Food Ethismós

"Ethismós" means addiction in Greek. And I have an addiction for great food! I mostly review Pizza and Burgers, but I'll never turn down amazing food!

[foodethismos]

Salmon and Pork Chop - Industriel

If you are all about restaurant atmosphere, good food, and money is no object, this Industriel (Urban Farm Cuisine) in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the place for you...

... at least for their dinner, which is when I went there.

Their atmosphere is really cool. Cool old fashion looking artwork with a touch of farm life.

Upstairs is more cozy, cause you sit closer and there are couches!

I'll cut to the chase. The pan roasted Salmon was good.

Comes with Sunburst Tomato Tart, Bearnaise (a sauce usually made with butter, egg yolks, white wine vinegar, and flavored with herbs), and Pea Tendrils. For the price of $17, it might be one of the better choices for the "Mains." I rate this salmon 8/10 all in all well done.

The five spice roasted Pork Chop on the other hand, is way over priced and I've definitely had better. Don't get me wrong, the pork chop itself was cooked perfectly, juicy, tender. The long beans, spring onion, and bourbon apple sauce tasted great together. But not with the pork chop. I can't explain why, but the sauce on top of the pork chop killed it.

I would rather they not put anything on the pork chop and just cook it perfectly just like they did. I've made better tasting pork chops, but haven't cooked it as perfect as they did.

The sauce ruined it for me, and for $24 it was not a great choice. Some may enjoy the sauce flavor, just wasn't for me.

Because of the flavor and price I have to give this Pork Chop the rating of 7/10 (would have been 5/10 if not for the perfect roasting of the actual meat).

On the other hand, their appetizers were the highlight of the meal for me.

"Baked Goat Cheese" ($14) cana de cabra (soft riped goat cheese), roasted garlic, sage, honey orange, toast points - 10/10 So good!

"Chevre Gnocchi" (which is usually made from flour, egg, cheese, and/or potato, etc. for $15) forest mushrooms, pine nuts, cavalo nero (black leaf kale), and browned sage butter and parmesan flakes. - 10/10 Ignore the price and get it now!

"Kale Salad" ($12) bacon, panko (bread crumbs), parmesan, white anchovies, roasted garlic bacon dressing. - 8/10 It was good, but I'd prefer the kale to be roasted.

All in all, because of the atmosphere and the appetizers, I wanna come back for their happy hour or lunch!

[foodethismos]

The Wolfpack and New Yorker - Pizza Rock

Imagine a nice red brick walled interior, your own voice can be heard over the chatter of other people around you, and you hear an acoustic version of a recognizable song. You see a pick up truck above the bar and other clever eye amusing things scattered through the interior.

You sit down and realize its someone on a small stage performing these acoustic covers of some of your favorite songs.

This is "Pizza Rock" in Sacramento, California.

Highly recommend coming to this place for their atmosphere alone.

I was lucky enough to come on their "Acoustic Weekend Brunch" from 10:30am-2:30pm only on Saturday/Sundays.

Not only do they offer all you can drink Mimosas or Bloody Marys, but their food is great too!

Before ordering I looked up and saw a rock version of Michelangelo's "Creating of Adam" painting on the ceiling where God is giving man a guitar... awesome.

Now on with the food!

Yes, their Calamari Fritti ($11) is good. Got both spicy (Calabrese) and regular (Traditional) and they were both crispy and delicious. Comes with Aioli and Marinara sauces. I rate these Calamari 8/10

"The Wolf Pack" ($16) pizza includes Vine Ripened Tomato Sauce, Country Potatoes, Mozzarella, Wisconsin Cheddar, Burrata, Natural Casing Sausage, Pepperoni, Scrambled Eggs, Pepper Flakes.

Yea it sounds like a lot, and it is lot. Maybe too much. 

I had a hard time keeping all the ingredients on the pizza slice. But I could taste everything when I got to it. But would be better if there was less, I had to add some salt and pepper to enhance the flavor. I could taste everything and that was just it. It didn't stand out as a great combination. With a pretty good crust, you will get filled up fast though!

With that said and for the price I rate this pizza 7/10

The "New Yorker" ($17) on the other hand, was a great pizza but it is a bit pricey.

Includes Mozzarella, Hand Crush Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Natural Casing Pepperoni, Italian Fennel Sausage, Ricotta, and Oregano.

