A French Woman's Breakfast

I love French Women Don't Get Fat (FWDGF) because there's not a specific meal plan I have to stick to. Rather, Guiliano offers many recipes and general guidelines for what she calls "recasting" your eating habits over a 3 month period.

Today I made a lovely, petite breakfast with plain FAGE 0% fat yogurt, toasted flax seed, brown sugar, cinnamon, and grapes. I also drank a small cafe au lait with skim milk; normally I order a medium . I'm making small but doable changes just like the book says! YAY :) FWDGF recommends eating 2 daily servings (about 1/2 cup each) of plain all natural yogurt since it's satisfying and really good for you.

I sliced up some green grapes then combined 1 cup yogurt with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon golden flax seed. Top the yogurt off with the grapes for a delicious, easy breakfast with protein!

I set the table for one and sat there eating my breakfast, not watching TV ... just enjoying my first meal of the day. It felt a little weird, but it's nice taking a moment to eat and pay attention to what your eating. Far better than rushing out the door, banana and protein bar in hand, not tasting a morsel as it goes down.

I've Been Overly Flirtatious ...

It is possible to be overly flirtatious with food? Well, my "skinny jeans" seem to think so. I'm afraid I've been flirting with a few too many foods, too many times a day. Oops! Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Enter "French Women Don't Get Fat," by Mireille Guiliano. This book came out in 2005 and reads like a novel, but it's actually a book on how to lose weight in a very reasonable, doable way ... the French way. Now, French people are the original foodies (Italians may disagree) and thus, would never shun great food or live on protein bars and frozen meals. GROSS! So, I've decided to revisit this excellent little book, which focuses on conscious eating, the opposite of mindless eating, which has become ever so popular in America.

In short, you start out with a 2 day diet of homemade soup, then follow with three months of wonderful, albeit healthy, mainly homemade meals. You must agree to eat your meals sitting down at a table, not watching TV or talking on the phone. When you eat you focus on just that, eating. You taste the flavors and enjoy each bite. You take your time and eat slowly. You notice the first signs of being full and push the plate away, even if you're not a member of "the clean plate club." You also decide which foods are most likely the culprit for your weight gain. For me ... wine and sweets, so for three months, I'll keep those two items to a minimum, meaning weekends only.

I began this "lose five pounds" process 3 days ago and I have to say, it's AMAZING how a small amount of really wholesome food can be so satisfying. I was out to lunch the other day, ordered a chopped veggie salad, dressing on the side, and made the conscious decision to eat 1/3 of it and then decide if I was full, which I was. Normally I would have dove right in, munching away, paying more attention to my boyfriend than my meal. This time, I tried to enjoy each nuance, each ingredient and guess what? The meal was so wonderfully satisfying, I didn't think about food again until dinner! If you're a food lover who wants to shed a few pounds, this is the easiest diet plan around.

LAMILL COFFEE CO.~ 9

I finally meandered over to Silver Lake to experience the much talked about coffee boutique, LAMILL (pronounced lah-mill). This is not, let me repeat NOT, your average, cater to the masses, grab your daily cup o' Joe and go coffee shop. No ladies and gentlemen, LAMILL takes the art of coffee to a pristine new level. Their caffeinated concoctions have been carefully calculated, formulated and are ever so thoughtfully constructed right before your eyes. This is a place to visit when you want to indulge in a divine brunch and linger over ridiculously decadent coffee that you’ll crave for the rest of the week. If I lived in Silver Lake, this spot would become part of my lazy Sunday morning ritual.

At first I was curious … why didn’t this opulent coffee palace open somewhere chichi like Beverly Hills? Why boho-chic Silver Lake? This seems to be an ongoing blog debate. My 2 cents? I think it’s the distinctive artsy types, the gastronomic gurus, the “French palate” patrons who will truly recognize and appreciate the quirky artistry occurring daily at LAMILL … and those people are found in neighborhoods like Silver Lake. In BH, people would have given this fantastic establishment plenty of business without scoffing at the $5 latte, but I live in Beverly Hills and let me tell you, a restaurant does not have to serve high quality food to be a success in the 90210 area code. (Not always, but often, BH diners are far more concerned with who is eating at the restaurant than with how the food actually tastes i.e. the Farm of Beverly Hills, Il Pastaio, and Mr. Chow.) Silver Lake is unusual as is LAMILL and I think they compliment each other.

