July 27, 2013

Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya, Sherman Oaks

One of my favorite new places for a work day lunch is Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya in Sherman Oaks. They have a great selection of lunch specials from bento boxes to chirashi bowl and for a reasonable price. The service is fast so they get customers in and out and back to work. Included with all their lunch specials is a bowl of miso soup and mixed salad with a house ginger dressing.

Chirashi bowl
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The thing I love about this chirashi bowl is the choice of salmon eggs or uni at no extra charge. Any chirashi bowl with uni gets a two thumbs up from me. The bowl has a generous assortment of items from gyoza to crab meat to tuna and salmon. All the seafood tasted fresh with uni, crab and salmon being my favorite items in the bowl. 

Little Izaka-ya plate
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If you feel like splurging a little, the most expensive lunch special is this plate. Starting with the small plate at the top of the picture, you get yellowtail with jalapeño, halibut w/granny apple carpaccio, albacore with crispy onion, and the large plate has tuna over crispy rice and baked crab roll. 

Both are a good choice for lunch but I prefer the chirashi over the plate because of the uni factor. I'm glad to have this little spot to add to my lunch options in Sherman Oaks. 

Where do you go for lunch in the area?

Little Izaka-ya
4517 Sepulveda Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

July 20, 2013

Natas Portuguese Bakery and Cafe, Sherman Oaks

Natas is a true gem and I am always excited to introduce this cozy Portuguese cafe to new comers. When I asked my parents where they wanted to go for their anniversary celebration, they said "some where new and different." I went through my mental rolodex and thought of Natas. The ambiance and food would certainly be a "new and different" experience for them. 

Mediterranean Platter
14.95
We started with two platters. The Mediterranean platter came with a basket of warm bread and a plate of Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, olives and a generous sprinkle of sweet basil. There was olive oil and balsamic vinegar at every table which we used to drizzle over the cheese and tomatoes. 

Meat and cheese platter
19.95
The meat and cheese platter came with brie, gouda, mozzarella and Portuguese sausages along with walnuts, grapes and strawberries. The pork sausage was the highlight of this platter. It was slightly smoky with a nice garlic and paprika flavor and not too fatty. The cheeses were standard fare and we all would have liked an artisanal variety on the platter. A hard aged gouda or a triple cream brie would have elevated the platter.

Feijoada
16.95
This traditional stew was loaded with sausage, rib meat and kidney beans was served over a bed of rice. The pork ribs were fork tender and very moist. The sausage added a nice smoky flavor to the tomato sauce, which was well balanced and light. The cabbage added a sweet note to the dish and the beans and carrots gave the dish that hearty stew finish. We all wanted more after every bite.

Caldeirada
21.95
This is my favorite dish on the menu and a must order every time I visit. The seafood stew came with salmon, sea bass, cod, shrimp, clams and mussels over a bed of potatoes. There is an option for rice, but I think it's best over potatoes. All the fish was cooked perfectly and the broth was infused with the wonderful flavors of the seafood and rounded out nicely with the flavor of tomato and white wine. The thing I love most about this dish is wide variety of seafood and each item is distinguishable with its own unique flavor. This dish is worth every penny.

My parents really enjoyed their meal and of course we had to finish with the tasty treat this charming cafe is named after: natas. Not only did we have a scrumptious meal, but the food is so well balanced and flavored that it doesn't make you feel heavy afterwards. The key is to stick with the Portuguese dishes and you won't be disappointed. I know I can't wait to go back. Who wants to join me?

Natas Pastries
13317 Ventura Blvd. #D
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

July 13, 2013

Spinasse, Seattle WA

What? You haven't heard of Spinasse? Admittedly, I hadn't either until I showed up in Seattle and everyone kept raving about their butter and sage pasta. There was no way I was going to miss this restaurant before leaving Seattle. Luckily, my friend was able to squeeze me into her reservation 4 hours before my flight and I got to taste a sample of their offerings before rudely leaving in the middle of dinner to catch my flight. 


You know the restaurant is legit when all you see the minute you walk through the door is a giant work station dedicated to making fresh pasta. 

A sample of their antipasti
Asparagus, Prosciutto di Parma, rabbit pate and house bread. The asparagus tasted like it was just harvested. It had a wonderful crunchiness to it and was paired with a poached egg and generous shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Cavatelli di funghi spugnole
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The pasta was served with an earthy morel mushroom sauce and If you love morels like I do, you will definitely get your fix with this dish.  

Tajarin al ragù o burro e salvia
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This is the dish that everyone raves about. It actually comes with a choice of ragu or butter and sage sauce. Of course we ordered it with the butter and sage sauce. The pasta is so thin, it's difficult to separate especially with the butter sauce. It ended up a bit clumpy, but the taste was spot on. The pasta almost melted into the butter and sage sauce and every bite was just divine. The richness of the butter is followed by the savory flavor of sage that  keeps you wanting more. I understood why everyone loved the dish so much. 

Everything we ordered left me wanting more and I look forward to going back on my next visit to Seattle. 

Spinasse
1531 14th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122