Archive
for October, 2012
Los Feliz: Sandwiches and Cookies at The Trails Cafe
Oct 22 2012
Sure, Griffith Park is one of LA’s most majestic treasures. The Central Park of LA, it’s truly an outstanding public space with lots of fantastic attractions—Travel Town, the Carousel, pony rides, hiking trails, baby swings…you name it. But, something it also has, though rarely acknowledged, is one of the best veggie sandwiches in LA.
The avocado sandwich at The Trails Cafe, a cute little outside eatery at the base of the Griffith Observatory trail, is a lunchtime triumph, stacked high on dark, sweet bread with at least half an avocado, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar and mayo. It’s even sprinkled with soy bacon bits, which would normally scare me, but on this sandwich it works very well, adding salty crunch.
I could eat the thing everyday.
And as if that weren’t enough, Trails also makes a bevy of baked goods, vegan and otherwise, all from scratch. This cheddar and chive scone is buttery, flaky, dense, and draped in cheddar that once bubbled and dripped. Other savory options include quiches, hand pies, cheesy tarts and even some fancy pigs in a blanket called “Snakedogs”.
Atwater Farmers’ Market: Milk Man Cheese
Oct 13 2012
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I love the Atwater Farmers’ Market. Lately, I find myself buying more and more of my family’s weekly staples there—fruits, veggies, chicken, eggs, bread, olives, and granola. I’m even considering picking up some soap next time.
One of my favorite splurges is cheese and butter from Milk Man. Every week, this booth showcases three or so varieties of local artisan cheeses. The selection is always changing and always sourced from small California creameries. Most recently, I brought home a lovely Monterey Jack made by Schoch Farms, a family-run dairy in Salinas that makes about two batches of cheese a week. Incidentally, they’re the only ones still making Monterey Jack in its namesake county, and they start the cheese-making process while the milk is still warm from the cow.
That’s the kind of specialness you can expect from Milk Man.
GIVEAWAY: Win 2 Tickets to Rocktoberfest at LA Live!
Oct 04 2012
Wolfgang Puck and KISS’ Gene Simmons are hosting Rocktoberfest at Live LA October 15-21, and I’m giving away two tickets. If you win, you get 2 General Admission tickets, which will let you sample German beer and Wolfgang Puck’s California twist on German food, and a commemorative stein to take home. There will be live entertainment to boot.
Best part is you get to choose one of the following days: Tuesday Oct. 16, Wednesday Oct. 17, or Thursday Oct. 18.
If you want to win, it’s easy:
- Follow East Side Food Bites on Twitter or Facebook-if you’re already a follower, you’re good. If not, just click one of the corresponding buttons to the left.
- Comment below and let me know where you follow me (FB or Twitter), so I can check. Tell me your handle name.
- Enter by Thursday, October 10th.
I’ll pick the winner raffle style on the 11th and let you know via FB or Twitter that day. I have to turn in your name by the 12th, so you must confirm your prize before noon on the 12th. If not, I’ll have to pick someone else. Ticket will be held at will call. Good luck.
Find out all the details on the Rocktoberfest Official Site.
-Valentina
Pasadena: Rustic Italian from Trattoria Neapolis
Oct 03 2012
Trattoria Neapolis, Pasadena’s new Italian restaurant, has just made my list of favorites in the South Lake District (this esteemed list also includes Cham Bistro and Pie ‘n Burger in case you were wondering). There are plenty of reasons to love this restaurant. For one, the ambiance is fantastic with high ceilings and natural lighting on the patio. Two, they have a wood burning oven. And, three, they make everything from scratch, from bread to salumi.
They also have an impressive drink program, full of American and Italian classics. Prosecco cocktails abound and the wine list is extensive. If you’re a beer drinker like me, they even have an in-house beer sommelier to help you choose from local and Italian brews. Pictured here is The Doctor, a smooth and smokey mix of rye and Italian bitters.
I’m such a sucker for those giant ice cubes.
Antipasti options include hand-crafted cured meats, Sicilian meatballs and wood-grilled octopus. We went for the Arancini with lobster and pickled fennel. The crunch was perfect, but the flavor wasn’t as intense as it could have been, causing the lemon aioli to be the peak of the dish. This is often the case with arancini, but I did appreciate its creamy texture and the sizable chunks of lobster.
