This cake is one of Sandi's creations. It's very easy to make, so she says, and is so delicious and looks impressive!
The dinner she served before was also delicious. It was called Mississippi Pot Roast which she served with Brussels sprouts, a salad, fresh carrots, and mashed potatoes. I felt like I was dining at a gourmet restaurant.
Unfortunately, as the saying goes: "All Good Things Come To An End", I will miss all her cooking and baking when she moves away!
My brother Gary took us out for dinner last Sunday. It was the "Last Supper" for our 2 aunts that were visiting. I was excited since I love this restaurant. I couldn't wait to have the Fried Artichoke Salad with arugula, snow peas, walnuts, and aged goat cheese.
Diane and Maria were in awe seeing the wheels of cheese, even if they are both from the cheese state, Wisconsin. I explained to them that someone scrapes the cheese inside, and after the Cacio e Pepe is cooked, they dump it in there to add more cheese! Shortly after my explanation, a man started scraping away.
Gary ordered a Charcuterie plate to start. We were all starving, so that was quickly inhaled. He decided to order family style so they can try several dishes. He ordered 2 of the Fried Artichokes, which was perfect because I know one order was not enough for four of us. The three of them probably would have gotten only a bite, and I would have eaten the rest.
We had to have the Chitarra Cacio e Pepe and the Tortellini. He asked our 2 aunts if they eat fish, and the answer was yes, so he ordered the Branzino w/ Julienne veggies. The other pasta he has had, which I haven't, was the Pappardelle with Veal and Mushroom Ragout. The pasta dishes were excellent, cooked aldente. The sea bass was equally delicious, flakey, light, and very fresh.
One bottle of wine was not enough for us, so we ended up with two, which was perfect. We skipped dessert because Gary had ordered some, and we were going back to his place to have it. Maria had brought old pictures, and we were at Gary's mercy to identify the unidentifiable. He could not identify all of them, so he had to call our mother in the Philippines to help out.
It was a fun evening. Wonderful food; thank you, Gary, and thank you, Forma, for the great pasta and good service. We missed you, Mario (the owner). Forma has 2 locations, one in Santa Monica and one in Venice, California.
What better restaurant to impress guests who love good food and a bit of "Beverly Hills" other than to take them to Lawry's. I had to make sure they were back doing the "spinning salad," which is definitely part of the show. The only thing that I was disappointed about was that they did not carve the meat tableside like they used to because of Covid, I suppose.
We all ordered the Prime rib. Actually, my relatives did not have a choice. I told them they had to order that and the creamed corn. They, of course, loved everything; who wouldn't? There's really not much more I can say about Lawry's since I have blogged about them numerous times. The fact that I keep coming back should be proof that it never disappoints. In fact, I was just there last month to celebrate my son and brother's birthday. I never get tired of it and never will!
We had their famous ice cream with chocolate fudge for dessert, a nice finale after a big meal.
It was nice to see Aniel Chopra, the General Manager. He even offered to take out picture outside. I must say, he did a good job!
What I do not understand is why this place is still in business. When they opened a long time ago, I recall it being good, not the best but good enough. A few years after, the quality declined. It has been at least 6 years since I've been to one of their locations.
Sandi and I were craving the 49ers and the Potato Pancakes at the Original Pancake House yesterday. When we got there, we realized that it was Tuesday and they are closed on Tuesdays. Though we were disappointed, we went to Krust for the Lemon-Custard Donuts and forgot that they are closed Monday and Tuesdays. So we drove by Catalina Ave in Redondo Beach, and Sandi, who also did not like Yellow Vase, thought we should check it out. Maybe they got better. We walked in, and they had nice Tango music, and the ambiance put us in the mood.....for just a good time. The pastries looked good. We had had their crepes before but were not impressed, so we decided on the pastries. I had the one with lots of raisins to go with my coffee. Sandi ordered the Apricot Croissant. My raisin pastry looked a lot better than it tastes. The saving grace was the abundance of raisins that made it edible. Otherwise, it was on the dry side and not flakey at all. Sandi's apricot was even drier and tough, and it did have a little apricot something inside. She ate a quarter of her croissant. We both thought it tasted like they were at least a couple of days old. We asked the lady, and she assured us they were fresh. I doubt she would have said: " Yes, they are a old."
I bought an Apple and Apricot Tart to go for dessert before we tried our breakfast. Those were O.K. but nothing exciting. I also brought a Strawberry Croissant and Blueberry Croissant to take home. The Blueberry was not blueberry; I couldn't tell what it was inside other than it was a bit sweet. I had the so-called blueberry and could only have 2-3 bites and ended up in the trash.
All I can say is if they truly were fresh, which I doubt, I hate to think how it would taste the following day!
This was a complete waste of money. You are better off going to Krust in Redondo Beach, which is so good, and their pastries are TRULY FRESH, FLAKEY, and BUTTERY GOOD!
Our friend Amy turned 92 last Saturday. She really did not want to celebrate, but Sandi and I talked her into breakfast at the beach, and since she loves the outdoors, we were able to twist her arm the day before her birthday. We've never been to Scotty's though I have heard good things about it.
The birthday girl ordered the Potato Pancakes with sausage. Sandi had the "Greek to Me" Omelette, which had feta and spinach w/ potatoes, and I had the Acapulco Omelette with chorizo, Jack cheese, and guacamole served with potatoes. We all loved our selections. Sandi made the comment that the potatoes were the best ever she had! Mine was just as delicious. Their only downfall was their coffee which was not the best. Oh well, we can't expect perfection all the time.
Scotty's on the Strand is located at 1100 The Strand in Hermosa Beach, California.
The last time I blogged about Artiano's was when I had their wonderful Roast Beef Sandwich. It was just a simple but delicious sandwich. I recently had the opportunity to try their pizza. I asked that it be made with a thin crust which I always prefer for pizza.
I ordered the mushroom, olives, and spinach. We were all pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The cheese was fresh and not the type that's usually found in regular pizza parlors. You could actually taste the quality cheese.
They have multiple sandwiches and salads, so I have a long way to go to try more items on the menu. I don't doubt the rest would be just as delicious, judging by the items I already have tried. Artiano's Appetizer 2Go is located at 24422Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance, California.
Yes, believe it or not, it's healthy, and I love it, and it's always a hit because it is truly delicious. I had Amy, Mike, Zohreh, and Sandi over on a weeknight. We had a few hors d' oeuvres in the backyard. We enjoyed some Champagne except, of course, for Amy, our 92-year old dear friend who loves her red wine.
It was an effortless dinner. I had warned Zohreh and Mike that this dinner is unlike their dinner parties, where they serve a ton of food! I just served the steamed salmon with good old unhealthy mashed potatoes. Since the salmon was healthy, I didn't feel guilty cooking the potatoes with a ton of butter, milk, and whipping cream. We had to have something green, so I cooked some asparagus and served it with a homemade sauce. Everyone loved it; at least that's what they said!
Dessert was a big hit. Sandi made the most delicious fresh Peach and Blueberry Pie. It was outstanding!
