KTCHN in DTLA

If it's a pop-up, it peaks my interest and lands on my "must eat here" list. I read about KTCHN's DTLA cooking school, which morphed into a pop-up brunch spot at The Gorbals and persuaded my foodie partner-in-crime to check it out with my one recent weekend.

I read about their "limited" brunch menu, which made me a tad nervous, as I was hoping to find something to salivate over. Thank gawd their menu was limited... because I wanted everything on it and had a tough time deciding what to order!

We started out with the citrus- salmon as our eyes kept going back to it. Sherry and I must be banned from going out to eat together because we both adore food and order way too much. But I love Sherry, and I love food, so we'll just have to deal.

I then decided on the Poblano Spoon Bread with caramelized onions, fried eggs, goat cheese, kale, chia seeds and sunflower seeds. The caramelized onion, goat cheese and seeds were enveloped in a warm thick blanket of polenta and topped with sauteed kale and two fried eggs. I doused hot sauce all over it and dug in. Every spoonful uncovered hidden gems of caramelized onions and melted goat cheese. Comfort food to the extreme. Complex and multiple layers of flavors.

KTCHN. Downtown, Los Angeles.

Tar & Roses Bites

Deemed "rustic modern," Tar & Roses remains one of my favorite LA restos. I love everything from the typography on the menu, to the snack, small plate and decor to The Damage at the end of the night. Salivating over pics from my last dinner there.

ricotta gnocchi / broccolini / lemon

roasted beets / feta  /  tarragon  / horseradish

balsamic glazed ribs / chili /  fried basil

chicken oysters on a stick / tamarind 

Tar & Roses. Santa Monica, CA.

Toronto's Best Burger?

Four out of four Fabbrica (Toronto Italian resto) waitstaff agree - Burger's Priest is hands down Toronto's best burger. Guess where we headed for lunch the day after hearing this? Yep, Burger's Priest on Yonge Street (one of three locations). There was a line out the door at 1:00 p.m. so I knew we'd been introduced to a gold mine.

We eagerly waited and ordered from the simple In-N-Out Burgeresque menu. While waiting inside the small shop along with 20 or so other salivating customers, we got to talking with some (Torontonians are SO friendly!) and got the real scoop on Burger's Priest and other hidden Toronto gems.

Just like In-N-Out Burger, there is a secret menu that only those in-the-know are clued in on. Too bad we learned of it after we ordered! The secret menu can be accessed on Burger's Priest website and offers a much more robust and decadent menu. (Can you spot my adorable Dad in the pic below?! He's eager for his burger!).

The burger was sinfully good. A working man's burger, as some would call it. The cheese enveloped the patty and was sandwiched between two flattened buns, something I'd never seen before. This was just on the Californian as other burgers had more standard buns. I liked it because the meat was the star and the crisp buns were the perfect bookends.

The french fries are fresh cut every day and were like little sticks of pillowy heaven.

Burger's Priest, I'm praying to get back to you!

Live in Toronto? Do you agree?! What other burgers do you crave?

Burger's Priest. Toronto, Canada.

Back At It

It's been a long time since my last blog post. Too long. I've wanted to write about the fabulous food I've indulged in, but lacked the creative motivation to write. They always say you find inspiration where you least expect it, right? Well, I just returned from the trip I'd been dreading for years... the one to Toronto to bury my Grandpa. But during those heavy but meaningful days, I found my inspiration, so I'm back at it! Death brings intense perspective you could say.

Per usual, when my parents and I travel to Toronto, we try a few hot spots since we're all foodies and need some balance to our trips, which were mostly spent in a nursing home and visiting with extended family. The former being emotionally exhausting, we found solace in the latest delicacy... and a bottle of wine ;)

After my parents picked me up from the airport we headed for a mellow dinner at Fabbrica, an Italian spot my parents frequented on previous Toronto trips located in the Shops at Don Mills. Naturally we nestled up to the bar, ordered a bottle of wine and a few small plates to share.

The food was comforting and full of flavor. We weren't that hungry so we just ordered a few bites, the highlight being the Fregola and sweet corn charred with chili and dill. I love the meatiness of fregola. The char brought the dish together under a thick, spicy blanket and the chilis packed a punch to finish it off. I could have eaten the whole dish myself!

We also split a prosciutto and arugula pizza. Homemade tomato sauce oozed out of each bite and the salty prosciutto paired perfectly with the peppery arugula and silky mozzarella.

Hard to believe, but the highlight of this evening wasn't the food, it was Abby, Fabbrica's fabulous General Manager. Her upbeat positive personality was infectious. She befriended us, danced us through the cocktail menu, showed us their house infused liquors (below) and made some fabulous restaurant recommendations for while we were in Toronto.

She recommended a few other spots for us to try: Burger's Priest for Toronto's best burger, Rock Lobster for Cesar drinks with a lobster tail, Guu for Japanese tapas and a few more, most which we put on  our list (see future posts!).

We found ourselves back at Fabbrica for lunch with cousins on our last day in Toronto. Couldn't get enough!

I'm a huge steak salad fan so had to order it. Loved the use of celery leaves sprinkled in, which added a freshness and tartness. I've also recently become a huge fan of celery leaves (thanks to Osteria Mozza) and now use the stalks to juice and the leaves for a salad!

Fabbrica. Toronto, Canada.