Now this taste as it looks. Each bite is full of flavor and all the ingredients compliment each other perfectly.

Just order this and you'll love it. 9/10 

[foodethismos]

Shazam and White Legend - Chapman Pizzeria

I live right above this pizza joint called "Chapman Pizzeria" in Downtown Los Angeles, California.

They've got this awesome $5 deal, choose any 2 slices and get a can of soda or a water. It's only available during lunch hours and it's awesome!

I choose to get the "Shazam" which includes Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushroom, Green Pepper, Tomato, Ham, Onion, and their "Family Traditional Shazam Sauce," which taste like sesame oil with other ingredients, and it's good!

This slice is filled with flavor! I always prefer pizza by slice since it gets toasty when reheated, and they make it just right!

Now for the "White Legend" which is simply White Pizza Sauce (Garlic), Hickory Smoked Bacon, and Salami.

Now this pizza is probably my favorite at this pizzeria. 

Each bite you get an explosion of garlic sauce with cheese and the bacon and salami tastes lingers with your exhale of breath. Then you want more.

Now they very well may be better pizzas out there with premium ingredients and a premium price.

$5 for both these slices (or whichever slices you choose) and a soda/water... this deal deserves 10/10 for the quality of pizza you get + drink!

Don't know how long this lunch special lasts but get it while you can!

[foodethismos]

The Burger and Ahi Club Wrap - The Standard Downtown LA

I grabbed lunch at the rooftop pool of The Standard in Downtown Los Angeles.

First off the "Ahi Club Wrap" was really tasty! Includes Bacon, Avocado, wrapped in Spinach Tortilla with Siracha Sauce for $12

If you want something that tastes fresh and healthy, this is for you.

The Ahi Tuna was full of flavor and goes well with the Bacon and Avocado. Might not be too filling for those who want a burger :D

I rate this wrap 8/10

"The Burger" includes a ground beef and short rib patty, crispy onions in a cheddar bun. 

The burger includes fries for the price of $16 but I upgraded my fries to Truffle Fries. And it was worth it.

The Truffle Fries were more powdered and had a great crisp to them. 8/10 for the Truffle Fries.

As for The Burger, unfortunately it just didn't stand out enough. The bun was falling apart (which I hate) and I felt like I could make a better burger if I got the ingredients myself. (In fact I have made better burgers)

The crispy onion and veggies were not bad, but even though I ordered medium rare, the meat just wasn't juicy at all.

I have to rate this burger 6/10 especially for the price and quality of the bun.

[foodethismos]

Ultimate Burger and Shrimp Scampi - Barney's Beanery

I found myself at Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, California before going to a Launch party next door.

Of course I had to order the "Ultimate Burger" which consists of Bleu Cheese, Arugula, Tomato, Caramelized Onions, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Barney's Special Sauce for the price of $13.00

You have several choices for sides and I got regular french fries. Which were not bad, nothing special to remember though.

The burger patty was very juicy (ordered medium rare of course), and I could taste the blend bacon, arugula, and caramelized onion perfectly. The "secret" sauce was pretty good! It had the beginning taste of horse radish or wasabi, but just the beginning, so I could handle it surprisingly, since I don't like horse radish or wasabi... Well done Barney's Beanery!

A good burger! 7/10

Now the Shrimp Scampi was pretty good! Sautéed in White Whine, Garlic and Herb Sauce for $10.25

Pretty tasty, but for the price... 7/10

Food was enjoyable and gets the job done!

[foodethismos]

Charbroiled Oysters / Fried Alligator Nuggets - Drago's Seafood Restaurant

I got the "Drago's Original Charbroiled Oysters" and "Fried Alligator Nuggets" from Drago's Seafood Restaurant at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

Let's start with the Gator Nuggets. Never had gator before, tasted like chicken nuggets! But really juicy chicken nuggets, making it pretty delicious with it's spicy aioli dipping sauce!

For the price of $9.95 I'd rate these nuggets 8/10

Now for the Drago's Original Charbroiled Oysters... their claim "The Single Best Bite of Food in New Orleans"

YES AGREED. They are delicious, amazing, enough said.

Each bite you want more. I found myself dipping the bread to absorb the sauce on the plate, and even licking the shell for more.

