Jeffrey "Jeff" O.'s Profile

Whenever I'm within a one mile radius of Chimu, without thinking I find myself standing in line staring at the black chalkboards filled with delicious dishes pondering what to get. It doesn't matter that I'm not hungry, or that I had just eaten. Chimu creates hunger. That's how good it is.

I've eaten here 5 or 6 times and haven't found a dish that I didn't like. The Seco de Cordero is excellent, as is the Chancho. Pork belly is
everywhere, but Chimu's take on it is excellent, crispy, and delicious.

Sure, servings are a little small, particularly for the Chancho, but each bite is umami-laden to create that full-feeling. For the quality of ingredients, attention to detail, and excellent flavor profiles, it's worth it.

I am a breakfast snob.

I admit it. I embrace it. It takes a lot to impress me, and with my first visit to Jacks N Joe, I was blown away. The second visit reaffirmed everything I love about this place.

Now, this isn't a place that you should go for a healthy breakfast. This place is an indulgent treat. The loaded hashbrowns with bacon, sausage, two eggs, fresh green onions, cheddar cheese, and aioli is everything a breakfast should be. Their pancakes are delicious, fluffy, and huge.

You get an incredible value - You can get a large meal for under $10.

The owners are down-to-earth and hard working.

If I have one critique, and I do only have one, it would be that the coffee is average and a bit pricey. But that's balanced with an affordable rest-of-menu.

This is not just the best breakfast place around USC, this might be the best breakfast place in East LA.

This was an unexpectedly fun experience. As the only bike tour in Los Angeles, it's an amazing experience to be able to bike through LA, when most just drive through it.

Owner Troy has a wealth of information about the Hollywood/Larchmont area. You will learn a ton on this tour, whether you are an Angeleno or a tourist. He has carefully chosen a route that will be easy for novice bikers.

This tour will also take you to the Hollywood Cemetery, which is a great highlight.

Definitely recommend this for people looking for a different experience in LA.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in LA for its playful menu, wonderful execution, and ability to take me around the world in their unique street dishes.

The concept is amazing: Susan Feniger has taken inspiration from her trips around the world to take street food to LA.

There's something for everyone here, at a very affordable price range. Yes, you have to be a bit open-minded and willing to try new things to get the full  experience, but for those that are looking to expand their taste buds, there's no place better.

I've tried almost 2/3rds of their menu, and it's just plain fun to eat here. -
- The Kaya toast has equal parts umami and sweetness that provides for a truly unique dish.
- They have 3 different types of dumplings. I had a Ukrainian dumpling served with sour cream, friend onions and a lemon marmalade, a mandoo dumpling, and a stuffed mushroom dumpling.
- Tatsutage Chicken - Japanese fried chicken with a spicy kewpie mayonnaise sauce served with pickled vegetable slaw, and chilled soba noodles.

Eat here. You must.

On the 24th floor of the Ritz-Carlton rests the latest in Wolfgang Puck's repertoire of restaurants. Wolfgang Puck's restaurant is self described as modern Chinese cuisine. While Angelenos are lucky enough to have access to some amazing Chinese food just 15 minutes East of Downtown, there are few restaurants that can serve just as high-quality Chinese cuisine in such a haute setting.

One of the aspects of the restaurant that jumped out of me was the detail in the food - it just looked pretty.

When we eat, we often forget about our other senses, but WP24's food is meant to be visually appreciated. Forget your food porn, this is fine art.

Now, let's not understate that each dish tastes great. My favorite? The Chinese Spring Chive Crystal Dumplings filled with Alaskan King Crab, Shrimp, and Kurobuta Pork. Loved the hot mustard that took this bite to the next level.

The Spring Rolls - These prawns were huge! Dipping the crunchy wrapper in the 10-spice honey, provided a delightful balance to this dish.

Another one of my favorite bites - the Chili 'Dan Dan' dumplings. Organic chicken, chili garlic sauce, crushed peanuts, green onion. I've had a similar dish in a hidden hole-in-the-wall restaurants one of our tour guides showed me, and these were just as good.

It's a little weird that WP24 has to live up to the standards of a strip-mall restaurant, but believe me, that it's a compliment how WP24 has managed to maintain an authenticity in flavor in their cooking, staying true to the flavors with the same passion as the mom and pop shops that line Arcadia and San Gabriel while using high-end ingredients served in an upscale dining environment.

In addition, I'm not a huge dessert fan, but pastry chef Sally Camacho continues to impress. This is my second time sampling her food at WP24, and it is a JOY to eat her creations.

