Bloom

I'm beginning to appreciate more the idea of a good concept for a restaurant. I last blogged that MILK was so successful because you know when you go there, you can expect that most everything's made with dairy and that everything is better enjoyed accompanied with milk. I found another restaurant with a great concept- BLOOM. (It's conveniently located across the street from my chiroprator's office. I can get adjusted and then get a good meal.) When I read the sign, I expected that the menu must pride itself on freshness and the use of seasonal ingredients. When I sat down and looked at the menu, my expectations were met. The first page on the menu consisted of smoothies and juices, many made with organic fruits. The soups and salads were also made of fresh seasonal ingredients. My friend and frequent dining partner Alex has the soup du jour- a lovely baby spinach soup. It was tasty and creamy, but the spinach was the star, not the cream. He also had the vegetarian chili, which was as good as one can make a chili without any meat. I had the Moroccan Mint lamb skewers served with a delightful lentil salad and pommes frittes, crispy on the outside but soft to the taste. The green tea chai latte was also a soft subtle delight. The hit of the evening was their ginger creme brule, a light custardy sensation with a smooth spicy after kick. We gobbled it down in record time. Overall, Bloom was a delicious experience with a well-thought out concept. Nice friendly service, fun neighborhood atmosphere. Bloom is located at 5544 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019. Check out their fun website for the menu: http://go2bloom.com/

The Best Hot Chocolate in the World

On a cold wintery day like today, nothing makes me happier than a proper cup of hot chocolate. I used to think a decent hot chocolate meant adding the contents of a fancy packet into a hot cup of milk. Boy was I wrong. I didn't even know the joy of good hot chocolate until I walked into the doors of Angelina's patisserie in Paris, France. At Angelina's, un chocolate, meant you get a petite pitcher of an ooey warm, pudding-like liquid served with a bowl of fresh whipped cream. This was not your watered down powdery drink. Drinking it required a spoon. Tasting it was like a mudslide of warm, rich, thick bitter-sweet chocolate heaven in your mouth. You could die happy and not regret a thing in your life. Angelina's is famous for their chocolate l'Africain. As if the whipped cream wasn't enough, I had to order one of their baked pastries. Needless to say, a place that makes hot chocolate this good also knows how to bake sweet breads. I tried a braided raisin roll. It was to...die...for. Light and buttery goodness. I broke off a piece of the roll, dipped it in the chocolate, and I swore I wanted to move to Paris just to experience this everyday. Angelina's also serves tea, but really, what is the point? You gotta have the hot chocolate at Angelina's.

Milk

What a unique concept! This dining experience reminds me how fun it was to eat like a kid. It's a throw-back to the yummy basic foods you had growing up. The sign on the store spells out MILK, each letter on an old-fashioned milk jar. The design is sleek and simple. Everything on the menu at Milk celebrates the wonders of dairy. I chowed down on their macaroni and cheese. Some may say, "It's just mac and cheese, how good can it be?" To that, I say "You're an idiot. Good mac and cheese is a gift to our world." They use the finest cheeses and methodically turn and roll the cheese mixture into the macaroni. This results in a light and favorfull mac and cheese. I was happy to be in a carb coma after devouring the whole bowl in the span of 4 minutes. You can't avoid the baked goods at Milk. We started with a pastry plate of chocolate madeleines, a chocolate croissant and a gooey double chocolate cookie. While they were all fantastic, my favorite pick is their good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie. It was soft and gooey, rich and flavorfull, and a little crispy on the edges. It's the perfect chocolate chip cookie. As I reflect on my visit to Milk, I can't help but think how simple everything is. It's all the classics, but done perfectly. I also had their grilled cheese sandwich, which elevates the standard. And even their lattes were better than normal. The espresso beans were so (say it with me) flavorfull. And the whole meal was very affordable for LA standards. 9 out of 10. Can not wait to go back to try their blue velvet cake, ice-cream sandwiches with french macaroons, and their home-made gelatos. Service was very attentive and friendly. If you know what's good for you, GO to MILK NOW! www.themilkshop.com

Boa Steak house- Don't believe the hype

Okay steak-lovers. If your friends have been telling you how cool Boa is, don't believe them. I took step inside the Santa Monica location and squinted. The room was so dark, I don't know how anyone can see what they're eating. The dishes are way over priced for the mediocre quality of food they delivered. I had a lobster salad ($29 cha ching!). It was thinly sliced asparagus and citrus chunks served in a vinaigrette with lobster chunks. The lobster was either over cooked or just plain old. There was no sweetness to the lobster. And the filet mignon wasn't anything to blog about. (HAH!) Only saving grace is that the service was quite good. But overall, wouldn't recommend it. A disappointing meal for the price you pay.

