Picca(chu) Peruvian

It's a Wednesday night and we call Picca to see if we can get a reservation.  But damn, no tables 'til 9:45.  However, word on the street is that the bar is usually open a cool place to dine.  So, we made our way to Picca for some small plates of Peruvian cuisine.  When we arrived, there was even a 20 minute wait for the bar.  This place was straight poppin' on a hump day.  To pass the time, we J-walked to Ralphs to browse and get the nice deal of 2 for 1 Hi-Chew.

By the time we checked back in at Picca, there were two seats available at the bar.  There were two bars at the restaurant: the one we sat at offers a close-up view of the kitchen.  We grazed over the menu and picked 6 dishes from the various categories ranging from ceviches to main plates like paella.  Ethan asked the waiter if 6 dishes would be enough, but he suggested that 8-10 would be just right.  We were sure to order a variety of different flavors and proteins.

The first dish to come out was lightly fried chicken with a tomato salsa and a pepper sauce; decent but wouldn't order again.  The first misstep of the night occurred here: it was the service.  At a tapas restaurant like this, timing is crucial to a diner's experience.  With many dishes, they must flow out in a regimented fashion with equal time in between each one.  Our chicken came out then we waited far too long only to have 3 dishes come out at once.  Those 3 were the ceviche criollo, papa rellena, and tuna tartare.  The ceviche was fresh and spicy seabass with a crazy duo of corn.  One way was corn kernels that had been roasted and the other was choclo... whatever that is.  The papa was perfectly filled with boiled egg and braised beef, much more memorable than the average tuna tartare.

Ceviche

Fried Chicken

Papa Rellena

After an appropriate wait time between dishes, we got the beef filet skewers and a quail egg-potato skewers.  The beef was good not great, although the sea urchin butter was classy, but the quail egg skewer was different and delicious.  Next came the star of the night: the seafood paella.  The rice was flavorful and the seafood was abundant and delectable.   The second but more easily corrected error was the waiter forgetting that we ordered mussels after he so strongly recommended for them.  We had to wait until they finally made them, but they were worth the wait.  Possibly too salty/garlicky, the broth was smooth and redolent.
The dessert options seemed unoriginal, so we returned to Ralphs to grab some Cincinnati native Graeter's Ice Cream.

Paella!

Skewers

Mussels

Straight from Cincinnati: Graeters!

The winners overall here are the adventurous dishes.  Don't settle for dishes you can get anywhere like beef filet or tuna tartare.  This place is serving up some unique peruvian food with an upscale twist.  With the need to order plentifully, we ended up spending close to $45 a person after tax and tip and still could've eaten more.

Sushi Done Right

Wabi Sabi is an awesome sushi bar and restaurant in Venice that has quickly become the go-to Sunday night family sushi place.  This place may not be in the most convenient location, but I don't mind the drive to get the amazing food they are serving up.  You walk in and there is soft music playing and there is the trendy feel that has come to be expected of any restaurant on Abbot Kinney.

This place does not let any aspect of their food or service slip beneath the highest of standards .  Even the miso soup, which is most often bland and really just something hot to eat quickly is packed with flavor and a great texture.  Their service is impeccable.  We have had Justin as our waiter many times now and he never fails to deliver.  This past time we went, he seemed to be able to read my dad's mind and brought him another napkin after a little spill before he could even ask for it.  My dad also kept asking for more ginger so Justin just brought out a huge bowl of it.  This past time Justin told us about their sparkling water which is a flat rate of $5 and comes out of a machine for all you can drink bubbly water.

Tons of Ginger

Unlimited in-house made sparkling water

Alright, as great as Justin is, that will be enough about him.  So, let's get to the awesome food he is bringing out of the kitchen!  One of my favorite dishes to order at sushi restaurants is miso eggplant, and I have never had better than at Wabi Sabi.  The miso sauce is sweet but not too sweet and even the tempura fried tofu that they serve with the eggplant is actually good.  I don't know about you, but I have never been a fan of tofu.  Somehow, Wabi Sabi has gotten me to enjoy the often slimy stuff.  The dish is served inside a ring of eggplant is simply unbeatable.  The spicy tuna on crispy rice that was made famous by the overpriced and overhyped Katsuya is done very well here.  The tuna has a great texture that is contrasted by the crispy rice and the spice is topped off with a wasabi mayo.

Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice

Miso Eggplant

Now to the sushi.  The fish is always so fresh and to put it simply they just do sushi the right way.  This past time the tuna, salmon, and red snapper were particularly fresh and great.  I always love their crab, whether it's in a california or baked crab roll it's always sweet and really blows away the quality of crab in most all other sushi restaurants.

Tons of Sushi!

This place is great because even if you don't like sushi the dishes that come out of the kitchen are great too.  I have had tempura shrimp, chicken curry, and sweet potato fries that have all been amazing.  They always have great specials that show off the best ingredients available and the freshness and quality are what really makes this place shine.

The best overrated burger?

Yes, I'm talking about Umami Burger. It seems as if the hype is dying down, but why all the craze? L.A. is filled with gourmet burger joints, and Umami is just another fish in a sea of burger restaurants. The menu is not all-that creative, the restaurants are small and every burger is $10 or higher. However, they have location, they execute their food well, and they draw a crowd. For that, I give them credit.

The Santa Monica Umami has a great parking lot that's free, so you'll never be without a spot. It's walking distance away from the 3rd Street Promenade, so you can stroll over while waiting for a table (which you surely will be).

The outside area is pleasant. Long tables are usually shared with random guests to maximize the amount of customers eating at once. Waiters and waitresses are attentive and our order was promptly taken. The food came out quickly, although one friend didn't get his soda, and he had to ask again for it. I tried something new that seemed to fit my criteria for healthy food, since burgers are always fatty (but good). I went with the Ahi Tuna Burger and to my liking, the flavor nor the full feeling after eating a burger was compromised. The spicy aioli sat beneath a monstrous lightly seared tuna burger. The fish was fresh and cooked rare, just how all quality fish should be cooked. The burger also had some pickled asian veggies that added a crunchy texture against the soft fish and bun.

I suppose Umami is not trying to be the most creative or be the most high end place out there, so credit is to be given for their success in L.A. Many new burger places fail quickly for all sorts of reasons, but Umami has managed to understand the trend and conquer it.

Sit down with a mediocre glass of wine, order a $12 burger smothered in everything truffle except raw truffle itself, and convince yourself this really is The Fifth Taste.

What's good, Downtown?

This was an unexpected excursion.  Our intention was to go to Woodspoon, Giada's pick on "Best Thing I Ever Ate," for the chicken pot pie.  When we drove by, it was boarded up.  As it turns out, they're closed on Sundays and Mondays.  So, we thought of Philippe's since it's in the area and picked by our homeboy Wolf Puck.

So we walked through the wood chips to the counter and were greeted by a jolly lady.  "Two beef dips, one with Jack cheese, two chilis with beans, a side of slaw and two lemonades."  She told us the total and brought our 20 to the cashier behind her to get our 50 cent change.  By the time she was back with the change (they don't take credit card) the food was promptly on the counter.  If you want a real snag, order the regular coffee for 9 cents or decaf for a whopping 15.

We found a side booth downstairs and sat down to start with the classic sandwich.  The chili was rich and the beans brought some nice texture.  The cole slaw was perfectly dressed with just enough mayo to keep the cabbage moist... key for any good slaw.  The slaw cooled down the signature Philippe's spicy horseradish mustard that we added to the French dip.  This sandwich is known to be the first French dip, and boy do they do it right.  The au jus is salty but doesn't overpower the meat or drench the bread.  The meat of course is moist and lean yet still super flavorful.

We craved something sweet after the savory meal, so we browsed through Olvera Street only two blocks away.  The toy shops were closing, but Mr. Churro remained poppin'.  We walked down the stairs to the small shop and were greeted by the aroma of freshly baked sweets.  We hooked ourselves up with one churro relleno con cajeta (filled with caramel) and one traditional churro.  The total came out to $5.  This may seem like a steep price, but these aren't your standard amusement park churros... these are grandes and deliciosos!  Here's the inside scoop on Mr Churro: if you spend $15, you get a free traditional churro when you check-in using Yelp.

This adventure downtown was unanticipated, but surely a lot of fun!  Woodspoon, in the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll [We'll] be back."