Food | fabliss - Part 11

The Apple Pan | West Los Angeles, CA

apple pan made our “to try” list after we read about it in hamburger america (which we now have as a book on our coffee table). it’s one of those staple la burger joints that has been around since the 40s.

the restaurant is relative small with bar-type seats (not ideal for large groups). since this place has been around for quite awhile, it is extremely popular. during peak times, expect a little bit of a wait.

we ordered the hickory burger ($7) and a root beer ($1.75). we laughed when the soda came out. you are pretty much drinking out of a paper cup (which is pretty efficient for the restaurant since they don’t have to wash any dishes).

onto the burger: as simple, old school burgers go, the hickory burger is good. it’s on the smaller side…and comes with a ton of lettuce. actually, a ridiculous amount of lettuce. the meat is good. bun is average (you better eat this quickly because the burger will fall apart). sauce is ok.

this is no umami burger (on the gourmet side) but it is still is good in its own right. i can understand why some people love it (because its nostalgic) and why other hate it (because it is overhyped). is it the best burger in los angeles? no, i don’t think so. is it the best burger in the nation? far from it. but it is still good and it’s been around for ages.

parking: street parking.
ambience: small dinner. uber casual.
service: you are in and out pretty quickly. service is quick. not too friendly.
overall: like i said. this is no umami burger (the fancy) and it is definitely not in’n’out burger (the best california casual). however, it is still a good burger. it’s part of la’s history and i understand why it is a staple. it’s not going to make it on “my top burgers” list but if you are hungry, in the area and looking specifically for a burger… i would go to apple pan.

ps. cash only, folks. oh, and apparently we failed and did not get pie. apparently pies are pretty good here.

The Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles

By fabliss | May 12th, 2014 | Food, Restaurants | 2 Comments

Boo’s Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies | Silverlake, CA

when stella is in town, we go on day long food adventures. (no wonder she hates us) after ricky’s fish tacos, we decided to drop by boo’s because kyle had this place bookmarked for awhile and it seemed like an opportune time to go (it was across the street and meg and stella are always down).

we ordered one philly cheesesteak to share among the four of us and a side order of fries.

the sandwich was ginormous. how else do you describe this beast? the general consensus was that it was pretty darn good. came out hot (actually, super hot) and cheesy. lots of flavor . as you can imagine, the sandwich gets a little soggy due to the intense amount of cheese melted on this baby. so try to eat it fast.

obviously this sandwich is on the heavier side so you really have to be in the mood to eat this. you probably will want to food coma on a couch afterwards and binge watch episodes of k-town (we aren’t ashamed. that is what we did).

i have to point out that i found this sandwich so much better than the philly cheesesteak i tried in philly (i was not a fan of genos… at all).

ambience: casual. no frills just hefty sandwiches. outdoor seating is also available in case it is a beautiful day.
service: amazing/friendly. not sure if we were talking to the owner but he was super excited that we were first timers. he explained the menu and gave a solid recommendation.
parking: we parked at a meter.
overall: good sandwich place. if you are looking for a cheesesteak sandwich, i would recommend trying boo’s.

Boo’s Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies
4501 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Neighborhood: Silver Lake

By fabliss | May 7th, 2014 | Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

Nekter Juice Bar | West Hollywood, CA

ever since we got back from oahu, we have been searching LA for comparable acai bowls. surprisingly, the acai bowl craze has not really picked up in LA despite the popularity of juiceries that have popped up in the last 2-3 years.

nekter opened up in west hollywood (fairly recently). based on pictures of their acai bowls, we decided to come here early on a sunday!

we ordered:

acai banana berry bowl ($7) – acai, banana, raw vanilla cashew nut milk and berries blended and topped with hempseed granola, bananas and berries
acai tropical bowl ($7) – acai, banana, pineapple, coconut butter and raw vanilla cashew nut milk blended and topped with granola, coconut flakes, and bananas

oh em gee. #winning. the acai bowls are very refreshing. not too tart and not too sweet. presentation is great too! although it’s not island vintage coffee, it is a close second and is now are my favorite in LA.

