american

Best of LA

Posted on by leolawrence94

Welcome to the city of angels! After a great few days in Montreal, Ole Sib and I ventured out to the land of glitz and glam to begin our epic road trip around those old United States, starting with Los Angeles or, more specifically, Marina del Rey. Located just a tad south of Venice Beach, Marina del Rey is an affluent coastal neighbourhood with bars and restaurants a-plenty. We spent a few days perusing the area and strolling up the boardwalk to Venice before switching up locations to stay in West Hollywood and dive into the quintessential LA experience. A melting pot of cultures and people, LA is not for the faint of heart but, when done right, it can offer a taste of what wonderful California is all about. Behold our tasting sessions!

Whisky Red’s: Marina del Rey

If you’re staying in Marina del Rey, the chances are you’re going to want to actually see the marina and there is no better way than by sipping a cocktail in the waterfront restaurant, Whiskey Red’s. It has a beautiful little garden leading up to the entrance and a very chalet chic vibe inside, however you’re wasting your time if you don’t head to the outside terrace to dine. The terrace is spacious and offers a fantastic view of the water, not to mention cosy stone fire pits and fairy lights that are perfect for enjoying California evenings al fresco, as intended. As one might expect given its location, Whiskey Red’s specialises in great seafood and, yep, you guessed it: whiskey. While the menu is slightly on the pricey side, the food is presented beautifully and the ambience is excellent. Besides, Marina del Rey isn’t exactly the place to dine if you’re looking to tighten the purse strings, so you may as well go for the restaurant with the best fire pit instagram photo potential and enjoy a whiskey cocktail while you’re at it.

https://www.whiskeyreds.com

Pump: West Hollywood

If you’re familiar with the ladies of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (and why wouldn’t you be?) then the restaurants Pump and Sur will surely be on your list in LA. Owned by the infamous sharp-tongued Brit, Lisa van der Pump, these two restaurants are the epitome of glitz and glamour and even have their own reality shows documenting the enthralling drama of the lives of their staff. Ole Sib and I had the pleasure of dining at Sur last time we were in LA and so decided to head to Pump for comparison because we had heard that there was a beautiful courtyard dining area. We were right and it was very picturesque, however we were not important enough to be seated there. On we went to our table in the corner where we had a good, if a little underwhelming dining experience. The food was tasty but nothing to write home about considering the price (yet here I am, writing away). The reason Pump appears on this list (or Sur for that matter; the conclusion we came to is that they are essentially interchangeable unless you’re significant enough to be seated at the best table in the house) is that it is an observational experience unlike any other. Given its location in vibrant West Hollywood and its fame, the clientele is diverse and highly entertaining to watch. From gals out on the town dressed to the nines snapping photos with the waiters to actual celebrities (gasp, in Hollywood?!) the people watching element makes this restaurant a place that really should be experienced if only to get a taste of the strange and alluring idealised world of Hollywood.

http://pumprestaurant.com

Fat Sal’s: Hollywood

Fat Sal’s is a must for anyone seeking creative, borderline crazy, Insta-worthy sandwiches. Known for its giant sandwiches that essentially have an entire meal stuffed inside of them, this is an LA institution that is popular with locals and tourists alike and, when mozzarella sticks are featured inside many of the unique subs, it’s easy to see why it has been so successful. If you’re up for a challenge, try the Big Fat Fatty sandwich, which is stuffed to the brim with cheesesteak, cheeseburgers, pastrami, chicken fingers, bacon, mozzarella sticks, fried eggs, fries (because why would you want these outside your sandwich when inside is an option?), onion rings, chilli, marinara and the signature fat sauce. However, if a gastric bypass isn’t on your wish list then there are plenty of other mouth-watering options at Fat Sal’s to satiate all of your food cravings at once.

