Breakfast
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Atwater Village: Breakfast Burrito from Tacos Villa Corona
May 02 2012
A friend of mine became enchanted by Tacos Villa Corona’s breakfast burrito after seeing it on The Layover, the Anthony Bourdain television show. She said Bourdain really fawned over it, and since we wouldn’t have to travel far—it was just in Atwater Village—we figured we ought to try it.
I had the papas and chorizo version, which was substantial but not ridiculous. I finished the whole thing without much trouble and with no regrets. Did it live up to the hype? Well, I didn’t see any fireworks, but it certainly met my criteria for a good breakfast burrito.
Most importantly, all the components were nicely balanced. The chorizo-potato ratio was spot on, so, thankfully, it didn’t fall into the all too common over-potatoed breakfast burrito trap. The egg was nicely cooked and also knew its place, which is good because if there’s one thing I can’t tolerate, it’s a showboat egg that overshadows the rest of the fixings. Not a problem here. The lack of grease was also a big plus.
I hear the line can be pretty lengthy at Tacos Villa Corona during peak hours, and I’m not sure it’s worth a long wait. However, if it’s, say, three deep, I’d go for it.
Cash only. Burritos with meat are $5-6, vegetarian are $3-4.
Tacos Villa Corona
3185 Glendale Blvd,
Los Angeles CA 90039
Eat at Home: Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
Mar 20 2012
I’m currently sitting on a stockpile of cinnamon rolls.
It’s true. They’re hanging out in a bag in the bottom drawer of my freezer, and every third morning or so, I break into it and enjoy one with some butter and tea. It’s quite the treat.
The best part is that I made them myself. That’s right—I made the dough, rolled it out, sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar and lived to tell about it. The result is super wholesome, relatively nutritious (75% whole wheat) pillowy cinnamon rolls that freeze well and can be reheated in a toaster oven…because you deserve a nice breakfast even on a weekday.
You can do it, too. Just beware that yeast is involved, so you’ll need a few hours of prep time. Here’s how (see full ingredients list at the end of post):
Prepare the dough: To start, heat butter and milk in a saucepan and set aside. Next, mix white flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour, water, yeast, sugar and eggs together at low speed using your paddle attachment. Now add the milk and butter mixture, salt, and the rest of the whole wheat flour. Don’t stop until it’s well blended.
If you have a kneading hook, now’s the time to use it. Start kneading, adding more flour (verrrrry slowly and in tiny amounts) if needed. The goal is to get a big ball of dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the mixing bowl. Same goes if you’re kneading by hand. You want it to be moist but not sloppy. It should take about 10 minutes.
Once you get it right, transfer the ball into a large, oiled metal bowl. Cover with a towel, and put it in a warmish place.
Chinatown/Elysian Park: Breakfast & Lunch at Nick’s Cafe
Jan 25 2012
Though reasonably healthy and fit, my brother and I have fat kids inside us, and they are partners in crime. I’ve evidence this phenomenon before on this blog, during a certain chili dog outing that took us all the way to West Hollywood. This time, our carnal food desires lured us to Nick’s Cafe, an LA institution and cop hangout since 1948. And, oh, was there gluttony.
Pure and unadulterated.
Eat at Home: Super-Healthy Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie Recipe
Jan 13 2012
Life can’t be all wet burritos and pie, but you can have a chocolate breakfast smoothie pretty much every day. At least I have ever since my new blender came into my life. It’s nothing special (the blender, I mean, not the smoothie)—just a $40 machine, but it sure does make a mean breakfast smoothie.
Thus far, I’ve experimented with a couple of different concoctions. I’ve done the yogurt-oj-banana thing and the berry-banana-milk shuffle, but the one that I keep coming back to is a powerhouse blend of antioxidants, vitamin C, protein, calcium, Omega 3s, and most importantly…chocolate.
For breakfast.
Still, it’s not too sweet, and the granola I layer in gives it an earthy quality that makes you feel like you’re some health nut living in Santa Cruz or Berkeley or whatever ultra-liberal college town you’d like to imagine yourself.
Sound good? Well, here’s what you need for one smoothie:
Happy New Year: Blueberry Pancakes in Ojai
Jan 02 2012
I’m not superstitious about most things, but I think the first meal of the year is important. What you eat on New Year’s Day should set a precedent for the next 364 days to come—and this year is a leap, so 365.
With this in mind, I was a little skeptical yesterday when we stepped into Eggs n’ Potatoes, a little strip mall cafe in Ojai. We had dreams of brunching out at The Farmer & the Cook, which was suggested by Natalie of Fashion Intel, but they were closed just like most restaurants on our last morning in the tiny town. So, Eggs n’ Potatoes (formerly Eggs n’ Things) it was.
The service was a bit lackadaisical and the decor is all roosters, but the blueberry pancakes? Stellar! My love for whole grain pancakes is well documented, so I was pretty excited when I saw that oat bran batter was an option. And when I forked into the stack and realized that each cake was awash in fresh blueberries, my New Year’s breakfast optimism was revived. Whipped butter and real maple syrup provided even more life blood.
