terrine.

terrine in weho.

cali-french cuisine. on a nice day, the courtyard alfresco dining option is a must. the indoor dining area is a bit of an odd brasserie layout, with an oversized bar. i dined here twice recently, so i’ll compile photos into one post of the dishes i enjoyed.

the assiette de charcuterie. it’s quite large, and only comes in one size, so if you dine as a couple this may replace an entree..

the foie gras terrine. sO GOOD. smooth and creamy, served with toasted bread, crunchy and warm.

beet salad. also very good, creamy yoghurt dressing and tangy blood orange. seasoned toasted rice atop. great mix of flavors and textures.

agnolotti, with truffled rice and mushrooms. the only entree order i would post so far.

pear and apple galette, with rosemary ice cream. the tart was delicious. the rosemary ice cream was a bit too sweet, i would have preferred a vanilla bean.

for me, the charcuterie and starters stand out more than the entrees so far, but i’ll definitely be back to try brunch on the weekends.

xx

Bestia.

dinner at Bestia in dtla.

i’ve been wanting to try this place for a while, as i have always enjoyed dining at angelini osteria, and it did not disappoint.

beef carpaccio. fresh, cold and seasoned lightly with sea salt, pepper and peppers.

beet and arugula salad. did not think the creamy dressing best complemented this salad, but the ingredients were fresh.

Fusilli al Ragu di Angello, pistachio pasta with lamb ragout. great pasta texture.

squid ink risotto with seafood. this pasta was good, a bit lighter in flavors than i expected.

we also had the Cavatelli alla Norcina, with  pork sausage + black truffles, which i really enjoyed, but i didn’t get a pic of it.

onto dessert. “coffee and donuts.” coffee gelato, cinnamon sugar dusted donuts.

valrhona chocolate and sea salt caramel budino tart. sOo good. my fave dish of the night.

overall quite good, but for me, the savory dishes lacked depth in flavor and a “wow” factor.

will def return to try the pizza and revisit that chocolate budino tart. yUm.

xx

http://www.bestiala.com

angelini osteria.

lunch at an old favorite.

an early bday celebration for b, at his favorite italian in LA.

the bread basket, and antipasto on the house. i love their thin, crispy flatbread, with tons of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. we devoured the basket within minutes.

b ordered proscuitto with cantaloupe. the melon smelled sOo good that i wanted to take a bite.. but i forced myself not to… if i had an allergic reaction then the rest of the meal would have been ruined… but seriously.. fragrant.

the tricolore salad. light and simple.

short rib ravioli, with sage and butter.

spaghetti chitarra alla norcina with fresh truffles and sausage. the fresh, chewy pasta was the highlight of the dish for me, and a great texture to go with the waxy truffle.

as always.. angelinis never fails. yuM.

xx

soLo pasta.

dinner at solo pasta.

we’ve been here quite a few times in the past, but this dining experience was by far the best. i think we finally ordered “right.”

i started with the asparagus appetizer, with half poached eggs and parmesan shavings. sea salt and pepper to flavor.

we wanted bread for the table, but solo pasta doesn’t do complimentary bread- so we were advised to order their bruschetta, which came with 2 pcs. tomato, and pate. the pate was quite good.

b ordered a steak of sorts.. which was sliced, and sprinkled with arugula and parmesan shavings. a quasi steak, topped with a bit of salad- but i must say these are 3 of my favorite things to eat.. so i was happy to see them all in one plate. the meat was seared medium rare, and was tender. not bad at all!

the steak dish also came with another 2 pcs of bruschetta. plain and tomato. the server failed to mention this when she advised our “bread” order..

i enjoyed the duck pasta with balsamic sauce. sO good. the creamy tart balsamic flavor is amazing. this is by far my favorite dish at solo. it never fails to satisfy.

and for dessert, they had lemon tart. creamy but still sour, a nice balance to the balsamic pasta.

yum yum.

xx

 

No. 29-1, Section 1, Ānhé Road, Daan District. (02 2775 3645 )

angelini osteria.

lunch @ angelini osteria in la.

back to our favorite italian restaurant for some good food.

started us with a bread basket- their crisps with evoo is really good.. and the amuse bouche pasta salad below, on the house.

i enjoyed a beet salad with arugula and burrata.

b’s blood sausage atop mashed potatoes. there was a delicious gravy, not pictured. this was delicous. i had blood sausage in germany that was too heavy in flavor, and some versions that was too soft in texture.. but angelini’s is just right- a bite of the sausage with a bit of creamy mash and gravy- perfect balance of flavors. not too salty, and the blood flavor was not overpowering.