https://fatsalsdeli.com

Gracias Madre: WeHo

Call me crazy, but after going vegan for one meal at Lola Rosa in Montreal I was willing to head down the plant-based route once more at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood, a restaurant that has garnered attention from the stars since its inception and for good reason. While Ole Sib and I were not high profile enough to secure a seat on the dreamy looking patio (literally, only in my dreams would I be allowed to mingle with the important people out on this magical patio), we enjoyed a delicious culinary experience in this light and airy Mexican restaurant. If you have any reservations with regards to the vegan situation, enjoy a few margaritas while you peruse the options because they really are a treat and then dive into the experience. The nachos are excellent and it turns out cashew cheese (yes, I was sceptical also) is actually a surprisingly tasty substitution for arguably the largest food group in my diet. The menu changes with what is available seasonally and is appealing simply for the fact that it does not just replace traditional Mexican meat dishes with veggie options, but offers interesting creations that revolve around the plant-based ingredients. Besides being another hotspot for celebrity watching, Gracias Madre is a great destination in WeHo and, while you will inevitably still roll out of there, you will feel healthy and virtuous and entertain the idea of going vegan for real for at least 10 seconds until you vacate the premises.

http://graciasmadreweho.com

The Nice Guy: WeHo

The Nice Guy is the worst kept celebrity secret in West Hollywood mainly for the fact that you are almost guaranteed a celebrity sighting here. I know, I know, I have raved about Pump and Gracias Madre as pop culture hotspots but The Nice Guy is FOR REAL. Ole Sib and I decided to check out this destination shrouded in mystery (photography is not allowed inside the restaurant owing to aforementioned famous folk) after seeing photos on Instagram of the likes of Kanye West and Justin Bieber strolling through The Nice Guy’s doors. We had no idea what happened inside that fancy entrance but we needed to find out for ourselves. We were ushered through a velvet curtain by the hostess and entered into a very dimly lit restaurant reminiscent of an old prohibition bar. It’s not a particularly big restaurant but it is laid out in a way that separates a lounge area from a bar area and the dining area. The menu is surprisingly extensive for such an exclusive spot and the craft cocktails are delectable. The food here is certainly of a high standard but the real charm to The Nice Guy is that it effortlessly exudes cool, and not in as much of a pretentious way as one might expect. Perhaps it’s the no photography rule or the fact that there are all sorts of nooks and crannies in which to hide one’s identity, but it seems finally there is a place to observe the rich and famous in their natural habitat while masquerading as one of them and enjoying a unique social experience.

http://www.theniceguyla.com

Grand Central Market: DTLA

A downtown LA landmark, Grand Central Market is a great place to experience the multicultural flavours that this melting pot city has to offer. With over 38 different vendors ranging from Thai street food to oyster bars and juiceries, it is possible to spend an entire day here and barely scratch the surface (don’t worry, there’s a bar at which to take refuge in between meals). Furthermore, during the summer, Grand Central Market runs a Summer Nights entertainment program with outdoor movies, happy hours and trivia nights and stays open later for the occasion so there’s plenty of time to get your fill. Set up in a giant warehouse downtown, this is a great way to immerse yourself in the LA experience without having to go for a hike or pretend to enjoy kale and is definitely a must visit as a historical landmark and a culinary adventure (not to mention a great idea if committing to one restaurant is too challenging).

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As always, comment below if you’ve enjoyed any of these experiences and prepare yourself for the next stop: the fabulous Las Vegas.

The Best of Orlando

Posted on by leolawrence94

Dearly beloved readers, today I thought I’d try something a little different and make a post with an amalgamation of several hot culinary destinations to visit instead of one review. The place under scrutiny is Orlando, Florida and the locations are spread out around the city so essentially I’ve given you a guided foodie tour of the City Beautiful (but also check out the singular post on The Briarpatch!). You’re welcome. Here goes!