They cost $11.95 for a Half Dozen and $17.95 for a full dozen 

These Oysters are definitely 10/10

Get them if you are ever in New Orleans!

[foodethismos]

Angeletto's Special - Angeletto's Pizzeria

I got the Angeletto's Special at Angeletto's Pizzeria by delivery in New Orleans, Louisiana.

I got the small size for $10.25

Ingredients include: Homemade Garlic Sauce, Mozzarella, Grilled Chicken Breast, Spinach, Feta Cheese, and Roasted Red Pepper.

Yes it was delicious!

Each bite I could taste the garlic and fetta cheese, swallowing the flavor of chicken spinach and red pepper, and finished with a exhale of garlic. Yum...

Crust was on the bottom and crispy at the edges.

I rate this pizza 9/10

[foodethismos]

Ahi Tuna Burger - The Counter

I got a "Ahi Tuna Burger" from The Counter in Downtown Los Angeles, which was a special burger at the time, currently not on their menu as far as I know.

It had Ahi Tuna tuna, which a Daikon (Japanese Radish) Salad as the veggies served on a toasty bun. Served with a Wasabi Sauce, which I did not use, since I do not enjoy Wasabi...

The Tuna Patty was delicious, tasted fresh and along with the salad, it was a great burger!

Probably better than any other custom burger I tried to make at the Counter, since I usually put too much and can't even finish the burger.

Which makes me want to try and taste the rest of their signature burgers!

I give this Ahi Tuna Burger 8/10

[foodethismos]

Brazilian BBQ - Grill Hall Prazeres da Carne

I was lucky enough to eat Brazilian BBQ at the Grill Hall Prazeres Da Carne in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

It was simply amazing.

You sit down, and they just keep bringing you food!

You get a paper circle and you leave it on the Green side if you want food to keep coming, turn it over to the Red side when you want them to stop.

There were just too many different meats to describe or to even remember. But everything looks good and you find yourself always saying "Sine" (Yes).

My advice would be to NOT eat anything from the buffet area which has delicious looking salads, fruits, vegetables, sushi, etc. or you won't be able to eat any of the meat!

Some meats that stood out for me were:

- Garlic Beef 10/10

- Beef Rib Brisket 9/10

And some other few meats I couldn't remember their names, but more or less you are gonna get food from 7-10 range.

All in all you gotta try any Brazilian BBQ place cause its always good!

P.S. You don't have to go to Brazil to get good BBQ, I've tried several places in Los Angeles, and they are the same level of flavor and quality compared to Brazil.

For example go to The Grove and eat at Pampas Grill where you fill your plate up with meat and other goods, then you pay by weight (also very common in Brazil).

[foodethismos]

Feijoada - Ibotirama

I got some authentic Brazilian food called "Feijoada" at Ibotirama in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Feijoada is a stew of Black Beans, Beef, and Pork.

You typically eat it with Rice and it's served in a thick clay pot.

It's pretty good! reminds me of some Filipino foods I've eaten in the past.

But you aren't really missing anything. And if you knew what parts exactly from the pig you are eating (ears, tail, feet, ribs, sausage, etc) and jerked beef (loin and tongue) you might not be as adventurous.

But I was! And I enjoyed the meal. 

Feijoada - 7/10

[foodethismos]

Traditional Black Dog - Black Dog

I got a Brazilian Style Hot Dog at Black Dog in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

When you hear the ingredients, you might think this hot dog will be very weird tasting...

The Traditional Black Dog:

- Hot Dog Sausage - Mashed Potatoes - Corn - Vinaigrette - Curry - Mayonnaise (I got it without mayo) - Potato Chips - Parmesan Cheese - Oregano - Bread

All of these ingredients put in the hot dog, grilled, then pressed in a panini type machine.

Behold the mystery of the Brazilian Style Hot Dog!

After the first bite, yes its good!

Somehow these "left over" sounding ingredients put together actually taste pretty good! You should probably try it but you aren't missing a top 10 foods of the world haha

Traditional Black Dog - 7/10

[foodethismos]

Brazuca - Mortadela Brasil

I got the "Brazuca" sanduiche (sandwich) at Mortadela Brasil in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

I couldn't read the ingredients (because it was in Portuguese) but my best guess is that the Brazuca had: Italian Bologna, Bacon, and American Cheddar with minimal veggies.

