VOL. II, ISSUE 18
Welcome to the first installment of a new column covering my experience working my way through my never-ending Google Maps saves.
The Escape
This quarter, I stayed at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. I recently wrote about my full experience, but in summary, the hotel is a great option for families and avid golfers, although it didn’t particularly fulfill what I was looking for from the trip: a quiet retreat that supports my goal of doing nothing. The stay did help me realize that I may not have needed a resort at all.
The Table
The food is really the selling point of Southern California. For me, getting difficult reservations is a competitive sport, and I’m willing to drive over two hours round trip to taste a new menu or try a famous chef’s latest venture.
The standout from this quarter was easily Jeune et Jolie (Carlsbad), a modern French restaurant with a more laid-back environment than most French dining experiences. The relaxed clothing, casualness of the staff, and proximity to the coast made the whole experience feel unpretentious, which felt different from a lot of French dining I’ve experienced.
The menu progresses through four courses with a few options to choose from for each. It changes with the seasons, which gives me a reason to go back, but by far my favorite bite was the Croque Madame, an add-on to the four courses. The brine of the caviar wasn’t too salty or sour, and it blended perfectly with the ham, neither flavor overpowering the other. Even with the changing menus, I would add the Croque Madame to my order on a return visit.
At $120 for four courses, the full experience feels rather reasonable for celebratory dining in Southern California. The only negative was the difficulty of finding parking on a Saturday evening. I would probably opt for a Sunday or earlier reservation in the future.
This quarter, I returned to two of my long-standing Italian favorites in Los Angeles. Il Pastaio (Beverly Hills) remains a favorite in part because I love squid ink pasta/risotto, which can be surprisingly difficult to find. Their Risotto Nero is the reason I returned this quarter, and I learned that they can substitute the risotto for pasta if requested.
But the standout is the black truffle menu. The Black Truffle Tagliolini lives up to its popularity, featuring large pieces of freshly shaved truffle. I also love sitting on the patio and people-watching in the heart of Beverly Hills. Even parking is surprisingly painless with nearby city garages offering free-parking periods.
I also returned to UOVO (multiple locations), which I particularly enjoy for more casual and spontaneous dining. UOVO specializes in pasta handmade in Bologna, Italy. They do not accept reservations. I tried the Cheese & Truffle tasting menu on this visit and opted for the Ravioli di Ricotta instead of the Pomodoro. Their version of Tagliatelle in Truffle Sauce missed the fresh shavings that I enjoyed at Il Pastaio, but the Cacio e Pepe was my favorite. I enjoyed trying a variety of pastas through the tasting menu, but it was a large amount of food. In the future, I would be satisfied sticking with the Cacio e Pepe as my main pasta, or perhaps trying something new.
New this quarter was Pizzeria Sei (Los Angeles), which has been listed as a difficult reservation. The restaurant’s sole focus is pizza. The Sei Margherita was the perfect embodiment of a classic. The crust was crisp but tender, perfectly golden brown from the wood-fired oven. The flavors were subtle enough to appreciate the drizzle of olive oil on top and paired well with a glass of Marchesi di Barolo Roero.
The 4 Culture Diavola was much richer, with sweet-savory gochujang that worked well with the yuzu lager. Pizzeria Sei was certainly the best pizza I’ve had in the U.S., the Margherita comparable to what I’ve had in Venice. The menu also featured rotating appetizers, although the service and atmosphere didn’t particularly stand out. In the future, I would probably opt for takeout from Sei Pizza Bar for the same menu without the hassle of planning in advance.
Note: Reservations for Pizzeria Sei open seven days in advance at noon PST. Set your alarm.
To hold me over between trips to Japan, I had several meals at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar (multiple locations). The convenience and ease of conveyor-belt sushi can’t be beat, and both the Gardena and Irvine locations have surprisingly high quality fish for the price. The fish melts in your mouth without the salty brine I tend to associate with lower-quality fish. Many standard sushi plates are currently $3.65. I always get the salmon belly, sweet shrimp, and otoro.
Brio Brio Bakery & Café (Lake Forest) provided the best tamago sando I’ve had in the U.S. with a generous amount of egg and fluffy brioche bread. The fresh pastries were also a perfect pairing.
I found a new love of ice cream in Sapporo, and Indigo Cow (multiple locations) satisfies the craving for Hokkaido-style soft serve. I ordered the Hokkaido ice cream topped with black sesame. I love the richness of Hokkaido ice cream.
I also discovered some excellent bakeries across Southern California. Artisanal Goods by CAR (Pasadena) was easily my favorite for its crispy Kouign Amann and classic croissant. I had originally envisioned a mini Pasadena food crawl, also stopping for a cheesesteak at Cheesesteaks by Matū (Pasadena) and blue crab onigiri at Onigiri Time (Pasadena). Unfortunately, it was 100 degrees that day, which made walking between food stops considerably less fun than planned. The cheesesteak at Matū was remarkably tender. I’m generally not a huge cheesesteak fan, but I would absolutely stop again if I were already in the area. I probably wouldn’t make the drive solely for it.
I also stopped at Assal Pastry (Irvine) for its Persian-French pastries. The interior is no-frills, a small room filled with everything from French-style fruit tarts to Middle Eastern baklava, including inventive flavors I hadn’t encountered before. I had never had a fruit tart with chocolate in it, and particularly liked the combination.