Seasons 52: Altamonte

A little on the upmarket side of things, Seasons 52 is a fantastic place for celebrations with chic décor and great service. As one could guess from the name, it always has an imaginative seasonal menu with a plethora of tempting choices. The flatbreads make for an excellent sharing starter and this is most definitely a place for making room for dessert, as they bring over a platter of choices ranging from a mini key lime pie to a s’mores pudding. Now perhaps you understand why I suggested that this was a good place for group celebrations because GOOD LUCK being able to choose just one dessert from these options. I believe there is also a great wine selection, however I wouldn’t know since, in an unprecedented turn of events, Papa L wouldn’t let us try his selection because evidently our taste buds aren’t valuable enough. Shocking behaviour.

http://www.seasons52.com/home

Boca: Winter Park

Boca has a delightful al fresco dining area on Park Avenue, making it a hotspot for lunching and people watching in the Floridian sunshine (perhaps head inside in the summer months unless intense sweating is your thing) of an afternoon. A solid lunch menu included various gourmet sandwiches, interesting salads and, as fate would have it, on National Grilled Cheese Day, grilled cheese was featured also. This was no ordinary grilled cheese however, as it included Gruyere and blue cheese with caramelised onions and artichoke. The fanciest humble grilled cheese around. If the weather isn’t playing the game, the restaurant is very accommodating inside with a large private dining area reminiscent of a restaurant in the Hamptons attached to the main area. Be sure to check out the lettuce leaves growing on the walls – they use these in the salads!

http://www.bocawinterpark.net

World of Beer: Lake Eola

While there are several WoB locations in Orlando, the most scenic is arguably the Lake Eola location, which has a wonderful outside deck looking over the city’s most iconic lake. It is the craft beer lover’s oasis, with hundreds of varieties from which to choose. Handy hint: be sure to download the app to check out all the options and select your favourites before they inevitably inhibit you from making any sound decisions after sampling (for the sake of research, of course). For those less hop-enthused, rest assured there are plenty of other options to ensure you keep pace with those merry beer folk. For when the hunger sets in, there is an extensive menu with some great sharing options (suspicious, I know) such as chicken wings, shrimp and a giant pretzel with a plethora of dip choices fit for kings. All in all, WoB makes for a great place to gather the troops for an evening of shenanigans.

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https://worldofbeer.com

Park Station: Winter Park

Having raved about the joys of Park Avenue in the morning light for a brunch experience, it appears that it must be stated that it is also rather lovely at sunset if an evening meal is on the cards. Park Station is a restaurant dealing primarily in American fare and, like most of the other establishments on this street, has outdoor seating. Albeit slightly less extensive than the other restaurants featured in this wonder-post, the menu at Park Station is certainly interesting and diverse. The flatbread was a delectable starter (flatbreads will always be noted on this blog because I have a great appreciation for the fact that they are essentially pizzas that masquerade as starters) and the main course of fish in a caper sauce and seasonal vegetables went down swimmingly (hehe, geddit?). Good food, good happy hour and good vibes, but be sure to sit outside to get the full effect of that wine in the sunset.

http://www.parkstation212.com

So concludes this list of Orlando hotspots, tailored to (nearly) every possible experience one could wish to enjoy in this city. Just kidding; there is plenty more to discover but I’ll be darned if this isn’t a swell place to start.

Ze Pickle

Posted on by leolawrence94

Ze Pickle, Sydney, Australia

Surry Hills, a bustling suburb of inner Sydney, is a veritable mecca for the foodie in search of quirky cafes and funky restaurants. Falling into the latter category is Ze Pickle, a craft beer and burger joint with an original menu and a too-cool-for-school vibe located in the heart of the suburb. Like many restaurants in Surry Hills, Ze Pickle is decked out like a converted warehouse with exposed brick walls and industrial light features. However, this establishment differs in its sense of character. Neon Pac Man fixtures adorn the walls, but not in a garish way, while one whole wall is covered in burlap sacks printed with marijuana advertisements. If you look up at the ceiling next to this wall, you’ll find a pair of black sneakers hanging by their laces, a signal that, in the real world, means this is a place where one can purchase illegal substances. To Ole Sib and me, our recognition of this just meant that perhaps we were almost cool enough to be in seen in this restaurant (doubtful).