both bowls are fabulous! the berry one is obviously on the tarte side. the tropical bowl (if you like coconut) is sweeter and creamier. it’s nice to have both so that you can have the best of both worlds.

parking: i just took metered parking right in front of the store. i think there might be free parking somewhere? i just didn’t see it.
service: friendly. when it’s packed, expect to wait a little bit. they try their best to fulfill ordered in an efficient amount of time. i had to wait 10-15 minutes.
ambience: small inside with only a table or two? there’s some outside seating.
overall: i wish there was one closer to me.. i’d come here every day (for real). ps. they are open M-F from 8am to 8pm. on the weekend, Sat-Sun their hours are 8am – 7pm.

Nekter Juice Bar
8951 Santa Monica Blvd Ste A
West Hollywood, CA 90069

By fabliss | May 4th, 2014 | Coffee, Tea, & Bakeries, Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

Ricky’s Fish Tacos | Los Angeles, CA

ricky’s fish tacos has been on our list for awhile now… especially after trying best tacos of ensanada and guisados!

we bought one fish taco and one shrimp taco so that we could try the whole menu (yes, not an extensive menu… i can’t even diss their menu because they have two solid options and they know it). so, both were delicious! ohhhh and the white sauce… it’s pretty darn good. i will say that the fish was more seasoned than the shrimp tacos (which is surprising because i always prefer shrimp over fish tacos…). with that said i would still get them both. the tortilla was solid. it does not just disintegrate while you eat it. a definite plus!

an array of sauces. i freaking love sauces. also, we went for a late lunch so the line wasn’t too crazy long.

since we were having eating adventures with stella and meg, we all just had a taco and a half for each person. next time i got, i’m getting a minimum of 2 tacos… probably 3. 4 would be aggressive for me… but i could probably put it down.

batter is crispy and not think at all. i’m telling you… these tacos are def up there with the best tacos in la.

food: tacos are awesome. fish or shrimp tacos… you really cant go wrong with either. i can see why people rave about this place. cheap, fast, delicious tacos! make sure you get some of the white sauce!
ambience: so this is a taco truck, parked on a lot with a covered (w/tents) eating area. tight space… i cant imagine what this area would look like at peak time.
parking: street (metered)
service: they churn out those tacos relatively fast. efficient process.
overall: i would come back here. i think best tacos of ensanada is my favorite fish taco but this one is a close second/third. you wont be disappointed.

Ricky’s Fish Tacos
1400 N Virgil Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027

By fabliss | May 3rd, 2014 | Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

LA Rose Cafe | Los Angeles, CA

it was 90 degrees outside and we were in desperate need of dessert. good thing we came across la rose cafe! i was super stoked about this place because their featured dessert is halo halo!

in case you’re wondering, halo halo is a popular filipino dessert consisting of shaved ice, variety of sweet beans, evaporated milk, jello, tropical fruits, flan, and ice cream. ps. my favorite vietnamese dessert: “che ba mau” or “three color dessert” is very similar (minus flan and ice cream) because its made of a variety of sweet beans and jello in a coconut/milky base. mmmm. you must try both of these.

two desserts they are known for (we ordered 2 and shared among three people):

bread pudding: delicious!! this was amazing!! just look at it!! it melts in your mouth. not overly sweet.
halo halo: i absolutely loved this! for those who have never had halo halo, you will be pleasantly surprised by the mixture of sweet beans and jello. you will love the ube ice cream! also! a very perfect dessert on a hot day! just sayin’.

dessert: both desserts were great! i would come back and order this again and again!
ambience: this place is actually very dark inside because of that thick drapery (yes we opened them to get these awesome pictures. also, this place does not have central air or the central air was broken. we were melting inside. they provide a few floor fans which helped.
service: a little slow. just be ready.
overall: the desserts were worth it and i would come back just to eat them.

LA Rose Cafe
4749 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

By fabliss | May 2nd, 2014 | Dessert, Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

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