my favorite pasta. not on the menu anymore, but the chef was still able to make it upon my request.. it’s the “bombolotti all’ amatriciana.” always topped with freshly shaved parmesano at the table.

b’s organic half chicken, with roasted potatoes and veggies. he cleaned the plate.

great food and fast service, without fail.

xx

aL cicHeTTo.

an italian cafe tucked away in Hua Shan.

we dropped in for lunch after a visit to the Guanghua Tech market.

quaint, with an eclectic mix of decor, and dark woods with long open airy windows.

for lunch they do sets, with a drink, soup and pasta entree. above is their minestrone with bacon and a teeny bit of orzo. it was flavorful but a little on the oily side for my taste.

penne pasta with pesto, chicken and mushrooms. generous portion sizes, with big pieces of pan fried chicken. the sauce was  creamy, and had some flavors (asian-ish) that i couldn’t place. not your traditional italian flavors, but still pretty good.  you can think of it as fusion cuisine.

i also ordered a tiramisu. it came out semi frozen, which i believe was an accident, but it was surprisingly good that way. i think it needed more coffee. it was mostly marscapone and a little cocoa in flavor… it tasted more like a semifreddo.

osteria italiana, munich.

osteria italiana, the oldest italian restaurant in munich.

… also unfortunately known as “hitler’s favorite restaurant.”

great food and friendly service! the manager helped translate the italian/german menu to english,  and gave some entree recommendations that were well appreciated.

arugula and artichoke salad with parmigano.

clear tomato soup, again! we saw it on menus and ordered it twice in the same city- it must be a popular preparation here. my new favorite kind of tomato soup.

rosemary roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes.  juicy chicken, buttery fragrant rosemary, crispy skin. you really cant go wrong with this order.

linguine bolognese. a classic. the pasta was cooked chewy al dente, really great texture. the sauce was full of flavor, with a tangy sweet tomato base.

veal sausage orecchiette.

dessert. semifreddo.

raspberry sorbet.

xx

Osteria by Angie

dinner at Osteria by Angie.

nice cozy 2 story restaurant, contemporary decor, good sized wine selection. great pasta.

their kitchen is open to the downstairs dining area.

started with a salad of romaine with parma ham and balsamic dressing.

platter of cured meats + cheeses. the pickled cauliflower pot is tart, a nice complement to the flavors.

ravioli of pumpkin and ricotta, with butter sage + truffle. SO GOOD. it was really rich, so the small portion was perfect.

pizza: just okay in my opinion. the crust was bland. not crunchy.. the flavors were also bland..

now, desserts, were amazing. their ice creams + sorbets are exceptional!

chocolate souffle cake with banana ice cream. yum.. there were chunks of fresh banana in the smooth light ice cream..  :D

panna cotta with berries + licorice, with coffee ice cream- the ice cream was sO coffee flavored, not too sweet or creamy, almost like a smooth granita.

pastas are really good, and the desserts alone are worth going back for.

xx

8 1/2 otto e mezzo BOMBANA

rustic, authentic italian at the alexandria house, hong kong.

fine dining by Chef Umberto Bombana, the “king of white truffle.” really great balsamic vinegar, delicious pastas, truffle galore… just look.

the bread.. the cripsy one is my fave.

thin sliced jamon. transparent, fragrant. so good.

amuse bouche of the night. a foie gras covered with chocolate truffle. new and interesting for me, i really enjoyed it.

black truffles were featured on the  menu this visit. shaved table side when ordered: my order was truffle on egg confit.

entree: lobster taglierini. chewy, perfectly cooked pasta with light fresh lobster chunks and tomatoes.

b’s entree, from the seasonal truffle menu: roast chicken, covered in black truffles.

and… their desserts!! great presentation. lemon tarte with raspberry sorbet. tart was smooth and creamy, more on the sweet side.. i would have liked it a bit more tart in flavor.

triple chocolate dessert. chocolate cream tart, gelato and a pudding/mousse/cream pot.

happy.

 

xx

 

Ristorante Paoli.

lunch at ristorante paoli, florence.

i love that in italy you get a preview of dessert, at the sweets cart, on the way in to most restaurants.

the interior of the restaurant is beautiful, with arched ceilings.

their version of the complimentary “bread and butter.” wow.

my favorite dish in italy. raw artichoke salad with truffles and fresh parmesan. dressed with some olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic. heaven.

penne arrabiatta.

b’s wild boar stew. very gamey, strong flavor. he liked it.

i ate too much during this entire trip. most of the time i was too full from eating breakfast, pastries, gelatos, trying something at whatever charcuterie or cheese shops i wander into..

but i still insisted on trying dessert everywhere i went. even if it was something light like this stewed (gimormous) pear. the food experience in florence was def worth all the calories.