When you walk in, there’s a tempting pastry case filled with scones, muffins, croissants, etc. Before we even sat down my boyfriend ordered a canele to be sent to the table. The two room restaurant was bustling with people high on platinum caffeine. The eccentric décor almost out shines the coffee … almost.

Color scheme: gold brass, deep teal, robin egg blue, grey black and blood red. Picture custom French wall paper depicting mythological scenes and vintage chairs covered in exotic, vinyl animal skin such as ostrich and crocodile. It’s anything but boring and somehow sets the right mood for coffee chemistry. Sitting at our window-side table for two, we perused the bible of a beverage menu and munched on the incredible canele. The outside was terrifically crunchy with a soft, creamy center similar to vanilla bread pudding.

We wanted to try the coffee spheres, but were told they were still in the creation phase and not yet available. (I felt like I was in Willy Wonka’s Coffee Factory.) As alluring as the “Jelly Doughnut Coffee Drink” sounded, we both ordered our usual, café au lait with skim milk, just to test this $5 version against the hundreds we’ve had elsewhere. Derrek wanted to add house made chocolate sauce and real whipped cream to his au lait. Uh oh! Order something not listed on the menu? Confusion ensued. Our very patient, sweet waitress summoned a guy in charge of coffee creation and he kindly explained that their drinks are made from precise recipes with exact ratios of milk to coffee etc. (BTW there was no attitude while explaining why they are so particular about the drinks … each person was gracious and sincere.) Much to my surprise, he finally agreed to bring the chocolate sauce and whipped cream on the side. Both were devastatingly delicious and the chocolate sauce was far closer to a velvety ganache.

To achieve the perfect 50/50 ratio that makes up a café au lait (half drip coffee, half steamed milk) the coffee creator poured both the coffee and milk simultaneously, into the cup, table side. Necessary? Nope. Elaborate, indulgent, and fun? Absolutely! My café au lait was smooth and creamy with no trace of burnt beans whatsoever. At LAMILL, the coffee is not pre-made. Each cup is brewed as it is ordered. Can you say FRESH? My only qualm was that by the time everything was poured, admired, and sugared, the beverage had lost that piping hot quality.

Knowing the menu was created by the esteemed Chef Michael Cimarusti of Providence, I was equally excited for the food. I ordered baked eggs that arrive with a sinfully generous amount of fresh crab meat on top, accompanied by perfectly crisp, perfectly buttered, toast. (Perfection is the predominant theme if you’ve not noticed.) The dish was sprinkled with chives which I assumed were just a garnish, but they added a piquant flavor profile to my already heavenly breakfast.

Derrek opted for scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, asparagus, and chives … a sumptuous display of simplicity at it’s finest. I floated out of LAMILL feeling blissful and content, with a sheer appreciation for the effort put forth to create a superior coffee+food experience in Los Angeles. (I did return weeks later. The “kinda like crème brulee” banana dessert was average at best but the liquid center lollipops are luscious).

NEAT FACTS about LAMILL
La Marzocco espresso machine
$11,000 Clover coffee machine that brews single cups to order
Siphon tableside coffee service (popular in Japan)
Food as exquisite as the coffee
Similarities to Starbucks: ZERO … thankfully
Serves room temperature water (more easily absorbed)

LAMILL COFFEE BOUTIQUE
1636 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-663-4441
Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
7:00AM-7:00PM
Closed Monday

Naraya ~ 7

I'd driven by this tucked-away Thai place a hundred times, down S. Robertson on my way to the 10 freeway. Late one night I was craving a new, close-to-home (BH) Thai experience so I meandered into Naraya and was pleasantly surprised. The tiny space possessed a casual, Zen elegance and the food was both unique and good. I soon returned with my camera to write a blog … here are my findings. Their fancy cocktails are inexpensive anyway but they offer happy hour everyday from 4-7pm. Half price starters and drinks! We missed magic hour but indulged nonetheless in a Water Melon Martini (2 actually) and a Blue Mojito. There’s not a completely full bar but they serve wine, beer and made our drinks with Han, and Asian vodka that I liked. My melon-tini was smooth and the mojito perfectly minty but not overly sweet.

We began our adventure with the Naraya Radish Crowns. The texture was intriguing; both crunchy and soft. The sweet, nutty flavor was a smart contrast with the crispy garlic garnish. Each crown perched on one pristine spinach leaf, and surrounded a cabbage slaw dressed with creamy chili sauce.

