Telefèric Barcelona

I've been to Telefèric Barcelona in Brentwood a couple of times and loved the food. It was nice to see the restaurant listed on dineLA. We went to the one in Long Beach this time.

We had the Crab Croquetas and Patatas Bravas for appetizers. We absolutely loved both. The third appetizer, the Tuna Tacos, marinated ahi tuna with mashed avocado in a wonton shell, was good but lacked flavor. 

The Mixta Paella had pork, chicken, Gulf shrimp, and octopus. We ordered it with the slightly burnt bottom, which is the way to go. This was delicious as well. The only complaint is that they did not clean the shrimp. I ate them, but it was noted that the veins were in the shrimp. When we asked our server, Alvaro, he explained that in Spain, they eat the whole thing and don't necessarily remove the black strip.

Dessert was included in the $35 dineLA menu. Churros con Chocolate: Barcelona's famous street fried dough filled with Nutella. Sandi and I weren't sure we would like it because neither of us cares for Nutella. I am used to the churros, which are dipped in rich hot chocolate.  Luckily, there wasn't much in it, so we were able to enjoy their churros.

Alvaro, by the way, was an excellent server; very attentive and pleasant as well. Telefèric Barcelona is at 6420 Pacific Coast Hwy. Suite 160 in Long Beach, California. The one in Brentwood is at San Vicente Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Anaheim White House Restaurant.

I have dined at this restaurant several times in the late eighties and early nineties. I haven't been back since then only because of the distance. The restaurant has a fascinating history for those who haven't heard of The Anaheim White House. 

It is a historic landmark in Anaheim, California, that has been at its location since 1909. In 1981, the Stovalls transformed it into a restaurant. In 1987, Chef Bruno Serato, an Italian from Verona, took over the ownership. It was unfortunate that in 2017, the restaurant suffered a fire, resulting in $2 million in damages. However, the following year, they were able to complete restorations. It has been business as usual since then.

You have the choice of dining outside on their charming patio or indoors, in the elegant house. We were celebrating our friend Cindy's birthday. Neither she nor Sandi has ever been there. I knew they were in for a treat.

Shortly after we got settled at our table, Sylvano Ibay, managing partner, came to welcome us. Soon after that, Chef Bruno, the owner, came to say hello. His charismatic personality matched his flamboyant appearance.

Our server, Lexie, was informative and very pleasant. We all had the lingering question of whether we could order a side of their white chocolate mashed potatoes, which is part of their signature dish, included with the Salmon. None of us was interested in the Salmon, but we wanted to try the white chocolate mashed potatoes. We didn't see it on the menu, but we were all relieved when Lexie assured us that we could order it as a side dish.

We ordered the Tempura Artichoke Hearts, which were fried in tempura, buttered, and topped with Burrata cheese, Italian pesto, and spiced aioli. Though not crispy, it had very good flavors, but lacked salt. The birthday celebrant ordered the Braised Beef, a White House Signature Dish, braised in a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction with wild mushrooms and yellow polenta. I had a bit of the beef, which was absolutely delicious.

Sandi had the Filet Mignon with mushrooms and Porcini sauce. This was served with polenta. She did enjoy her steak. I had the Scaloppini Funghi, tender slices of veal with "Chef's favorite" Morel mushrooms. I could see why it was a favorite. It was positively and undoubtedly one of the best sauces I have had. The White Chocolate Mashed Potatoes were heavenly! Who would have thought?

Bryan Peterson, an assistant manager, stopped by to introduce himself and ensure everything was in order. It is rare nowadays to have service this efficient and great food to go with it. Most restaurants are there to just make money, which is understandable, but something is lost when the quality of food and great service do not go hand in hand. 

All three of us decided before our entrée that we would order their famous Soufflé Nino, a Grand Marnier Soufflé served with three sauces: chocolate ganache, crème anglaise, and chantilly cream. This had to be ordered 20 minutes prior to our desired consumption. Lexie did a beautiful job of pouring the two sauces and topping them with the chantilly cream. While we were devouring the soufflé, Lexie brought the birthday girl a generous slice of Tiramisu. It would have been an insult not to appreciate and enjoy this wonderful dessert, so we happily consumed it.

Last night's dinner experience was superb. Both Sandi and Cindy were equally impressed with the food and service. We all thought we would come more often if it weren't for the 91 freeway. If someone offers to do the driving, we're all in. 

The Anaheim White House is at 887 S. Anaheim St. in Anaheim, California.

Interesting Fact: YOU MUST LOOK UP THE INCREDIBLE, CHARITABLE, CHEF BRUNO SERATO, WHO FEEDS PEOPLE DAILY. A TRUE HUMANITARIAN LARGER THAN LIFE.

Vin Folk

I have been dying to try Vin Folk ever since I read one of their reviews. Vin Folk is a new restaurant in Hermosa Beach. They received a Bid Gourmand award. For those unfamiliar with this award, it is a distinction awarded by the Michelin Guide. It is for higher-quality food without breaking the bank.

Sandi, Cindy, and I decided to take my brother Gary for his birthday. The menu was not extensive, which could be a good thing. Gary brought a nice bottle of wine he had purchased while in Napa. While they decanted the wine, we studied the menu. Our server, chef in training, Nathan, was most helpful in answering our questions, and boy, did we have a few. 

We were to share the small plates, and not everyone agreed on some of the selections. Cindy and Sandi were not as adventurous, but since it was Gary's birthday, they were kind enough to give their blessings to order a couple of unquestionable items and promised to try them.

