Aburiya Toranoko: Avoid and Stick with the Ox Next Door

I'm a big fan of Lazy Ox Canteen so I had high hopes for Aburiya Toranoko by the same owner/chef. But I was disappointed big time. It was bad, bland and ingredients weren't that fresh. If you're going to serve sashimi like albacore tuna and uni (sea urchin), make it good. Sure, the uni makes for good food porn, especially with its gold flakes. But really, who cares about how lux it looks if it tastes so bland you feel like adding soy sauce to your dish? The uni topped the block of tofu that was house-made but while the uni itself was passable although not the freshest, the combination of uni + tofu was so forgettable I can't even remember how it tasted besides it being bland.

Then the albacore tuna salad was something I could have had at Blue Marlin on Sawtelle for a fraction of the price. The tuna wasn't super fresh and the salad drowning in dressing. A disaster. The hamachi jalapeno roll sounded promising but alas, the fish wasn't fresh and the roll was nothing special despite its "special roll" moniker.
 
It was one of those rolls served in a super cheap sushi place that prides itself on having all sorts of funky rolls, mostly drowning in super sweet teriyaki-like or some kind of ponzu sauces. I know I sound like a total snob but it's true! There's a time and a place for cheap rolls but this place should do better, especially with those prices.

The restaurant didn't redeem itself until dessert, when it served a green tea pudding drizzled with some maple syrup and topped with a single, dainty raspberry. I like my green tea desserts (i.e., ice cream, etc) to taste like green tea, not the fake flavoring that plague so many impostors. Thankfully, this one did. It tasted like solid green tea. I wouldn't have minded more fresh berries on top but we were happy after so many duds.

Spice Table: Decent but Needs Some Spice, Good Kaffir Lime Custard

You know how I feel about anything Asian Fusion, so I did enter Spice Table with some skepticism. The verdict is that it's ok and I should probably have more dishes on my next visit but I wasn't blown away like at Son of a Gun most recently.

The fact that I can't pinpoint the best dish is a problem. They were all good to above average but short of fantastic. Take the very promising-looking Kon loh mee noodle bowl with its egg noodles, choy sum green, ground pork and delightfully glistening char siu slices. The pork tasted decent enough, but there was wow factor. No punch of flavor and all the ingredients weren't melding altogether to great effect.


The fried cauliflower was good -- crunchy and well-fried and mildly flavored. I wished it had some punch. I asked for sambal sauce. They brought me some and I had overlooked that it would cost me $1. That's like charging for kimchi. Dislike.

The lamb belly satay was interesting and very tender. I had to punch up the peanut sauce to add some flavor.

The soft-shell crab toast was also so promising and the deep fried soft-shell crab was indeed good but didn't have the wow factor. Think it didn't help that we got too many fried dishes but wouldn't the few strands of greens in the noodles balance out the heaviness?!

The best thing, if I thought hard, would have to be the kaffir lime custard with lychee, which I don't usually go for but tried at our server's suggestion. It was creamy and tasted tart and sweet, dotted with small pieces of lychee.

I may return but can't fight the feeling of many reviewers, which is that it's food I could get at a fraction of the price in San Gabriel Valley. If it offered something different and new, I'd pay the premium but am not convinced it does yet.

Lazy Ox Canteen Redeemed On Second Visit: Excellent Burger and Small Plates

The first time I went to Lazy Ox Canteen, I wasn't in the least impressed. It was a while ago, shortly after it opened last year. I had the burger and it was pasty and not at all well executed. I wrote the place off as mediocre and not worth returning.

Then I heard all the raves about its burger at LA Weekly's 30 Burger in 30 Days series, which I didn't much agree with but noticed nonetheless. Then recently, I needed a place for a large party (8) that's relatively central and easy to find. With its extensive small plates menu, "the Ox," as it is apparently dubbed by its fans, seemed just the place. And the right occasion to give it a second chance since I'd be trying a variety of dishes.


It didn't disappoint. I'm not one to be swayed by any reviews, but I must say the burger was indeed very good, no comparison to the mediocre version I had at my last visit. The patty was not at all pasty -- it had a delicious meaty flavor with some smokiness from the charred edges. I had it cooked medium (as opposed to medium rare) as I was sharing but it didn't distract from my enjoyment. It came with butter lettuce, red onions and Cantal cheese, which I later learned was a hard cheese from France. The combination worked very well.

The other revelation was the yellow tail crudo. Sure, I've had sashimi pieces of hamachi before, but the way they were combined with green papaya strips, mint, scallions and a piece of grapefruit (that looks like a tomato in this photo) was pretty phenomenal. The kicker were the rice puff balls that added a crunchy texture and nuttiness to the flavor, as well as this Japanese herb mix (I think the waitress said it was furikake, which seems to be taking off these days as chefs' favorite condiment -- A-Frame's Roy Choi of Kogi truck fame uses it to make popcorn like many Hawaiians have for years and I'm going next week so stay tuned!) that includes variations of seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, dried or ground fish, sugar, among other things. It added a very distinct and refreshing dimension to what should become a staple summer dish for me.