We devoured a second appetizer (and over ate just to give our fellow foodies a better blog report.) Golden Pouches arrived, artistically presented on circular banana leaves. The crispy wontons enveloped succulent rock shrimp and were tied together with ribbons of green onion … pure pleasure for the mouth.

One of their specialties, Duck Salad, truly lived up to its simple name. Elsewhere when I’ve ordered duck salad, there has been a miniscule portion of duck. At first glance, we were worried but then discovered a plentiful amount of smoky, peppery duck layered beneath mixed greens, which were perfectly coated with chili-lime dressing. Candied walnuts (menu reads pistachios) mingled with grape tomatoes and I enjoyed le canard (the duck) in almost every bite!

Last, we tried steamed Chilean Sea Bass. Now, maybe it was and maybe it wasn't of true Chilean ilk, but I haven’t seen Chilean Bass for $18.00 in a long, long time. In any case, Chilean Sea Bass is really just Patagonian toothfish, but that name didn’t go over well commercially. (It’s known as Mero in Japan and Merluza Negra in South America.) The white fish was tender, but slightly undercooked and we were pulling bones. The emerald city of vegetables built around the fish however, was a delicate garden of freshness. Chinese celery, Japanese shitakes and baby bok choy were perfectly cooked with a touch of fresh ginger; simple but satisfying.

I look forward to another meal at Naraya. The menu is creative and priced fairly for the quality of food, ranging from $4-$21 for Australian Lamb Chop with Thai panang curry sauce, kaffir lime leaf, and green tea rice. The service is excellent and very personal. On my first visit, I inquired about their Pad Thai and was told they use real tamarind which is expensive and most restaurants replace it with sugar and peanut sauce. My server actually brought out some tamarind to show me. Maybe that’s why their Pad Thai a little more expensive … you get what you pay for. I love restaurants like this; Small, family run, with a focus on high quality food and friendly customer service. Naraya also offers great lunch specials.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A creative fusion of traditional Thai food and modern flavors, served in a casual, but stylish atmosphere. See my rating for Naraya on my blog, Foodflirt90210.

NARAYA

310-858-7738
1128 S. Robertson Blvd. LA, Ca 90035

Ristorante Donatella ~ Rancho Mirage ~ 8

Have you ever been to Verona? The ancient city, nestled in Northern Italy, is the setting of Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet. Many lovers visit the legendary (albeit symbolic) balcony where Mr. Romeo lured Miss Juliet. I too tumbled into a great love affair while in Verona … with the fabulous food. I always assumed a revisit to Italy would be necessary to again devour pasta made with such luxurious finesse. Ristorante Donatella, in Rancho Mirage, reminded me of one of The Four Agreements … “Don’t make assumptions.” Owner, Donatella, is a native of Verona and has successfully re-created her towns cuisine on American soil, twice. Tucked away in an inconspicuous location, next to mainly retail and office space, the Italian gem sparkles with a warm inviting ambiance once inside.

The menu is extensive and reads in traditional Italian style, beginning with antipasti and moving through pasta, carne, pesce etc. My parents and I spent at least 30 minutes poring over the menu, pre-tasting with our eyes. Risotto alone is prepared in six different ways! The wine list is formed from both Italy and California with many reasonably priced options. We sipped on a bottle of Tormaresco Chardonnay from Puglia. The insalata choices seemed endless so we decided to share three of them. (Many of the salads can be ordered small or large which I liked.)The Caesar was classic, creamy, and crisp, resonating with garlic and parmigiano cheese.

They raise the bar with their “house salad;” chopped red leaf, fresh mozzarella, pepperoncinis, olives, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, and proscuitto. This was a mansion of a salad to me!

My favorite though, was the Contadina with shredded cabbage, radicchio, endive, gorgonzola and walnuts. The crisp, lacy texture created by the lettuce medley combined with the potent, creamy cheese made my palate sing. Though we opted for the small size, these salads were more than enough to share!

We each ordered our own entrees, but next time I would order one or two pasta dishes, one meat, and one fish and share family style since the portions are large.

I indulged in the fettuccine zucchini gamberi, but replaced the fettuccini with pappardelle. The wide ribbons of satiny pasta, perfectly al dente, dallied in a light white wine sauce along with long rectangular slices of wholesome zucchini and a copious amount of plush pink shrimp.

