Taste

Two of my favorite sheep-friendly friends that I love to dine with are Daryl & Miki. After a lot of confusion on the dinner location (Miki almost got on a bus to Santa Monica), we ended up at Taste. Miki is entertaining on her own, but with a pre-dinner cocktail in her tiny frame, she was quite the one-woman-show that night. Daryl and I were happily entertained.
Although we showed up sans a reservation, the host sat us quickly, al fresco style,and we sat facing this awesome Asian guy with a mohawk and headband. Too bad he wasn't Hawk from "So You Think You Can Dance." We ordered the following apetizers: ahi tuna tartare (with mint, avocado and spicy mayonaise), green salad and calamari with a lime aioli. We also enjoyed (just one) main entree - orecchiette pasta with spicy Italian sausage & rapini. It was the perfect place to dine with friends in the middle of a busy work week. The portions were good and all of the dishes complimented each other nicely. Plus there was no Hollywood attitude served up in this lovely little restaurant.

www.ilovetaste.com
8454 melrose avenue
west hollywood, ca 90069

Crazy for Kolaches!

Mmmmmm, as I took in the scent, I could hardly wait to pop one into my mouth! I was introduced to kolaches on my first visit to Texas about 2 years ago, which my boyfriend told me was similar to a Hawaiian favorite of mine - the manapua. Is it similar? Yes, but only to the baked manapua (as you can see from the pictures), sort of.
However, my favorite type of manapua is steamed so it's hard for me to choose which product I like better. It's funny how similar Hawaii and Texas are...okay, you might need to stretch your imagination a bit, but there are certain similarities. Based on my personal experience, Texans have their own special spirit about them, they are welcoming and friendly folks kind of like the "aloha spirit" but with a Texas accent. They spend a lot of time with the family - I miss that about home, I don't see this as much in Los Angeles (or maybe it's because my family is so far away). It's hot and humid, no explanation needed for that. They enjoy simple family-style dishes (Texas-sized of course) and if you're from Hawaii, you know what I'm talking about. We both have placeable accents. Anyway, back to Kolaches. They are doughy rolls, stuffed with a filling such as sausage and cheese, spinich, egg and cheese, fruits, etc. And the Kolache shops close in the early afternoon just like a lot of the dim sum shops in Hawaii. If you're in Texas, check them out!

http://www.kolachefactory.com/

Gosh Darn GOODE BBQ

My mamma always told me everything's bigger in Texas but this is ridiculous. I need to post bigger pictures just so my readers can find me. But I like it, because it makes me look petite. I arrived in Houston ready to take on the town. My first stop after a good night's rest at my pimp palace was breakfast at Goode BBQ. I like vacations, it might be the only time it's acceptable to have Texas BBQ as your first meal of the day. Goode's resembles everything I envisioned in a classic Texas BBQ joint. Deer heads proudly posted, long picnic benches, ice cold beer burried in ice (keep in mind this is pre-noon) and lots and lots of slow-cooked meat. I ordered a combo po boy, beef brisket and turkey sausage, on jalapeno bread. Just reminiscing about this meal is making my mouth water.

5109 Kirby Dr
Houston, Texas 77098
713-522-2530 - Phone
http://www.goodecompany.com/

Super Sheepy in Houston, Texas Baby!

I was HOT in Houston, Texas. On fire really. The sheep in Texas didn't know what they were missing. Check me out in my pimp palace overlooking the city skyline.

La Maison du Pain

Wonderful flaky goodness! I first heard about this house of bread through one of my clients, and since it's located fairly close to me I thought I'd try it out. My first purchase included a cinnamon roll and a ginormous square bread (no idea what it's called). At first glance, I was unsure about the cinnamon roll. I'm guilty of indulging in the occasional Cinnabun and love its gooey fatty madness. However, this cinnamon roll at La Maison I now crave; it's light, flaky and flavorful. Delightful! The square-bread-thing was also fantastic - not too sweet with a great texture that's lightly caramelized. Since my first purchase, I've returned numerous times usually buying things for client meetings and friends (all of whom have raved about the pastries). In addition to the flaky goodness, the owners always greet their customers with a friendly welcome.

La Maison du Pain
5373 Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 934-5858