Mozza Pizzeria

Wowwy wowwy. I love a good crispy thin pizza pie with a thick chewy crust. This place knows how to make a delicious gourmet pizza. The toppings aren't your regular pedestrian mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. These pizzas are interesting. Like the Squash blossoms, burrata & tomato pizza or the White anchovy, tomato & hot chiles. And how about a pizza with clams on top! This small and stylish modern pizzeria by culinary trailblazers Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich makes pizza into an art form. It's unique and avant guarde. And the tapas style antipasta choices are equally delicious. Like the crusted goat cheese on beet greens. Or the thin prosciotto slices. Or the very popular fried squash bottoms stuffed with warm ricotta. And damn, if you don't fight the desire to order two of these desserts all to yourself. I had the pumpkin gelato pie and really really wanted to order the butterscotch bordini too. You can't go wrong with this menu. You feel like whatever you order, you end up the winner. You've chosen the right dishes! I can not wait to make my way through every item on this menu. I highly recommend Mozza Pizzera. My only complaint was that the service was on the very slow side. Other than that, a delightful meal. Located on 641 N. Highland Avenue at Melrose.

The Best Slice of Pizza

What makes a good pizza? For me, it's a three part attack with good dough, sauce and cheese. My most heavenly slice was at a place called Joe's in Greenich Village in New York. I ordered a real mozzarella slice. It's slices of real mozzarella cheese melted onto the crust in the oven. The crust was thin, crispy and the edge was thick and chewy. The cheese melted in your mouth, instead of sticking to your lips or teeth. The sauce was mild and fresh tasting. The ingredients combined together to make the perfect enjoyable slice of pizza. Oh man, I loved this place and dream about it. I wanted to keep eating until I got sick. I washed my za down with some rootbeer. I wish I was back there already.

Viva La Comida de Peru!!!

Last night, I celebrated the birthday of my good friend Alex Woo, a yale-educated six foot tall Chinaman, at a Peruvian restaurant in Hollywood called Los Balcones el Peru. There were about 50 guests in the party, we took over the small restaurant. Actress Marisa Tomei showed up too, but she sat at another table. Too bad she doesn't know who Alex Woo is. She missed out on bomb-ass conversation and family style prix fix dishes.

We started off with some white wine and citrus marinated ceviche of shrimp, squid and scallops. We then had a shrimp and giant corn dish that was served with a saffron like yellow sauce. Next was deep fried chicken, then we finished it with a tender chicken and beef strip dinner (very tex-mex fajita style) with stewed tomatoes and onions. It was all so delicious and savory and tasty. I highly recommend this place. Alex is a foodie too, so he's always introducing me to new places. Where he eats, I eat.

Alex and I met at work on a TV show in 2004, and quickly became Office Husband and Wife. Because we're of Chinese descent, we mimicked a typical old Chinese couple. We sipped lotus chamomile tea in his office and did not talk to each other at all. After our job ended, we continued our friendship which mostly consisted of a shared love of dim sum on Sundays. But I stray from the conversation. How rude to jump to dim sum while I'm still marveling from the joy of Peruvian food.

Go to Los Balcones del Peru. 1360 N. Vine Street. Hollywood, CA 90028.

Ferraras

I LOVE A CANNOLI!!! When I want a cannoli, I think of one place, Ferrara's in New York City's Little Italy. Ferraras has been a New York staple since 1892. The Ferrara family has been baking delicious Italian pastries for five generations. Their cannoli has a sweet and creamy ricotta filling with a flaky crunchy cannoli shell. It makes me so happy to eat a cannoli from Ferrara's. The location also serves a full menu of espresso and coffee and it's just so much fun to go in and take an afternoon bakery break. The smell of he restaurant alone is worth the price of admission.