My dad went the way of meat and ordered veal scaloppini in a rich, velvety tomato sauce dotted with porcini mushrooms and served with penne. While the pasta and sauce were quite good, the veal itself was a bit dry and lackluster.

My mom had the fish special, Sand Dabs swimming in a shallow lagoon of luscious white wine butter sauce. The fish was so deliciously delicate, that it vanished in your mouth almost instantly. Emerald green spinach sautéed in garlic and olive oil was the perfect simple accompaniment. Unfortunately, we were too satisfied (aka full) to pamper ourselves with dessert, so we’ll just have to make a return visit to Ristorante Donatella. Thankfully, it’s but a 2 hour drive from my home in Los Angeles; a far more manageably trek than returning to Verona on a regular basis and every bit as authentic.

Ristorante Donatella
71511 Hwy. 111 Ste. A-B
Rancho Mirage, Ca 92270
760-773-6434

Little Next Door ~ Food 6 Desserts 10

My mom was in town this past weekend and I took her to Little Next Door, the spawn of its popular parent restaurant, The Little Door. I went when they first opened and was very disappointed with both food and service but the ambiance is great! I am obsessed with the imperial violet blue and royal gold color scheme. I really wanted to like this place so I figured one more trip couldn't hurt.

They now offer table service, whereas last time you ordered at the counter before sitting down. We ordered 2 cafe au lait from a friendly Frenchman. They arrived piping hot, rich, and smooth in large bone colored bowls which felt comfortable and satisfying. I could tell there was a good barista in the house because due to the perfect microfoam on top. We didn’t order wine, but this little cafe is heaven for those who love a good wine by the glass selection. 5 whites and 6 reds are offered all between $5.00 -$10.00 per glass. Tres Bien!!

While we waited for our food to arrive, which did take awhile, the warm, nutty smell of browned butter wafted throughout the space. If that doesn’t make you hungry nothing will.

At the waiter’s suggestion, I ordered the grilled salmon sandwich on brioche bread. It was layered with a variety of spicy mixed greens and thin slices of salmon. One word … DRY. The bread was delicious but the sandwich itself lacked flavor and inspiration.

My mom ordered the Pesto Chicken Sandwich with grilled zucchini and summer squash. This sandwich had more flavor thanks to the pesto and was not as dry due to the grilled veggies, but the chicken could have used some time in a marinade. The baguette it was served on was good, but far too much bread for the petite amount of chicken and vegetables inside.

We also ordered one Harissa Egg to share. It Harissa is a hot red pepper paste used in North African cooking. It tasted like a deviled egg with a zesty bite. Yum!

One of my favorite pastry chefs in LA, Michael Brock, recently moved from Boule to Little Next Door. I’d told him how disenchanted I was with their pastry on my first visit but I trusted things had gotten better with him at the helm and I was right! I asked him to bring us his favorite sugary offerings … we’ll start with my favorite. A vanilla panna cotta layered with grapefruit gelee and topped with grapefruit supremes.

“OH MY GOD! This is the best dessert I’ve ever put in my mouth.” Those were my exact words. The tangy tartness of the cool grapefruit gelee combined with the rich, soft, sweetness of the velvet-like panna cotta. We ate the entire cup. We couldn't stop. There were four other treats to try but this one lured us in, mouthful by heavenly mouthful.

In second place were the caramel sea salt truffles. Delectable dark chocolate filled with savory sweet caramel; Excellent. At this point we could not manage one more bite. Our waiter was very understanding and brought us to-go boxes for the remaining 3 pastries. These were devoured the following morning at home with coffee.

The vanilla beignet was light, fluffy and the creamy custard inside made me melt. I’m not a huge fan of flaky puffed pastry, but my mom liked the raisin roll and said it was buttery but not overly sweet.

Last, the apple tart. This had wonderful flavor. Cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and apples mingled in my mouth. The crust was a little difficult to cut through due to sugar that had caramelize on the bottom of the tart but we warmed it up and overall, thoroughly enjoyed each bite.


THE BOTTOM LINE
Go for the fine European atmosphere, go for the great coffee and delectable desserts.

Little Next Door
8142 W 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA
90048
9am-6pm Daily
Phone: (323) 951-1010
http://www.thelittledoor.com/lndhome.html

CRUMBS ~ 7

There's a new Crumb in town and this bakery means business!