I liked it! Was like a sandwich that I would make at home. Full of meat, you can taste the bacon and cheese, but you can barely taste the veggies, which might make it too salty for some people's tastes. 

I rate this Brazuca Sanduiche - 7/10 

[foodethismos]

Double SmokeShack Burger - Shake Shack

I visited Shake Shack to see what all the commotion was about while visiting New York, NY. I went to the Shake Shack in Hell's Kitchen / Theater District.

The line was really long, and took forever to get inside and order.

Among an assortment of burgers, shakes, hot dogs, fries, frozen desserts, drinks, and even dog treats, I ordered the Double SmokeShack Burger for $8.80 

It's a double cheeseburger topped with Niman Ranch all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce.

Yea... it was pretty damn good!

The fries though, were like cafeteria fries... the exact type that I don't really enjoy.

But this burger is a good rival to the fast food west coast In-N-Out Burger.

I prefer In-N-Out over this burger, but it still is a good burger!

Double SmokeShack Burger - 8/10

Shake Shack Fries - 6/10

[foodethismos]

The Burger - Imig's Kitchen and Bar

Located in the lobby of North Park's Lafayette Hotel, Imig's Kitchen & Bar was a great place to eat and drink at.

I got "The Burger" for brunch (naturally), which has an All-Natural Ground Chuck Patty, aged cheddar cheese, hydro butterleaf, bread & butter pickles, tomato, and pickled red onion. 

The patty was juicy, cheese flavor strong, bread was soft, and all the ingredients tasted fresh!

I also got the potato tots instead of fries (since it was pretty much breakfast) and those were perfect!

All in all a great meal! But the burger was just a burger, nothing special, exactly what you would expect.

The Burger - 7/10

Potato tots - 10/10

[foodethismos]

BBQ / Prosciutto Pizza - Sonoma Wine Garden

Found myself at the Sonoma Wine Garden in Santa Monica, California.

First off, yes their wine is great!

And they do have a Happy Hour 3:30pm-6:30pm which is when I went.

I ordered half BBQ (chicken, mozzarella, pickled fresno chili, cilantro, red onion) and half Piza Di Proscitto (balsamic, fig. arugula, ricotta, caramelized onions) and it was pretty dang good! I could live without the pickled chili on the BBQ side though...

I have had better though, but its still up there! 

For the price of $18 I'd say you are paying more for the atmosphere and the access to great wine :D

BBQ Pizza - 7/10

Pizza Di Prosciutto - 8/10

[foodethismos]

Buffalo Wings - Duff's Famous Wings

Buffalo Wings were started in Buffalo, New York... makes sense haha

Went to one of the most famous places called Duff's Famous Wings in Buffalo, New York.

I got 10 of their BBQ Famous Wings and was also able to taste their Medium spicy wings.

(BBQ)

(Medium Spicy)

To be honest, their BBQ wings were not good at all. The chicken was crispy, but drenched in a really ketchup flavored BBQ sauce was just not hitting the spot for me.

Again maybe LA has is down, but in my experience it seems tasting the Philly Cheesesteak in Philadelphia was a disappointment. Same with eating the "Buffalo" wings in Buffalo was a disappointment.

It just tastes better in LA, any Hooters, Buffalo Wild Wings... they have it down.

I tried the Medium Spicy Wings as well, and they were just ok. And I usually can't handle spicy, these were not spicy at all.

At Duff's they claim their "Medium = Hot, Medium Hot = Hot Hot, and their Hot = Hot Hot Hot"

So not true. I bet I could even handle their Hot Spicy....

Anyways disappointed... 

BBQ Wings 4/10

Medium Wings 5/10

[foodethismos]

Jack Daniel's Burger - TGI Friday's

I've been in love with the Jack Daniel's Burger at TGI Friday's for a good portion of my life. ($10.80 with fries) They are nearly everywhere in US. And I've been going to plenty in my travels and in Los Angeles.

But after traveling the world and tasting good and bad burgers, especially in my backyard of Los Angeles, I realized something.

The Jack Daniel's Burger is a 5/10 burger.

BUT....put the Jack Daniel's Sauce on the burger... its becomes an 8/10 Burger!

The Jack Daniel's Sauce is really, really, really good!

It even makes the 5/10 fries into 8/10!

If you find yourself in TGI Friday's, just get the Jack Daniel's Burger, you gotta try it once!