With items on the menu such as the ‘Doughnutfukwitdis,’ (this place is clearly not for the fainthearted parents out there) which features Nutella smoked bacon and a glazed doughnut in place of a bun, ordering was no easy feat. We both settled on the 3AM burger, a wagyu beef burger with maple-glazed bacon, guacamole, ZP house sauce and ‘Kanye’s cheeze sticks’ – a South Park pop culture reference about which Ole Sib enlightened me. I was just enjoying the fact that they spelled cheese with a z and chicken wings as ‘chicken waaangs.’ What a place. Before we tucked in to our burgers, we started with Ze Chips, a visually stunning and gastronomically outstanding plate of fries drenched lovingly in an IPA beer cheeze sauce, ZP sauce and maple bacon. I have no more words to describe this so please refer to the photo below and attempt to contain your drool.

Next up to bat was the star hitter, the 3AM burger. This was possibly the most unique burger I’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling. The maple-smoked bacon had a delicious sweetness that was unusual in a burger but welcome nonetheless, however the feature to write home (or a blog) about was without a question the cheeze sticks. The molten cheese was a glorious shade of orange and flowed out freely from the crispy golden packages nestled within the burger. I wasn’t aware that cheese sticks were a necessary component of a magnificent burger before this experience and yet now I feel that no burger would be complete without them. What a conundrum. The only tiny opportunity for improvement in this outstanding creation would be the addition of more guacamole but with the extortionate price of the avocado only rising (to keep up to date with this pressing issue, Google ‘First World Problems’), I won’t hold Ze Pickle accountable.

One would think that after the aforementioned gluttonous feast had been demolished we would be sent rolling home to vegetate in a preferably horizontal position but, alas, no. We had more land to conquer and it took the form of deep fried Oreos in doughnut batter with toffee caramel ice cream and liquid Nutella. I have previously not been the most eager of food lovers to jump on the deep fried dessert bandwagon but thought it my duty as the creator of this educational blog to quell my nay-saying brain and dive into the deep end (a risky play, given my unequivocal love for Oreos) with this unchartered territory. I was overwhelmed with joy upon realising that this bold dessert only enhanced my passion for Oreos and swiftly pushed the decorative glacé cherries (empty calories, amirite?) away to allow for a more efficient attack. A show-stealing finale in a show full of show-stealers.

We finally called it a day and trundled home in a warm, carb-induced stupor, knowing that we had battled triumphantly against our restrictive stomach walls in the name of culinary research and lived to tell the tale. In long overdue conclusion, if you ever had any doubts about deep fried cookies, let me assuage your fears as someone who has made it through the tunnel and safely out the other side with a fresh perspective on battered sweet goods and possibly 5-10 more pounds of body weight.

http://www.zepickle.com

Bridge St. Garage (aka the best fried chicken in town…)

Posted on by leolawrence94

Bridge St. Garage, Sydney, Australia

If you’re searching for the best fried chicken in Sydney, look no further than Bridge St. Garage in the city’s CBD. It prides itself on serving ‘good ol’ fashioned comfort food’ with a Latin American twist on American diner classics, such as burgers, tacos and, most importantly, fried chicken. The Garage was one of the first restaurants Ole Sib and I visited upon arrival in Sydney and, ever since, we have been attempting to return to satiate our fried food cravings. However, our quest proved tricky in a city that seems to have an aversion to its restaurants remaining open past blue-plate special times on weekends… Points against you there, Sydney. We were finally successful after two failed attempts (third time’s a charm, I hear) and endless stalking of the restaurant’s tantalising instagram feed.

With no time to waste after having waited months to return to this establishment, we put our orders in with barely a glance at the menu: the fried chicken bucket and a side of fries for me and a pulled pork guacamole burger for Ole Sib. Now let me assure you, readers, that I am no stranger to fried chicken. While burgers and pizza feature heavily in my diet, fried chicken is my ultimate junk food choice, which is a heavy burden to bear given its elusiveness on restaurant menus. Why the noble fried chicken bucket must be reduced to a drunken late night snack or fast food bronze medallist behind those arrogant burgers and pizzas will forever be beyond my comprehension.

