were great.
No. 19 at Langers: Unlke any pastrami I've had. Wonderful and definitely worth the 1.5 hour drive.
Hazelnut purse at Riva: Called ahead and found out they were out of business.
Chili dog at Carney's: A solid dog, but nothing great. Still go at least once because it's a classic joint. (If you're looking for classic chili-smothered grub from an iconic LA eatery, you can't do better than the original Tommy's on Rampart late night on some summer weekend.
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wehre's riva, and i may be confusing that with riversa, the jon sedlar joint?
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Riva was in Santa Monica.
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imho, ya didn't miss anything of value in that purse and you saved the time and gas of the drive involved: a win-win
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More from Season 5:
Episode: "Better Than Mine"
The Waffle - Red Velvet Waffle
Guest: Susan Feniger
6255 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 465-6901
www.thewaffle.us/site/home.html
Samosa House - Samosas
Guest: Aarti Sequeira
11510 West Washington Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 398-6766
www.samosahouse.net
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Tried Samosa House the other day -- excellent samose pastry and fluffy vegetable filling. Up there with the best I've had, but I prefer a more heavily spiced filling. Also had some yummy banana curry.
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I Love Cole's French Dip or Philippe Original Restaurant for their French Dip . But for Pastrami it has to be Johnnies Pastrami Restaurant in Culver City -The Best !!!
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The Farm - brownies
Nate n Als - potato pancakes.....both r not to be missed
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More Season 5: Farrell's? Serious? Everything else looked good on TV at least.
Episode: “Old School”
La Scala – Jean Leon Original Chopped Salad
Guest: Gail Simmons
434 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 275-0579
www.lascalabeverlyhills.com
Episode: “Ice Creamy”
Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant – Gibson Girl
Guest: ?
799 The Shops at Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 364-5411
www.farrellsusa.com
Bulgarini Gelato - Torta Gelato with Chocolate and Pistacchio
Guest: ?
749 E. Altadena Dr.
Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 791-6174
www.bulgarinigelato.com
Episode: “French Favorites”
Lucques – Braised Shortribs
Guest: ?
8474 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 655-6277
http://www.lucques.com
Episode: “Finger Foods”
Meals By Genet – Dorowat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew
)Guest: Melissa D’Arabian
1053 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 938-9304
www.mealsbygenet.com
The Gorbals – Bacon Wrapped Matzoh Balls
Guest: Rahm Fama
501 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 488-3408
thegorbals.squarespace.com
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Yes, the bacon-wrapped matzoh balls at the Gorbals are really, really good. If you go try the latkes too.
501 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
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the best part is the smoked apple sauce that goes with it.
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"Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant – Gibson Girl"
Recommended by Mo Rocca (comedian and host of Foodography)
"Lucques – Braised Shortribs"
Recommended by Frank Bruni (NY Times food critic)
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Thank you. The online info has become more sketchy & I deleted the Tivo'd shows. Frank Bruni's recs always look awesome.
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The bulgarini gelato person was Aarti Party.
Makes me question whether the torta is that good... never tried that specific thing.
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The chicken teriyaki/tempura combo at Noshi Sushi is great. They use chicken breast with a light teriyaki sauce - most restaurant teriyaki sauces are too sweet. Noshi's is light and nicely seasoned. The tempura isn't overly breaded or greasy. They give you a nice salad. It's a good value for the buck.
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Season 6 is complete...I think. Any of these worthy of the distinction?
Episode: "Messy"
The Boiling Crab
742 W Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 576-9368
http://www.theboilingcrab.com/
On Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Simon Majumdar skips the crab and goes for the finger-licking good, as spicy as you want them, shrimp at The Boiling Crab in Alhambra, CA.
Episode: "As Good As Moms"
La Poubelle
5907 Franklin Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 465-0807
http://www.lapoubellebistro.com/
On Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Curtis Stone reveals his favorite French dish that he raves is as good as his moms, the Coq Au Vin, at La Poubelle in Hollywood, CA.
Lukshon
3239 Helms Ave.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 202-6808
http://www.lukshon.com/
On Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Candace Nelson raves about the Spicy Chicken Pops, drumettes dusted with spicy sichuan salt and garlic, that are as good as her moms, at Lukshon in Culver City, CA.
Spago Beverly Hills
176 N. Canon Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 385-0880
http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3635
Wolfgang Puck praises the Kaiserschmarrn, a warm pancake-like dessert crafted by the executive chef from Wolfgang's own restaurant, Spago, in Beverly Hills, CA, and claims it's as good as his moms.
Episode: "Frightfully Good"
Animal Restaurant
435 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-782-9225
http://www.animalrestaurant.com
Duff Goldman prefers the fresh, local ingredients and the classic American cuisine at Animal in Los Angeles, CA, on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Pig tails.
Episode: "Bird is the Word"
A-Frame
12565 Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 398-7700
http://aframela.com/new/
Susan Feniger's bird dish of choice, the Cracklin' Beer Can Chicken, is a delicious, old school favorite at A-Frame in Los Angeles, CA, on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
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