Aurora LA (Los Angeles) became my go-to for occasion cakes. The cakes are beautifully decorated with more interesting flavors than the standard celebration cake, and the pastry case includes playful options shaped like fruit.
I finally made it to Breezy (San Juan Capistrano) for its popular Filipino-Hawaiian brunch. To avoid the hour-long wait on weekends, go right at opening. Parking in San Juan Capistrano gets more difficult later in the day on weekends. Going at opening also ensures ample parking. The Adobo Breakfast Burrito was an excellent mix of Filipino flavors and breakfast staples, pairing garlic rice and adobo with eggs. The Ube French Toast finished brunch with nostalgia and a fun purple. I love the sweetness of ube but would probably swap the burrito for the Longanisa Breakfast Bowl next visit.
For a quick casual lunch, bb.q Chicken (multiple locations) did not disappoint. The Fountain Valley location stood out for its friendly service, providing gloves for eating the chicken and disposal bins for finished bones.
I first tried BHC Chicken (multiple locations) after its Irvine opening and liked the Bburinkle seasoning enough that I went to bb.q the next day to compare it with the Cheesling Boneless Chicken and Cheesling Fries. bb.q’s chicken was more tender and the coating was crunchier, but I preferred BHC’s seasoning, which had a stronger sweet-garlic flavor. I liked it enough to buy a version of the seasoning to use at home that week. bb.q had been my go-to for Korean fried chicken before the new BHC location opened, and it probably still wins for the chicken itself and the service. BHC is where I’d go when I specifically want the Bburinkle seasoning.
Dizzy Bird (Irvine and Mission Viejo) was my go-to for a quick meal, although parking and the wait at Irvine Spectrum Center made lunch slower than anticipated. The Silly Bird wrap’s combination of tender rotisserie chicken, potato, and garlic is what keeps me going back.
For happy hour, I enjoyed drinks at Treehouse on PCH (Huntington Beach). I sat outside on the second-floor patio with a direct ocean view during golden hour. The food and drink weren’t particularly memorable, but the setting is exactly what I want for catching up with friends.
I tested a few poke spots in an attempt to satisfy a craving that started at Foodland in Honolulu. Kawamata Seafood (Dana Point) has become my answer for a simple poke bowl and Spam musubi. I particularly like that they incorporate tamago into the musubi. The fish is fresh, and the rice is the perfect balance of warm and vinegared. There can be a line on weekends, but it moves quickly. Arrive at opening for the shortest wait.
I also tried Bear Flag Fish Co. (multiple locations). The fish was fresh and worked well with the house chips, but the experience didn’t satisfy the Foodland-induced poke craving in quite the same way as Kawamata, perhaps because of Kawamata’s rice. There was also a long wait even at opening. Kawamata is my return spot.
The Edit
The standout shopping experience this quarter was easily South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa). On multiple occasions, I have continued to be impressed with how approachable and friendly the sales associates are across different stores. The logistics are also unusually easy with parking garages that are free, feel safe, and connect directly to the mall. There are rarely crowds or lines to enter boutiques.
The ease has been particularly meaningful for me because I had previously found luxury boutiques in the U.S. intimidating. Growing up, I remember being looked down upon while shopping at Saks in New York, and for years afterward, I was hesitant to walk into luxury stores when not abroad. South Coast Plaza has been a surprisingly comfortable place to start doing so again.
My experience at Cartier was particularly memorable. I made an appointment, and my sales associate came out to meet me when I arrived. She brought me into a private room and let me try on as many options as I wanted, including higher-end pieces I hadn’t specifically asked to see. More importantly, I never felt rushed. She was personable and friendly. The experience felt special without feeling intimidating.
That approachability extends beyond Cartier. I also stopped at the Le Labo counter inside Bloomingdale’s. The selection is more limited than at a freestanding boutique, but I was the only person at the counter and enjoyed talking fragrances with the sales associate. He let me try several scents during the City Exclusives Event, even though I ultimately left without buying anything. I prefer to buy the City Exclusives in the places they represent, but it was a fun opportunity to preview them.
Läderach, which I first encountered at its Century City location, has also become a regular stop whenever I’m at South Coast Plaza. The Dark Dubai Chocolate is the standout with the crunch of knafeh and pistachio against rich Swiss chocolate. The South Coast Plaza location also offered generous samples and attentive service.
Läderach even indirectly led to my favorite shopping surprise of the quarter. I had stopped by the mall for a couple of errands and to pick up some chocolate when I unexpectedly found a pair of Chanel shoes that had been on my wishlist for over a year while walking through Nordstrom. I had assumed they were no longer available new (and the few pairs I had found preloved were actually more expensive), so I was stunned to see them sitting on the shelf. I flagged down a sales associate, tried them on, and bought them. It was that easy.
There are already reasons to return next quarter. Jessica McCormack opened its first West Coast boutique at South Coast Plaza in August, and the Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud opened in September. Both are now on my list to experience, along with Boucheron and Toteme, expected this fall, and Schiaparelli’s first U.S. standalone boutique expected this winter.
Explore Volume I: Tokyo | Kyoto | Osaka | Kobe | Nara & Uji | Sapporo | Chicago | Denver | Orange County