My next favorite dish was the brussels sprouts. I've always loved roasted brussels sprouts, and one of my favorite recipes is David Chang's in GQ where he adds bacon bits and sriracha sauce (can't beat that). But these came with not one but two strong contenders -- chorizo bits and parmesan (or pecorino?) cheese melted on top. Pile on the sodium, baby. And the caramelization. Probably too much to just eat all by yourself. That's why we ordered other healthier dishes to balance out this one, like grilled cabbage with piquillo peppers and almonds (which looked beautiful but was just ok) and grilled asparagus with manchego cheese, romesco sauce and peppers, which was also just ok (asparagus were a tad overcooked too).

The grilled lettuce was on the bland side, even with the addition of smoky piquillo peppers, which I usually love.

A dish worth mentioning is the fried fish with some spicy aioli on the side and the cauliflower with pine nuts, mint and chile. The cauliflower was roasted and while it wasn't much to look at, the nuttiness plus refreshing mint did enhance the flavors. The chile didn't do much to spike it, though, as I could hardly taste it.

Other dishes we had included spaghetti squash cooked with a dollop of butter and a garlicky French parsley sauce called persillade.

It was a bit too buttery even for a butter-lover like me. Maybe they should try an olive oil version that's less heavy.

One of the first dishes I had after I sat down was grilled shishito peppers. They retained their gorgeous green hue with some charred sides and topped with some bright pickled red onions that made them look so picture perfect. They tasted ok, but then again, they were a bit spicy so not sure how many I could have back to back.

The desserts were nothing to write home about, so I won't. They were overly sweet, dense and overall unremarkable.

The service was ok but a bit harried and spotty. It got extremely loud and a bit chaotic but for a large group, not a bad place. If you're in for an intimate dinner, thi s isn't the place for you.

Parking is street parking free after 8pm and if you're like me and hate to pay for parking at the risk of parking at a shadier area, there's plenty of parking south of Third Street where it starts to get a bit less safe but hey, it's free after 6pm!

I'd love to return to try some other dishes like the grilled branzino, ribeye steak or iberico ham, although it probably won't come close to my favorite jamon iberico de bellota at the Bazaar.

Wurstkuche: Decent but not Great Dogs

Update: I recently returned and tried the Austin Blues, the other spicy dog and liked it a lot better. The fries were also better. Maybe it's because when I went to Top Dog in Berkeley a few months ago, I was let down by its Hot Link -- inconceivable and tragic. I love this place's beer selection. The hefeweizen was very good and good value too, at $5.50 a pop for a very tall glass! I'm a fan.

Wurstkuche sounded promising as a hot dog joint in the artists' district in Little Tokyo, so I went and tried a Louisiana Hot Link with sauerkraut and Dijon mustard. When it comes to hot dogs, I'm in the purist camp where too many relishes and toppings are considered mere distractions. The dog was decent but at the risk of sounding like a broken record, not as good as Top Dog in Berkeley.

Let's talk flavor. The bun was serviceable enough -- soft and warm. But the sausage itself, which I consider the most integral part of the dog, was not as juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside (that squirting first bite!) as I would have hoped. I could taste the spicy flavors but it was a bit on the dry side. The sauerkraut was probably the best thing in terms of texture and flavor, but that's not an overwhelming endorsement. The green chile and cilantro chicken and turkey dog topped with stir-fried onions was rather bland and unremarkable.

The "Belgian Fries" were a big disappointment. They were practically room-temperature and not in the least crispy. Overall a bit overpriced for what it is. $6.75 for a Hot Link? On top of that, you have to pay for the sauerkraut and dipping sauces? Haven't you been to a Mexican place where all salsas and condiments are free? Might as well charge for the mustard too, which it thankfully doesn't but outrages me nevertheless.

I liked the ambiance a lot. It's a converted loft-type space so it's open with communal tables and the exposed brick walls add a nice touch. I may still return to try some other dogs, like the Austin Blues that has hardwood smoked pork and spices. For the adventurous eater, may I suggest the rattlesnake and rabbit hot dog with jalapeno peppers or the alligator and pork Andouille sausage.

Another reason to return: its extensive beer selection. Interesting German and Belgian beers like Koestritzer Schwarzbier, described as black beer sweet malty and Affligem Noël, a seasonal strong dark ale.

