Stumptown Coffee Roasters makes a mean macchiato, but it’s not for the timid. You have to truly appreciate the sharp taste of coffee to handle this drink. It isn’t even in the same family as Starbuck’s beverage of the same name. Stumptown’s is a shot of espresso in a dixie cup with a cute cream heart. If you like your drinks a little smoother and less intense, I’d go for a vanilla latte at Barrista down the street. I like both. It just depends on the day.
What a weekend. These pictures begin to capture the essence. A plane flight to meet up with Byron in Davis. Followed by an early morning, seven hour car drive, in a sizzling hot, black Volkswagen – windows rolled all the way down to combat the broken a/c – just to barely make it in time for Scott and Melissa’s wedding. The celebration was a blast.
What a gem. This little piece of Italy is located in downtown Vancouver, Washington. Everything is good here, you just can’t go wrong. The pastas, meats and pastries are all outstanding.
The food is authentic with a modern twist. You have all of the flavor of the Old World with New Age highlights. Take their steak for example, it has deep, familiar flavors – traditional Italian prepared to perfection – topped with the largest caper I have ever seen. At first I was taken aback by its size, which was at least as large as my thumb, but the soft flower bud, flavored with a subtle brine, really complemented the dish.
Hot Cocoa, Jasmine Pearl Tea, Blue and Red Velvet Pancakes, Cobb Omelet
Gonpachi's Tempura Ice Cream
As I type this post, I am sipping steamy green tea out of the most beautiful cast iron tea pot, a very special Christmas present this year. What better way to write about my experience at one of the finest Japanese restaurants in LA?
Gonpachi is a Japanese restaurant located in Beverly Hills. Before you enter the elegant two-story restaurant you will be greeted by a school of Koi lounging in the lantern bedecked courtyard. While the restaurant has plenty of room for their fully stocked bar and sushi station, the environment still feels private. The layout and lighting make the evening romantic and intimate while the food is beautifully displayed and quite tasty. The desserts pictured above look so enticing despite the poor quality of the image, due to my complete lack of experience in photography and use of my cell phone as my main camera.
While I can’t say that Gonpachi is a particularly authentic Japanese restaurant, the food is still delicious, the service I experienced was friendly and the atmosphere is very special. I would highly recommend Gonpachi for a celebratory evening or as a date destination.
Click the image above to find Gonpachi’s website!
Cultural diversity has become an important part of many large cities, and epitomizes the Los Angeles experience. LA is a mosaic of different neighborhoods, each with its own distinct identity, people and, of course, cuisine. The communities of LA are highly compartmentalized into specific geographical areas. The creative minds of LA have helped breach these geographical boundaries by fusing together cultural specialties from around the world in innovative ways.
In this spirit of multiculturalism, I headed to Jose Bernstein in Westwood. There I ordered the Spicy Galbi Burrito. It was a Mexican classic served Korean style. It had all the components of a classic beef burrito: rice, beef and salsa. The meat was galbi beef and they used kimchi in place of lettuce. In concept, I love this burrito! But, in reality it wasn’t all that great. If I ever get a craving for Korean/Latin fusion I will head to the Kogi truck instead.
