Vinh "ja" N.'s Profile

Have never purchased tires or rims here but I have gotten tires repaired, rotated and air checked/filled for FREEEEE!  The service is very friendly and helpful and I would not hesitate to come to them when I need to make a purchase.

There comes a time when even your old favorites have to go.  As a kid you might have hung on to your ratty blankie for dear life until it became worse looking than a rag at the local car wash.  Or that stuffed teddy bear that gave you courage and kept you company through the nights of thunder and lightening.  Hell it could be that awesome pair of jeans that took years of natural "destroying that makes your butt look like you just did a thousand squats.

What I am trying to get is that it's okay to leave some things behind because they are old, when you didn't know any better or something new has finally come along to take it's place.  Tsujita has that honor in taking over as my go to in LA.  The incredible creamy broth with incredible flavor that leaves just the right amount of residual fat on your lips, the thick cut, warm cha siu that is a perfect balance of fat and meat, the noodles that are made in house and have just the right firmness.  

This bowl of ramen gives me warmth on a cold day, it gives me comfort during the storms and it's fatty flavor goes straight to my butt, it gives me courage to break-up with the yellow awning, the long lines, the long drives, the spicy challenges, the choose your own oil/flavor etc.  To really put into perspective how great the ramen is here over the old school favorites and the improving new wave of shops I had two friends that pretty much said the same thing.  One had just traveled and eat through Japan and one you could say is a ramen maniac... is that this shop could survive in Japan.  In that of the hundreds if not thousands of ramen shops that fight for customers this shop would be up with the best of them and really most of the shops in LA would have no chance.   Funny enough that I find out later they do have shops in Japan.

Good eats and good drinks, great to see how much passion and knowledge Roger has for beer.  They have a pretty impressive guest tap list and of the in house brews the milk stout and the tripel are head and shoulders above the rest.  My only issue is that the growlers don't have the flip-lock tops... whats with all the details and labor and then just screw tops and wax seal?

That being said, whether it was the owner, the brewer or the wait staff everyone was incredibly nice and you couldn't ask for much more on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Believe the hype,

Pepperoni Sauce is the BOSS. The roasted brussels sprouts is a hard working employee.  The gnocchi is the dishwasher.  While the rest of the menu is unemployed and passable.

Looked promising, ended underwhelming
Food lacked flavor,
Beans were like JC
The one and only savior
Not enough sauce on the ranchero,
I wasn't raging because prices were cheap
Saved me some Robert De Niro.
The agua fresca was fresh
The salsa passed the test,
They didn't bring out the best foods,
Can't say this was the best.

There are a lot of popular Fats out there:

Fat Joe - The rapper that is no longer that fat but had hits with What's Luv?, Lean Back etc.

Fatboy Slim - Now known as Norman Cook, famous for electronic dance music who brought us Weapon of Choice

Fathead Wall Graphics - Life size wall decals of famous athletes

Fatburger - Burger joint that serves the King burger if you finish it yourself you get a picture on wall, don't forget  the fried egg

But by far the best one is Fat Spoon, Michael Cardenas' (Lazy Ox, Sushi Roku, Toranako, etc.) latest project that brings together Japanese curry dishes with Italian pasta.  Katie B. did an awesome job working with Michael to have him open up the whole menu for tasting!  In order to try everything the table went family style and enjoyed the fatty portions Fat Spoon was so generous with to go with the bottomless  soft drinks and draft beers.

Great hospitality, great food, great dining companions makes for a fantastic event!  Much thanks to Michael, Chef Hiro, the wait staff and of course Katie B..

Hearty portions from a mom and pop breakfast joint that is always poppin.  Staff is semi-friendly in a hipster way but very accommodating.  The menu has all the usual breakfast favorites as well as their own version/knock-offs of famous breakfast dishes made by popular by well known breakfast spots.

Bottomline, you might not see Robin Harris kids here but it's okay because the flavors don't die...  they multiply!

So simple but so good.
A good ol' ghetto burger done the way it should.

If it wasn't for Los Angeles magazine or LA Weekly's blog I would have never even known about this place.  A small shack hidden in the valley, this little gem serves great no nonsense burgers.  Iceberg lettuce, chopped white onions, mayo, pickles and a patty.  What's so special then?  It has to be the old school griddle that been seasoned over the years where the flavors just build as bits and scraps get scraped off instead of washed off.

Is it a top 10 LA burger?  Probably not.  Is it worth driving across town for?  Probably not.  But if you are in the area and craving a good burger with a dash of great hospitality and wit, Bill and Hiroko's is a must stop.  

Don't worry if you don't look like you fit in, my buddy I didn't quite fit in until the lunch wave came and the girls in heels and sun dresses taking photos with their iPhones showed up and made us look like regulars.

A polished curvy bar made with African walnut, Sinatra playing in the background.  Soft lights glow over paintings by Paul Ninas and then dances on the tile floor to only be met by the glow that illuminates the mirror back bar with etched glass panel situated in the center.  The bartender in a white coat and tie brings over a drink, nothing fruity, neon or with an umbrella but a true classic. The Original Sazerac, the traditional cocktail of New Orleans:

- Sazerac Rye Whiskey
- Peychaud's Bitters
- Sugar cube
- Lemon Peel
- Absinthe Rinsed glass

It is strong and burns.  The good kind of burn letting your taste buds know of the citrus, smoke, vanilla and anise that is not too sweet and not too sharp.  A perfectly balanced package.  As you sip your cocktail you take in the elegant space around you, you take in the class, you take in the deco, you take yourself to a different time.

- Stinky shuttle
- Not so frequent pickups
- The shuttle kinda looks like other services
- Hard to find a decent spot
- Small parking space
- You'll probably be totally confused the first time you try to get to the designated parking area on the top floors

Why even bother?

- It's cheap and gets the job done