Our first plate was the Pan de Cristal with Salty Stracciatella and black cod rillette. It had interesting flavors and was very good with the bread they served. Next was the Squid Al Ajillo, served with Gribiche sauce (an egg-based sauce) and peanuts. Gary and I loved it, and the two of them could not handle the tentacles. They didn't know what they were missing. While we waited for the next dish, we saw this beautiful dish go by. We asked Nathan what it was, and he told us it was the Mussels Tart. Because it looked amazing, Cindy and Sandi agreed to give it a try. Wow! It was truly delicious. Very flaky and just beautiful.

The Yellow Tail with fried shallot oil, ikra, and capers was delightful. Both Cindy and Sandi had some, and they did enjoy their portion. There's hope for the two! Next came the Beef Tongue with hrenovina sauce (horseradish), tatsoi and tomato. We all enjoyed the tenderness of the tongue except for one who shall remain nameless. The En Papillote was a welcome dish, especially for Sandi. The catch of the day was Halibut, her favorite. It had kohlrabi (German turnips), asparagus, leeks, calabaza, and saffron. The fish was exquisite!

The Chili Crab with Arborio rice was delectable. We saved the best for last. The Trofie (short, twisted, narrow pasta) made with arugula, walnuts, sea beans, lemon basil, and parmesan was outstanding. When we finished the pasta, there was a lot of sauce left over. I thought it would be a shame to waste it, so I asked Nathan if I could have more bread. I also asked if he receives this request often. He said I was the first one. If this were another restaurant, they would have charged us extra for the bread! 

Despite all the food we had consumed, it was unanimous that we order dessert. We tried the Strawberry Tiramisu and the Koko Crunch; chocolate 6 ways. This was very different, as I no longer get excited over chocolate, but this was an exception. I did enjoy it except for the milk. Gary and I do not drink milk, so Cindy had it. She said it was very good, especially with the salt that got into it, while Nathan grated fresh salt from a coconut shell.

Since it was Gary's birthday, they gave Gary a sherbet and a candle to make his birthday wish. The 4 dessert spoons obligated us to share this with him. 

The service was excellent. It couldn't have been any better.  Nothing beats the Filipino hospitality. Nathan, hope to see you soon.

We got to meet Chef Kevin de los Santos. I knew he worked for some of my favorite restaurants, like Ink, Nobu, and Bazaar, to name a few. It was a genuine pleasure to meet this culinary genius. 

To Chef Kevin, Maraming Salamat!

J. Trani's Ristorante

Filippo Trani opened the Majestic Cafe in 1925. In 1937, his 13-year-old son joined him, and the tradition passed from father to son over 75 years. Almost 90 years later, the fourth generation of Trani's carries on the tradition at J. Trani's. I have known about this restaurant but have never tried it. Our friend Sugar invited us last Wednesday.

The place was warm and cozy. We got there when they opened, but it did not take long for it to fill up. They got very busy on a Wednesday evening. Sugar had been at the restaurant before, so she knew we had to order the Pork Belly as one of our appetizers. It had white chili puree, crispy garlic, pickled shallots, and sweet soy. That was super delicious, as was the Grilled Calamari Milanese with Parmesan cheese, crispy parsley, lemon olive oils, and their majestic tartar sauce. Our server raved about some in-house brined Olives served with garlic cheese bread. None of us was impressed with that. The olives were mainly pits, and there was little meat in them. 

Sugar ordered the Local Sea Bass with lemon butter caper sauce. It came with mashed potatoes, but she opted for double spinach instead. She was disappointed with it because she thought it was overcooked, unlike Zohreh's Swordfish, which was delicate and delicious. I can see myself ordering that at another time.

Sandi had the Rigatoni Special Sauce with short rib ragu, bolognese, arugula, and feta. Only, she had them substitute the rigatoni for penne pasta. Her pasta was very good; much better than my Steak Linguine with sautéed ribeye, garlic, parsley, tomato, and mozzarella. The ribeye was not as tender as I would have liked it. I did have an issue, though. I asked for Parmesan cheese, and it never came. I saw our server merrily serving other guests and knew she had forgotten because time passed, and my pasta was getting cold. I finally got up and chased her. She said they were getting it. She finally came and apologized, but it was too late. I had just a few bites and had to take it home as it was already cold. 

We shared a Banana Foster Bread Pudding, which hit the spot. It was tasty.

J. Trani's is at 584 W. 9th St. in San Pedro, California.

The Little Oliva

Cindy has been wanting to try this restaurant. We all read about it and decided to experiment with this semi-new place in Rolling Hills Estates. We finally got a day when all three of us were free, so we made reservations for a late lunch. 

We were all in awe as we walked in. This charming place had a warm and exciting vibe. The menu was Greek, Italian, and American, so there was something for everyone. 

Cindy and I ordered the Santorini Moussaka since the article we read raved about the Moussaka. This had a different twist in that it had a layer of potatoes. We were excited since the last time we had Moussaka was at Petro's in Manhattan Beach. Sadly, we were both disappointed with it. It was not bad, but it was not great either. It was on the bland side. 

Sandi, however, had better luck. She had the Athens Chicken Skewers, which were delicious. I had a bite, and it was moist and juicy. 

Since most of us were unimpressed with the food and service, we didn't order desserts. The consensus was that we would not make a special trip back unless maybe if we were invited.