L.A.- Wilshire Blvd.

Hara Sushi

(HAHR-ah) 

-noun

A fun, friendly, and affordable sushi restaurant. Serves over 30 types of specialty rolls, hand-rolls, classic sushi, as well as salads and appetizers.

Hara is one of my favorite places to eat. It is CONSISTENTLY DELICIOUS! Tonight I got the Bundy Roll, which is a spicy tuna cut roll with a (non fried) shrimp inside and crab mix on top. It had some of that spicy mayo too but only a little which is good because I personally like to taste the roll over mayonnaise...but that's just me... (lol). The rice was fluffy and fresh, as well as all the other ingredients. The service there is pretty good. Sometimes it gets really busy there so it's not as good as other times but usually the staff is attentive as well as accommodating. I also love their Lobster Hand-Roll, Shrimp tempura Roll, and Spicy Tuna Hand-Roll.But besides the usual classic special rolls, tonight one of the sushi chefs made me a special treat, a California roll with CHOCOLATE SAUCE and CRUNCH on top. This has got to be one of the best things  I've ever eaten. The chocolate with the seaweed and crab meshed together surprisingly perfect and was so unique I will never forget it. It is not on the menu but I bet if you ask for it they will make you one. 

SEATING: They have a nice long bar as well as plenty of table and chairs to be able to feast at, however they do get pretty packed (and by pretty I mean really packed) on weekend nights and weekday evenings due to their great Happy Hour from 4pm-9:30pm

OVERALL REVIEW: This is definitely a go to spot. The food is inexpensive with great quality and you will never be let down. I've been here at least 20 times and every time it makes me think "I'm goin back". Plus, you get a free miso soup and green tea ice cream with your meal...who can turn down free green tea ice cream?? (not mee!)


You can check out their full menu on their website, or if you know you already love sushi then just go! :)


Contact info:

As mentioned in the Little Italy blog post, I LOVE dessert and I ALWAYS save room for it. After satisfying my sushi-tooth, I headed west on Wilshire to PLACE: La Monarca Bakery. This is a Mexican bakery that has everything I want. I really could eat every single pastry, bread, cake, and cookie from that place. This time I went with the Chocolate Croissant, Guava and Cream Cheese filled pastry thing, and 3 mini Conchas (Mexican sweet topped buns...MY FAV) The guava cheese thing was so tasty. Imagine a fresh guava jam with a little cream cheese filled in a sugar cookie-like pastry shell... *drool* I have had so many chocolate croissants in my life and am yet to get tired of them. The La Monarca croissant was rich, soft, and buttery with chocolate and pastry. It was crispy on the outside with a little bit of overall sugar chewy goodness sealing the deal with my heart. The conchas were equally indulgent and baked to perfection. Conchas consist of a dry-like sweet bun with a powdery sugar topping pressed on. They are a traditional Mexican treat and can be enjoyed at any time of the day really, morning with coffee, an afternoon snack...or dessert after sushi. :)
SEATING: They have plenty of tables and chairs to be able to sit down with friends and enjoy a cup of their fresh coffee. This could also be a cool place for studying because of the available sitting room as well as Wi-Fi.
OVERALL REVIEW: I give this place 4.5 stars. the -.5 of a star because of the fact they don't have my favorite Mexican pastry cones filled with custard :P 
The staff is so friendly and will let you try anything if you ask. BUT REALLY! They gave me a whole Caramel Empanada when I just asked what it tasted like. All the the products are well thought out and executed to make the perfect treat. 


On Wilshire?? CHECK IT OUT!


1300 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA, 90403
310-451-1114

*This is FRESH guava paste being made! You can put it on toast or bake with it in your own desserts. Y.U.M.*

*Their cookies piled high behind the counter*

*This is the way the breads and pastry's are presented where you can get them yourself to put on a tray....self-serve bakery! Nom Nom*

L.A.- Santa Monica- Main St.- PART DEUX

WHO/PLACE: La Vecchia Cucina 
WHAT: Italian cuisine at it's finest. Caprese salad heaven, perfectly cooked steaming pastas, rustic pizzas galore, and to die for entrees featuring sustainable salmon, jumbo shrimp, veal, chicken, and sea bass. I personally indulged in the Insalata Caprese (caprese salad- mozerella medallions, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil: $10) and the Salmone Al Forno (oven broiled sustainable salmon topped with baby mixed greens and black olives tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar: $22). The mozzarella was SO melt in your mouth soft and creamy and was dancing an award winning waltz on my taste buds with the tomato, basil, and balsamic vinegar. (Yes, dancing with the stars has ventured into my mouth.)
The salmon...OH THE SALMON! Broiled to perfection. Succulent beyond your salmon dreams.  And oozing with natural juices. The vegetable side was delectable and paired very nicely with my glass of red wine. The boyfriend went with the appetizer Capriccio Imperiale (chilled seafood salad with lobster, shrimp, baby calamari and green beans tossed in a Sicilian extra virgin olive oil lemon dressing) but got the order doubled for an entree. ...I honestly wish I had either had that, or got an order to go for a midnight snack. The seafood was chilled to the perfect coolness and the green beans added a nice crunch all the while complimented with a hint of lemon....AWESOME!! :) :)
The pizzas also excelled in tastiness....I tried the Margherita and was also quite pleased with the classic crusty crust
(ATMOSPHERE): The atmosphere was semi-romantic but friendly and fun
WHERE: 2654 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
WHEN: lunch or dinner
WHY: Why not?!