Wurstkuche

(213) 687-4444

800 E. 3rd St.

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Beyond Hawaiian Pizza

What did I know about Hawaiian food before I went to Aloha Cafe? Not much. I've had mediocre kalua pork before and the super-soft and fluffy Hawaiian bread. So it was with some trepidation that I walked into this Hawaiian joint smack in the middle of Little Tokyo at Honda Plaza next to Sushi Gen (the long lines here are always a mystery to me but that's another post) and Kagaya (ditto unless you are on an expense account).

I'm no Hawaiian food expert but I liked what I ate. I had the char siu pork, which is barbecued pork slow-baked and basked in a salty and slightly sweet marinade. The pork slices were tender and went well with the two scoops of white rice. It's the strangest mix but I actually liked the macaroni salad and coleslaw that accompanied the dish. Another plus: those everyday low prices! Specialties that come with rice and salad range from $6.25 to $9. Breakfasts are under $6. Most bowls are under $5.



The lau lau pork was fairly tender and had absorbed smoky aromas from the taro leaf it had been steamed in. Not having had the real deal, I can only comment on this one, which was good for a quick lunch but not revolutionary.

My eating companion, however, was significantly more exuberant, declaring this place a new find.



Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Aloha Cafe offers dishes with: 1) fried eggs, 2) corned beef hash (or choice of vienna sausage or of course, spam), 3) meat patties (loco moco) and 4) plenty of gravy. The corned beef hash was very popular with some but not so much with me. The meat patties were tasty if not a bit greasy. And I'm not a huge gravy fan so you won't see me ordering the loco moco anytime soon. But gravy lovers may indulge in some serious gravy-fest (see below).



I wouldn't recommend trying the tofu dish or the soup, which were uneventful. I would stick to the classic Hawaiian dishes and you'll be sold. The ahi poke was ok but I'm a sushi/sashimi snob so the quality of the fish didn't do it for me.

Service was laid-back, a-la-Hawaiian, although only the cook is apparently from there. This place recently relocated from its original Alhambra location. Validated parking available in the mini-mall.

Aloha Cafe
410 East 2nd Street (Honda Plaza across from Office Depot)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 346-9930

Move Over Pinkberry, Yogurtland is in Town

I was never a huge Pinkberry fan so I was glad Yogurtland came to the rescue. Yogurtland is self-service, has more flavor and topping options -- and as if that weren't enough, it's cheaper too.

To be sure, not all of its many flavors were winners. I think the only ones worth having are taro and maybe peanut butter. I haven't tried the kahlua but all the others, including mango, lychee and green tea didn't do it for me.



Because it has self-serving machines, you have the cool option of having half and half for every other flavor offered. Remember those old soft ice cream dispensers? You get to play with those! After you add as little or as much as you'd like, you choose from an array of dry (mochi, corn flakes and jelly beans, among others) and wet toppings.



The wet toppings were the usual suspects such as mangos, berries, kiwis, etc. But by far the best topping was the sweetened red bean, although it could have been a little more syrupy. To recap, my favorite combination was the taro topped with red beans, mango, blackberries and bananas. It was almost like my favorite Korean summer dessert, patbingsoo except it didn't have the slushy shaved ice. Still pretty satisfying.

You could taste as many flavors beforehand. It was only 30 cents per ounce, so it ended up being a drop in the bucket compared to the Pinkberrys and Red Mangos of the world. This chain is also Korean-owned but don't think it originated in Korea.



Yogurtland
Multiple locations
130 South Central Avenue (Little Tokyo)
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Not Bad for an Under $10-Burger

Here's my report from the latest burger club venture: Weiland Brewery. We gave it a thumbs up, especially for its price compared with gourmet burgers that break the bank.

The meat was cooked medium rare as requested but the patty was not as flavorful as it could have been, although much less pasty than Hungry Cat. Overall, I'd give it decent marks. I know I sound like a broken record, but it still doesn't come close to Houston's. Even the bbq sauce I got on the side that has become a staple burger condiment for me was too sweet and not deep-flavored at all.



As for the fries, they were greasy and lukewarm. I mean, they didn't even look good. Weiland definitely needs help in the fries department.

The dark and slightly drab interior didn't help, mostly because I like to see my food when I eat it. But it's nice having a wide beer selection, although if I had a choice, I would go for a glass of full-bodied cabernet over beer to wash down my bloody red meat. Some might say it is pretty darn pretentious to sip wine with the down-home, all-American burger, but red meat is red meat. Got to have it.

In any case, it's good to know we have a fall-back for a relatively affordable burger. And it has a downtown location in the Paul Hastings building's food court -- one of the most poorly designed and most depressing food courts ever. Stuck in a basement with no light, sparsely populated with disgusting fast food chains and dubious food that purports to be Indian, I would probably never go there if it weren't for the post office and this brewery.

Next stop: Twoheys in Alhambra (Web site under construction as of May 11).

Weiland Brewery (Multiple Locations)
400 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213)680-2881