Overall, WP24's success is that it brings the amazing flavors that you can find in East Los Angeles to Downtown Los Angeles in a fine-dining atmosphere. The number of restaurants who are able to do this in LA are extremely limited.

When I ask people about where to find the best burger in Los Angeles, Apple Pan is always amongst the half dozen establishments mentioned. Yesterday, I had the chance to catch a quick dinner here with a friend. Upon suggestion of the various reviews, we ordered 2 hickory burgers, an order of fries, and apple pie.

What one wants out of a burger differs significantly form one person to the next, and I can see the appeal of this place to the masses. Service is quick, no nonsense. The flavors are all there with nothing overpowering, but perhaps it was a little too subtle. I was looking for a boldness in the BBQ that I didn't find. In addition, the burger was a little too thin for me, packed with too much lettuce.

In summary, I think that burger-lovers should definitely check this place out. it's worth trying and the place has a great diner feel, but don't look for something mind-blowing here: just a solid meal.

Quick note: This is not a place to have a leisurely dinner! Apple Pan is meant for aggressive eating. Lingering after you've finished will generate death stares from the patrons trying to swipe two of the sixteen seats in the area.

This review is entitled: A Tribute to a Perfect Fried Egg

I consider myself an egg aficionado. I love all types, fried, scrambled, hard boiled, poached. I'm a fan of omelettes, egg sandwiches, egg noodles, and much more. My favorite form of the egg is the fried egg, but it's very difficult to be done just right, especially in a sandwich.

I'm a huge fan of the fried egg sandwich at Blu Jam Cafe, but one complaint I have is the viscosity of the egg. It's a little too runny to the point it soaks the bread and makes a thin yellow film on your fingers. Still, I hadn't encountered something better until my brunch this morning.

The fried egg in my sandwich was cooked to perfection. Encased in gruyere cheese and nestled beneath a thick slab of bacon, it was runny enough to sludge out when I took a bite and lightly soak the bread, but not to the point where it got all over the place. It had the consistency of a light honey.

The flavors were all there. The only reason it was a 4 stars is for the chorizo potatoes that were solid, but paled in comparison to the sandwich.

Score one for taking something simple and executing flawlessly. Nothing fancy about this sandwich; it's just done right.

So many people are rating a one without ever trying the food or experiencing this place. The restaurant is still in their soft openings, so their times are irregular until they have everything in place. How can you rate a place a one star when you didn't even do due diligence to call ahead to make sure it's open?

I personally commend the owners for taking their time to make sure everything is right before officially launching. They have put their heart into this establishment, and you can tell by their passion when you speak to them.

I've been to mac&cheeza close to 5-6 times now. Almost every time, they were attentive, helpful, and the food was delicious. My personal favorite is bacon and chorizo mix. Even their soy is delicious. And if you get a Daddy Mac or a Mac Daddy...you are getting a lot of bang for their buck.

This place is a great concept and a great addition to the growing culinary scene in DTLA.

Usually I don't write a Yelp review until I've been to the place multiple times, but when the price tag is in the 3 digit per person realm, multiple times may end up spanning several years.

Dining here isn't eating out - It's an experience. I went here to celebrate my three year anniversary with my girlfriend. I had placed a reservation weeks before, but on the day before, learned of the Chef's Counter, and put in a request. They gladly seated us at the Chef's Counter, where we were given the option to have a special menu provided for us, paired with wine.

After a few questions that helped the chefs define our palate, we were served an exquisite five course meal. There were so many levels of excellence to this meal, but here are a few highlights:

- The food/wine pairing here was excellent. Possibly perfect, in fact.
- Service was friendly, attentive, and quick.
- The chefs here are incredibly talented, and it's amazing to watch them cook the food you eat
- The chefs caught us eye-ing the foamed ham, and quickly gave us a sample so we could taste it

I highly recommend this place if you're celebrating something.

This place is absolutely amazing. DTLA Needs places like these. It's slightly hidden from those that are regulars in Downtown and don't live on Spring street, but this is a must-visit place when you're in the area.

Everything I've had has been delicious. Their great item is sweet grilled cheese, which is a combination of delectably fresh fruit and cheese. On top of that, their hot chocolates are extremely tasty.  I had an Asian Pear/Mascarpone Cheese combination. The crispiness of the asian pear mixed with the creaminess of the marscarpone cheese was amazing. Their Liege Waffles are also very good. A little small, but dense.

Moreso, it's very affordable and service is friendly. I don't have a very big sweet tooth, but I'd come back here again and again.