Lunch Service	Monday - Friday	11:30am - 3:00pm
	Saturday - Sunday	11:00am - 3:00pm
Dinner Service	Sunday - Thursday	5:00pm - 10:00pm
	Friday - Saturday	5:00pm - 11:00pm
Happy Hour-at the bar	Monday - Saturday	5:00pm - 7:00pm

L.A.- Santa Monica- Main St.

Sunny Blue...an omusubi and yogurt oasis. If you are not familiar with omusubi (my latest asain cuisine obsession) then here is a literal definition- Omusubi are Japanese rice balls with different fillings inside, wrapped with or without nori. Or my personal definition- a savory and fluffy ball of rice personalized with flavor, and wrapped in a nori (seaweed) blanket sent to earth from the asain food Gods. 


The flavors for PLACE: Sunny Blue's omusubi range from curry pork, to spicy tuna, to cod roe, to tuna and mayo. Each bundle is by default with white rice but can be substituted for brown rice (love healthier alternatives) for only $.25.
To start out my omusubi feast I chose the curry pork ($2.60) and the "Lucky Cat" ($3.60) which consisted of fresh wasabi, japenese pickles, bonito, and ume. The curry pork one was amazing! I honestly think I could have devoured 5 of those...and then gone home to complain about being full once again to the boyfriend. The Lucky Cat one was pretty good, and pretty interesting. It was very salty and savory and had great flavor but would probably leave that one up to a more traditional  eater. I also got 2 tuna mayos with brown rice ($1.80 + .25 for brown rice= $2.05 ea). THOSE ARE A MUST! If you like tuna sandwiches then this is the one for you, it is a different twist on an always classic fav.
At first I was somewhat stunned to see no soy sauce or wasabi but realized that these bad boys have enough fantastic flavor to be eaten in the nude. Next time I am going to try the chicken meatball which has a ginger garlic tomato teriyaki sauce...holy delicious sounding. 
Besides rice-y goodness, this place has also got frozen yogurt on steroids. They have about 5 flavors, but also special yogurt sundaes!! One that caught my eye was the Caramel Apple. This consisted of vanilla yogurt, fresh green apples, caramel syrup, and mixed nuts...OH EM GEE :) . But besides the awesome specials they also have 20+ toppings which all look fresh (unlike the self serve yogurt places these days with janky, old, and stale toppings all spilled into each other). 
SEATING: To be honest, the seating is awful. But the place is small so more seating wouldn't really even be a option. They have one table outside, and two barstools inside at a makeshift bar kind of thing...so don't expect a full dining experience. 
OVERALL: If your on Main st. you have to check this place out. The staff is friendly, and so is the owner Keiko. She informed me she grew up on omusubi, and that they are so popular in her culture they are comparable to the American love of PB&J. Sunny Blue runs on passion and quality and since it's a new business with a somewhat unknown product, we have to get this place going and make sure it stays in it's quaint location on Main St!!


Their website offers a look into their concept as well as a full menu.


sunnyblueinc.com


....Or just do it!
2728 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 399-9030

Other locations that have omusubi are:

Famima (an asain type 7-11 on the 3rd st promenade, and also has locations in Santa Anita, The Culver Center, Hollywood Plaza, and the California Plaza) 


http://famima-usa.com/




Mitsuwa (a Japanese marketplace featuring mini restaurants and specialty shops and all types of Japanese cooking ingredients and types of fish) Mitsuwa has a couple locations that are listed on their website as well as an in depth look of what they have to offer:


http://www.mitsuwa.com/

San Diego- Seaport Village

While on my weekend getaway to San Diego, I visited Seaport Village, a quaint bay front village filled with specialty shops and eateries. Although not too impressed with the dining selection, I ended up feasting at PLACE: Harbor House. This restaurant is located right on the water in an old wood house looking structure. At first glance my stomach was excited to see the plethora of fried foods on the menu, however once my brain kicked in it was a little overwhelmed with lack of any healthy alternatives. Of course there were salads but even they seemed so rich for the occasion of being my first meal at 11:30am. Nevertheless I started right out with the jackpot, fried pickles. They were paired with some sort of a dijon ranch dipping sauce and fried to perfection with the pickle being thick enough to taste (unlike fried pickles @ South on Wilshire in Los Angeles!!) and coated in a fluffy and crispy outer batter. After polishing off the pickles, I went with the  fish tacos. They were decent but knowing Anthonys Fish Grotto was down the street gave Harbor House no justice. 
After reviewing their menu online, seems they didn't have the actual full menu when I went considering it was Valentines Day....I wish they did though because it looks like they have better options then I suspected. 
SEATING: Seating was amazing. At least the seat I had, right next to the plexiglass window outside overlooking the bay on a warm sun-shiny  day, and a view of a boat of fishermen trying to train a dolphin. The table and chairs were kind of grimy but fitting I guess for the semi-tacky fish decor. 


Although I fully enjoyed by fried meal, I would suggest checking out Edgewater Grill first which was recommended by an information kiosk worker. The food looked fresher and much better if anyone out there is trying to maintain their waistline.


For some darn good fried pickles, visit Harbor House at:
831 West Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-1141


or check out their menu online at:
Harborhousesd.com

OR to take a peek at what the Edgewater Grill has to offer, visit them at:
www.edgewatergrill.com


861 West Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-7581


Feel like fish? Then Anthonys Fish Grotto is the place to go:
http://www.gofishanthonys.com/index2.html


1360 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-5103

San Diego- Little Italy

To begin my food blogging adventure I began in San Diego. While waiting to check into my hotel in the Gaslamp District I decided to check out Little Italy where I used to frequent as a child. During my stroll down India St., the main road in Little Italy I came across 
PLACE: Landini's, a little hole in the wall pizza joint. The pizzas were displayed in a glass case which initially drew me in along with the smell of bread baking. The decision of choosing what to order became difficult when all the pizzas equally looked inviting and delicious and all screaming eat me. I eventually chose the white pizza with mushrooms and my boyfriend chose the mushroom riccotta sundried tomato with pesto and also a slice that had artichoke on it. Mine was delicious however lacked the fantastic flavor of the sun-dried tomato one sitting on my boyfriends plate. ...I'm sure I also would have loved the artichoke one but unfortunately for me was polished off by the boyfriend before I even got out of the bathroom.
Along with the pizza we also ordered a "meatball roll" aka a meatball calzone type thing which was to die for. It consisted of savory meatballs, mozzarella, and marinara with an extra surprise of ricotta for the ultimate flavor and uber creaminess, all tucked in a fresh made to order dough sleeping bag. The dough was soft and flavorful with the perfect dough to stuffing ratio, not to saucy and not too dry. 
SEATING: There was tables and chairs inside but luckily for me it was a beautiful sunny San Diego day and was able to sit at their outdoor tables. There was plenty of tables inside and out available which is something I always look for because who likes to wait or eat while standing.
OVERALL REVIEW: I give this place a thumbs up not only for taste but price for feeding me and my boyfriend for only around 17$ including drink, as well as superb service as the young men working the register and the kitchen were accommodating and polite.
On top of the authentic Italian pizza's and calzones, Landini's also offers pastas and salads.


You can check out Landini's on their website at: 
www.landinispizzeria.com 


or visit them in Little Italy yourself at:
Landini's Pizzeria
1827 INDIA STREET
SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
(619) 238-3502

Naturally after any meal I need to satsify my sweet tooth. On the way back to the car I stopped in an italian deli PLACE: Mona Lisa Italian Foods and where at first sniff melted from the aroma of cheeses and thought I went to heaven after seeing the array of Italian breads, meats, and wines. I picked out an assorted box of cookies (PRODUCT: Oro di Sicilia $6.95) from a New York bakery which were flaky and buttery some with drizzled chocolate and some with fruit preserve. Let me just note: YOU CAN'T JUST EAT ONE! I couldn't get my grubby paws out of the container and polished them all off by the end of the night to much dismay when I wished I had just ONE MORE! The cookies reminded me of my favorite mexican cookies that are not too sugary and the perfect compliment after any meal. 
Mona Lisa's had a killer looking deli with reasonable prices as well as an attached restaurant featuring pizzas, subs, antipastis, and pastas during their operating lunch hours (Mon-Sat 11am-3pm) and an extensive Italian dinner menu with authentic house specialties such as Shrimp Scampi, a variety of Veal dishes, and Manicotti during dinner hours (Mon-Thurs & Sun 3pm-10pm/ Fri & Sat 3pm-11pm).


To see what else Mona Lisa's has to offer and an extensive look at their restaurant menus check out their website at:


monalisalittleitaly.com 


Or just trust my taste and go fill up on Italian eats and treats at:




Mona Lisa's Italian Foods
2061 INDIA STREET
SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
(619) 234-4893