Opening first in New York and the Hamptons with ample praise, I was hoping this bake shop wouldn't disappoint me as so many "trendy cupcake boutiques," have lately. Located mere blocks from the "almighty," albeit overrated Sprinkles, I figured this gutsy little bakery must really be packing some fabulous frosting ... for the most part ... I was right!

They offer tons of extra-large, “fun-tastic”, candy coated cupcakes as well a large selection of frilly frosting cakes. The ladies purse cake looked very NYC with black and white butter cream frosting. Crumbs is not your modern/chic, dainty cupcake bakery. They are not afraid to pile on the frosting, top it with m&m's and bake-off large and in charge brownies.

My friend and I ordered 4 big cupcakes to take home. Like sprinkles, there's not a lot of standing room inside ... no where to sit. The "Artie Lang" (of the Howard Stern Show) is vanilla sponge cake filled with chocolate butter cream, covered in vanilla cream cheese frosting and topped with chocolate fondant icing with white and chocolate sprinkles on the sides! WOW! A lot going on, but this was the best cupcake we ordered! FINALLY, A CUPCAKE WITH MOIST, BUTTERY VANILLA CAKE AND EXCELLENT FROSTING! Leave it to New York to know what a truly yummy cupcake should be!

My next favorite was the Caramel Apple cupcake. Somewhat moist vanilla brown sugar cake with apples baked right in the batter. The frosting tasted like cream cheese vanilla butter cream swirled drizzled with caramel.

My friend got the Candy cupcake; Sweet vanilla cake frosted with a heavy dose of Crumbs signature vanilla butter cream and smothered in multi-colored m&m’s™. This was just too sweet for my taste but the cake part was super moist and buttery!

OK ... now for the bad news ... their Red Velvet, which I was told is a best seller, not great; not even good. The cream cheese frosting that is what makes Red Velvet so addicting, tasted like overly sweet vanilla butter cream and the red velvet cake, was not red nor velvety but brown and dry dry dry. Oh well … you can't win them all. They have cookies too and as a good food blogger, I had to taste one. Blah ... chocolate chip with cinnamon, it was stale for one and the flavor wasn't terrible but I won't return for the cookies ... only the cupcakes, superior to all other LA cupcakeries, besides Leda's Bakeshop which is top in my foodie opinion. Oh, Crumbs also has coffee and is cheaper than it's near by competitors.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you CRAVE down home, BUTTERY, lots of THICK CREAMY frosting baked goods, Crumbs is for you.
If you prefer Sprinkles ... you're buying them for a pretty gift, not sweet self consumption.

Crumbs
9465 S. Santa Monica Blvd
310.550.9811
Open 8a.m. weekdays & 9a.m. weekends

Ingrid's Cafe ~ Beverly Hills ~ 9

After an all too early 7am run yesterday, I decided to treat myself to breakfast. Tucked away on Little Santa Monica, right across the street from the Peninsula Hotel, I saw Ingrid's Cafe ... from the minute I stepped inside I was smiling. The opulent European decor transports you to somewhere far away from the hustle that is LA. Rich tapestry frames the windows, a glamorous crystal chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling and yet there is nothing posh or overly formal about this place. In fact, a feeling of quiet comfort prevails. Dean Martin music wafts down from the terraced, second floor balcony calming the nerves and letting the mind focus on the fabulous choices of fresh food.


My cafe au lait, which arrived in a large, elegant coffee mug, was hot, creamy, and smooth with the perfect amount if foam on top. Their attention to detail was refreshing. A tiny ceramic spoon rest accompanied the coffee. A small crystal pot of fresh apricot preserve with a single dried apricot floating in the sweet syrup was brought over for my toast. Sometimes it's those extra special little things that make a meal memorable.


I ordered the scrambled eggs with goat cheese, baguette and fresh fruit. Due to the petite prices, I was expecting a petite breakfast; wrong. My eggs were fluffy and wonderful. There were six slices of soft white and brown baguette bread surrounding the plate. Plump blackberries, juicy watermelon, and sweet cantaloupe finished off the dish perfectly.


Ingrid was there, so I asked her to suggest a favorite pastry. Too full from breakfast, I took my pear gallete to go. When I finally did indulge, the crust was tender, sweet, and buttery, with just the right amount of salt. The soft baked pears were heavenly without competing with the perfectly prepared pastry dough. My bill, in Beverly Hills, at a delectable french cafe ... came to under $12.00! I am Ingrid's newest regular, that's for certain.


