Lunasia Dim Sum House

This relatively new restaurant opened in Torrance recently. I was excited to try it, especially since I knew they had locations in Alhambra, Pasadena, and Cerritos. Sandi and I got there before 4 pm. It was not busy at all, but it was early. 

They had Shang-Hai Pork Soup Dumpings, which is one of our favorite dishes from Din Tai Fung, so we had to order that. The Jumbo Pork Siu-Mai sounded good, and it had 4 in a serving, so that was perfect. We had to have a noodle dish, so we ordered Beef Chow Mein with Black Pepper.

It was a long wait before we got our food. But before complaining, we thought we'd give it a chance. It might be worth the wait! The siu-mai arrived, and all of a sudden, there were only 2 left. We were very hungry. They were good. The soup dumplings came next. When we tried to pick them up, the pork fell through the bottom. There was no way you could sip the soup as the dumpling fell apart immediately. They were baby dumplings. They were a big disappointment. Tastewise, they were tasteless.

The saving grace was the beef chow main with black pepper. It was quite edible. Not the best, but good enough. 

Would we return to Lunasia? If it were the only Chinese restaurant around, probably. But why consider it if Din Tai Fung or A-1 Chinese restaurants are nearby.

Tacos El Goloso

All it took was an email from Doordash saying I had a $5.00 credit. I couldn't get my mind off the Tacos I've had at Tacos El Goloso.  In my last blog, I had two suggestions from my niece and another friend to try the Mulitas and the Vampiros. I ordered both, not knowing how big they were. 

I started with the Beef Vampiros. It was delicious and hard to eat, but I was alone, so it didn't matter how I attacked the 2 tostadas. It had melted Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce, onion, cilantro, sour cream, and Cotija cheese in between. The order came with their most delicious fried chips. This was enough for dinner, but since I ordered the Mulitas, I knew it would not be good the following day, so I had to consume it the same day.

The Mulitas were also huge. These were 2 corn tortillas with melted cheese,l onion, cilantro, and guacamole, and I tried the pork this time. I was not disappointed. Needless to say, this was a very filling dinner together with the chips. 

Tacos El Goloso is now one of my favorite places to go. I mentioned in my last blog that given the fact that everything is messy to eat, it is best you pick up your order and enjoy it at home with your favorite wine, beer, or champagne. 

El Goloso has locations in Torrance, Redondo Beach, San Pedro, and Harbor City in California.

Max & Lucy's Ensaymada

I recently received a dozen ensaymadas from Max & Lucy's from a friend. I couldn't contain my excitement, especially since I recently also had the extreme pleasure of trying ensaymadas from Ensaymada Project. I was eager to make the comparison.

The flavors I got were the Ube Yema Halaya, Queso, Queso de Bola, and Ferrero Rocher. I have to confess that I did not try the Ube only because I am not fond of Ube, so I passed them on to someone who appreciated and enjoyed them. 

I tried the Queso de Bola, and I must say that it was buttery and delicious, but it didn't have the chewiness of the ones from Ensaymada Project. 

The Ferrero Rocher was a bit too sweet. It looked really good; I didn't expect to see something in the middle which reminded me of "crowning." It freaked me out since it was totally unexpected. I should have expected it since it was called Ferrero Rocher, just like the Italian chocolate balls wrapped in gold. The reason I didn't care for it is that I am not fond of anything hazelnut. If you like Ferrero Rocher, you will probably like this ensaymada.

On a good note, their Food for the Gods was very good, buttery, and moist. 

Max & Lucy's Bake Shop does not have a website. I called them to find out if I would view the different flavors of ensaymada and the lady just directed me to check their Facebook and Instagram pages. I did look, but they were mostly just pictures. Some had names but nothing clear, like Ensaymada Project, where flavors are listed clearly. 

Max & Lucy's is located at 15411 Lassen St. in Mission Hills, California. Don't get me wrong, their ensaymadas are good, but for me, Ensaymada Project is still the best I've ever had!!!!

Tacos El Goloso

I first discovered this taco place via Doordash. The reviews were great, and I was craving for good tacos about two weeks ago. I ordered their famous Tacos Dorados de Birria, which came with chips and some dips. I was elated at this new discovery. I loved the tacos. They were crunchy with very juicy shredded beef, which was cooked for several hours with chiles and spices. The corn tortilla tacos also had cheese, onion, and cilantro in them, and these were fried. If you are into healthy, this isn't for you. But this is what makes them super mouth-watering delicious tacos.

A few days ago, Amy and I watched a movie, and it was 4 p.m. when we got out. I suggested we go to Tacos El Goloso. This is when I recently discovered that there was one close by. Since she doesn't eat as much as I do (who does), I ordered the Dorados de Birria; it comes in 3,4 or 5. I ordered the 5. I also ordered a big bag of chips for us to share. Their chips are awesome, with a little, ok, more than a little salt; you don't even need the salsa but dipping it in the sauce makes it better!

There is one caveat; the food is served in a styrofoam box which is fine, but since the tacos are a bit greasy, again, in a good way, it is very messy. They don't serve alcohol, so my suggestion is to purchase the food and take them home, open a bottle of red wine or champagne and have lots of paper towels handy and ENJOY!

Ensaymada Project

I read about these special ensaymadas in the past but dismissed them only because it was simply too far from where I live. My goddaughter, Aimée, brought me a box last Sunday. I couldn't contain my excitement. I wanted to really enjoy it not as a dessert but as breakfast with a strong cup of coffee with whipping cream.

I thought about it before going to bed and woke up in the middle of the night thinking about breakfast. I made sure I walked my 2 miles to eat it guilt-free. It is recommended that you microwave the ensaymada for 8-15 seconds. My first pick out of the six was the Salted Caramel. I may have overdone the heating, but oh did it look wonderful. I sort of inhaled it even if I tried to savor each bite. The caramel melted a bit, but the ensaymada itself was light and a bit chewy, which I've never experienced in an ensaymadas I've had in the past. I couldn't help myself, but somehow, it was like I was possessed, and without thinking, I reached for another one. This time it was the Salted Duck Egg which may seem weird or even terrible to people who haven't had duck eggs. This was delicious as well. A slice of the duck egg on top of queso de bola (aged edam cheese, usually sold only on Christmas), and sweet buttercream. After having two, I thought that I should just have one a day to make them last longer.

Day three was the Mango ensaymada. I kept thinking this might be their downfall. Everything can't be that good. I was wrong. It did have the beautiful flavor of mango, so delicious. I thought of Sandi as this is her favorite fruit. 

Day four was the Cookie Butter Crumble. Biscoff cookie butter in salted buttercream and chocolate chip cookies. I actually liked the fact that the ensaymadas melt a bit when heated. You really taste all that butter and deliciousness.

The fifth day was the Banana Chocolate. You could really taste the banana. Though I am not a fan of Nutella, this was not bad since it was just a small portion on top. 

I saved what I thought would be the best for the last. It was Queso de Gouda. I love Queso de Bola but they didn't have it that day. I do love Gouda cheese, so I was sure it would not disappoint. Boy oh boy, it was to die for. 

These ensaymadas are the best I've ever had, and I've had special ones in the Philippines, which are specially ordered not from a store but from private parties. 

Ensaymada Project is located at 24811 Railroad Ave., B/C in Newhall, California. You could go to their website and see the many flavors they offer. They also ship!