Laurie T.'s Profile

i knock on the door of an unmarked building.
a face appears.
"i'm here to see the wizard," i say.
and just like dorthy gale, i'm whisked into a magical land of music and booze (minus the latter for ms. dorthy).

i came here on a monday night with my bf. the musical talents of arron barnhart greeted us as we walked in (he's gavin degraw-ish with the piano. he's fun. go see him). we made our way to the bar--old school classy <3--where the cutest bartender, naomi, greeted us. i couldn't decide on a drink, so the mixology master whipped up one of her delicious specialties (coconuty. mmmm). with drinks in hand, the bf and i took a seat in an adorable alcove. the bar exuded intimacy (rich woods, chandeliers, hide-away seating, etc. (i LOVE it all!!)). i let the ambiance wash over me as i listened to aaron croon an eclectic set of songs. the night ended too soon :0(

secret passwords, live music, delicious drinks, adorable decor--i think i found my favorite monday night bar! i can't wait to check out what this place has to offer during the rest of the week.

my bf and i were handsomely decked out as we drove to the edges of hillcrest. i didn't know where we were going, so you can imagine my stomach's skepticism as i was led though an office building's lobby. i'm here for food, not cubicles and water cooler chatter! fret not, for the bf did not lead me astray. it was a quick ride up 12 floors, and we were at mister a's.

the view was absolutely gorgeous! (you gotta love those city lights.) after some engaging conversation and a few glances at the menu, we decided on the black tiger risotto to start with; rack of lamb and osso bucco for him; halibut and scallops for me; all accompanied by a glass of wine.

the shrimp risotto has been the FREAKIN BEST RISOTTO to ever grace my taste buds. i don't think any other risotto can ever compare; i'm ruined for life. with such a unrealistic start, the rest of the meal just fell short (hence the 4 star rating). the halibut and scallops were good, but disappointing in comparison to the appetizer. additionally, my bf said he makes a better osso bucco (but i can't confirm that, as he hasn't made it for me yet).

we ended the meal on a sweet note with the chocolate bars. a deliciously deletable evening :0)

i tried to be a sheep. it didn't work out.

i HAD to see what all the kogi hype was about. i waited for the famous kogi tacos in the alpine parking lot in torrance. thanks to alpine/scion's shameless promotions, i was somewhat entertained while i stood in line for 2 HOURS. even though there was music bumping and pimped cars on display (one had a grabber machine in the trunk! i won a little stuffed scion car. but i digress...), the wait was 2 freaking hours!! for 2 hours of my life, the food better be freaking fantastic!

i ordered 3 short rib tacos, 2 chicken tacos, and 1 short rib burrito. my total was $16.50. did you know they charge TAX? i never heard of a roach coach charging tax, but whatever, i was finally about to get my kogi on!

they called, "laurie, laurie, morning glory," (which i thought was pretty adorable), and i went up to claim my prize. the short rib meat didn't have the burst of kbbq flavor i so deeply desired. the kimchee was decent. the burrito had WAY too much sesame oil for my taste.

don't be a sheep. don't believe all the hype.

my FAVORITE tacos!
PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH!
get the shrimp ones.
di di mau! MAU!

i'm surprised at the mixed reviews.
(for parking: try for close & free street parking on begonia)

first time here: monday at 9:30. empty. got to choose where to sit. cozy corner by TV.
croquettas=crispy outside, warm savory inside.
duck fat fries=tastes like regular fries with seasoning
shepherd's pie=mmmmmmm :0)

second time: saturday at 3:30 (lunch prices & happy hour). slow. got to choose where to sit. by the window (filtered light + people watching = perfect lazy afternoon)
pear cider=i'm biased towards ciders
crow burger=MMMM :0)
grandma jane burger=took a bite of a friend's. not impressed.
sweet potato fries=typical

kinda pricey, but will be my default place to eat when i'm in the CDM area.

Jill L. pretty much sums it up. But here's my 2cents:

i pulled up behind the truck as they were pulling down the protective window covering. i was terribly distraught until my marked5 savior, luis, threw open the windows and restored my faith in food truck service. on his recommendation, i ordered the torakku beef. although i'm not sold on the chewy rice buns (my personal taste (hence the 3 star review)), the meat and sauce (+tomato +lettuce +cheese) made the whole thing a decently desirable $5 truck burger.

only complaint? too much sauce! it soaked through the nori, cascaded out of the paper wrapping, and found its way on to my jeans. (my dog quite enjoyed that when i got home.)

asian-mexican fusion?? curiouser and curiouser!

appetizer: roasted nut crusted fried brie (the waiter informed us of the proper way to combine flavors, but it was too complex for me. i was relieved to find out that regardless of what i did, it tasted delicious.)
entree: thai jerk smoked duck salad (the duck was tough, but the sweet flavor was so dang delectable i was able to look past that.)

it's impossible to explain the combination of flavors, but i can say that the food captivated my pallet.

added bonus:gorgeous presentations, friendly service, and (most importantly) rightly priced for the portions.

the decor reminds me of dumbo's drunken hallucinations :0) there are elephants and bubbles painted on black walls, and hanging over the bar are bubbly lights. i got their signature drink, the "sneaky tiki," and i absolutely fell in love! get it. it's delicious. it's only $6. a word of caution: you can't taste a hint of alcohol in this drink. be weary!

yay for liquidy yogurt -_-
i got soup instead of yogurt the past 3 times i came here.

dig this place...on weeknights only.
+always a place to sit.
+3-7  :0) hour
+waitstaff service
+and i remember playing beer pong here on tuesdays (i think it was).

-cover on weekends??? for this place? oheck no. pass.