Enter the Bridge St. Garage fried chicken bucket, a wonderful assortment of Southern-style wings and drumsticks fried to the purest shade of gold with a perfect crunch to juice ratio (whatever your perfect ratio is, this bucket has it, I promise). They come with three sauces: a blue cheese sauce; a BBQ sauce and a trusty chipotle mayo, all of which can be enjoyed sufficiently given that you get a lot of bang for your buck (bang for your cluck, bang for your bucket… Insert preferred pun) with this choice. While the bucket itself is more than enough to satisfy a hungry stomach, the side of beer battered fries deserve an honourable mention as some of the best fries I have ever had. It turns out most things taste better when beer is involved.

While I raved on about my fried chicken, it appeared Ole Sib was enjoying her pulled pork guacamole burger as the sauce dripped down her arm (when it comes to burgers, the sloppier the better, people). The ordering method for burgers at Bridge St. Garage is worth mentioning here since you order a burger base and then add your choice of protein, which makes for an easily customised experience. Fries are also included with the burger, as God intended.

Despite having eyes only for our food, we both also commented on the décor of the restaurant, which incorporated fashionable retro features combined with an industrial chic vibe. Think subway tiles, exposed cement and neon lighting a-plenty. Couple this with a young man singing old Johnny Cash songs and you have yourself a master class in Americana. I would definitely recommend this as a top destination in the city and look forward to attempting to quash my love for fried chicken in order to try the rest of the good lookin’ eats on the menu. That is, if someone were to let Sydney’s restaurant owners know that occasionally people get hungry after 9pm on a Saturday…

http://bridgestgarage.com.au

Jackson & Rye

Posted on by leolawrence94

Jackson & Rye, Soho, London

Always ones to seek out American dining options in London, we headed eagerly to Jackson & Rye in Soho for lunch this week. Having seen branches in Richmond and Chiswick as well, this had been on the list for a while and the bustling Soho branch seemed like a good place to try it out.

Upon entry, we realised that this was more than your typical American diner in that it was more specifically themed as a southern, New Orleans style restaurant. The décor was elegant, featuring lots of mirrors, a large deep oak bar and beautifully tiled floors, evoking a wartime Deep South atmosphere. Big fans of the Big Easy, we welcomed the NOLA classics on the menu, such as shrimp poboys and gumbo and settled straight into a refreshing New Orleans beer as we contemplated our options.

Not willing to mess around, we went straight for the main course. My sister (henceforth to be named Old Sibling/Ole Sib, I have just decided on a whim) opted for an avocado shrimp burger that didn’t disappoint. I, on the other hand, like my chicken fried (a cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right – holla to all you Zac Brown Band fans out there) and went for a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. As soon as the lettuce was whipped out (this ain’t called holdthelettuce for no reason), I relished this perfectly fried chicken cutlet that was accompanied by some delightfully crispy skinny fries. There is true happiness in fried food.

Not to be deterred by the sheer volume of fried goods we had just consumed, dessert was calling in the form of s’mores. S’mores (the shortening of ‘some more’) are an integral part of the typical American kid’s life and symbolise EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD about this world. The crackers must be Graham crackers; the chocolate must be Hershey’s and the marshmallows must be… marshmallows… I think. Above all, s’mores are best consumed around a camp fire where you can spear your marshmallow on a stick sourced straight from the ground and inevitably end up with a gooey, sloppy mess that tastes like heaven.

However, since starting fires in restaurants is frowned upon, we settled for our s’mores served on a plate. After removing a questionable green sprig that I can only assume was placed on top of the s’more as a decorative joke, we delved into the goodness. A fancy version of the campfire classic, Jackson & Rye’s giant s’more had us wanting some more for sure.

Stuffed to the britches, we concluded that Jackson & Rye was a great choice to fulfil our American cravings. The soundtrack to our dining experience was spectacular, conjuring up images of dancing along the Bayou with upbeat jazz music that I imagined was being played by Louis the alligator from The Princess and The Frog. The only thing left to do now is return to NOLA and set up my own restaurant like Tiana (Disney references will not be used sparingly).

http://www.jacksonrye.com