They also offer a very elegant high tea from 3pm-5pm. Call an hour before so they can set up a table for your party.
Happy Hour Sunset Wine, Cheese & Pate is held from 5pm to 7pm.

Ingrid's Cafe
9861 S. Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310.277.9377
www.ingridscafe.com

UGO ~ 6

This newish Italian Cafe in Culver city is a quaint, few frills place to enjoy some casual Italian food and unusally good wine at GREAT a prices. We chose to sit on the patio which provided a bit more ambiance than the harsh bright lights inside. I started with a glass of the 2005 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio at $7 ($34 bottle) and my friend had the 2003 Rocca Delle Macie Chiante Classico for $6 ($27 bottle). My pinot grigio was the most pleasure filled $7 glass of white wine I've had to date. Each cool sip drifted across my lips starting off smoothly and ending on a slightly buttery note. It also possessed an array of distinct fruit flavors. DELUSCIOUS! After opting for a second glass of the too good to pass up wine, I felt pasta might serve me well.

I ordered the Fettuccine Primavera add chicken. It's listed as heart healthy on the menu and this might explain why the dish was on the dry side of the tracks. The pasta was overly al dente but the fresh tomato sauce and veggies were good. The chicken tasted like it had been boiled in hot water, sans salt, then chopped up and left out to dry. That's what I get for trying "the healthy dish." For only $9.75 though, I wasn't crushed.

My dinning buddie's Lasagna della Casa with spinach and mushrooms existed on the opposite end of the spectrum and was the ultimate comfort food. Piping hot with plenty of rich tomato sauce and cheese (which could have been more melted), it came close to "just like mama used to make." The dessert list is typically Italian. Nothing sounded good enough to ignore our overly full tummies. We passed with thoughts of trotting right next door to Vinum Populi, the trendy wine bar that's connected to UGO. You can purchase a "wine card" add some scrilla (money) to it and taste any wine you would like out of these nifty dispensers. If you choose cheaply you can taste around 7 wines for $25.00 dollars.

P.S. Ugo's pizza at our neighbors table looked amazing though we've yet to tatse it.

UGO
3865 Cardiff Ave
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: (310) 204-1222

Happi Songs ~ 8

Craving some Asian inspired food, I decided to check out the newly opened Happi Songs last night. What used to be Rita Flora, is now a trendy Asian tavern. The decor is artsy/edgy and creates the feeling of being tucked away on a little back street in Beijing or Shanghai, eating noodles from a street stall. Don't forget to check out the crazy Asian graffiti style wall on the way to the restroom and the cool old bicycles. The small space glows with warm red lighting and a cool breeze floats inside since the restaurant's open to the street. You can also read Anime comic books while you wait for your food.

I started with a sho chu cocktail called Guy Smiley. It was a combo of fresh pressed blood orange, pear puree, and Ginza No Suzume sho chu (a distilled Japanese alcohol). The drink was very fresh but a little too sweet for me. It may have been better shaken and strained into a martini glass. Too much ice made the cocktail watery after a few minutes. Much like it's sister restaurant Cobras & Matadors, small plates are the theme here. I ordered chilled melon soup,

pecan honey glazed shrimp, and Hamachi (yellowtail) collar. The soup came drizzled with a little oil and crushed mint. A light tangerine color, it was pretty but bland and needed to be more chilled. 5 plump golden shrimp arrived next, lightly fried, brushed with a sweet honey glaze and sprinkled with crushed raw pecans. The pecans gave the dish a slightly earthy flavor and the shrimp tasted juicy and fresh but could have used a bit more seasoning.

My Hamachi collar was very simple and VERY DELICIOUS! Grilled to perfection and sprinkled with sea salt, each bite was tender and gorgeous. Chef Yi-fan Chu sent out a sample of another item which was definitely the WOW DISH of my meal. A Mirin Miso Butterfish balanced on a small square of tempura fried tofu and and soba noodles. The fish, crispy and golden on the outside, was buttery and luxurious inside. The noodles were tossed with a little sesame oil and the spicy baby watercress on top cut the richness of the dish nicely. The service was laid back friendly, and knowledgeable. I'll definitely revisit this happi little place.

HappiSongs Asian Tavern 460 South LaBrea (323)936-7622 L-D Daily

beer/wine/sake/sho chu only