The Sandwich

The Sandwich is flexible and easy. Maybe that's why I love it so much. Call it a Grinder, Blimpie, Poor Boy, Torpedo or Hoagie--it's still a sandwich! Turns out, the birth of the "submarine" sandwich is disputed and not easily traceable. One theory suggests that the sandwich is an American invention born in the early 1900's by workers (many Italian) that bought bread from street vendors, then stuffed the bread with cheese, meat, veggies and oil, vinegar and spices. Another theory claims Italian immigrants brought the submarine sandwich from Italy in 1895. My verdict on the dispute is: who cares?! It's delicious and that's all we care about!

The last sandwich I ate was an Italian sandwich purchased from a Cuban restaurant. The Havana Sandwich Company is right down the street in El Segundo and it was Tak and I's 2nd or third time at this establishment. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating (for the dog in your life) and is great for lunch time. I ordered mine with a side of black beans, white rice and friend plaintains. All of it was tasty, especially the fried plaintains! Tak ordered the Roast Pork Cuban sandwich with a side of Cuban fries. I had a bit of the Roast Pork and the flavors were mild yet left me wanting some more. I am looking forward to trying their Cuban coffee in the morning.

Tak teased me for liking this place so much...but he pointed out that they now deliver for free making me like this place even more.

If you're in the mood for some delicious Cuban sandwiches, visit the Havana Sandwich Company. You won't be disappointed.

Happy Eating!

Marked 5 truck...Japanese Rice Burgers

Hey All,

Instead of going out to find a new place to blog about, on a rare occasion, this time the food came to me...in a way.

We recieved an e-mail at work that the "marked 5" truck (Japanese Burgers/Cuisine) would be coming around near the El Segundo Buisness park...which obviously was big news as an alternative to the standard Tacone, Trimana, Coffee Bean and the dreaded Carls Jr, down the way.

My experience...well...wasn't the GREATEST to be honest....but it could have been due to the douche who ordered 10 before me...resulting in lack of food...

Here's the story

We were told food was going to be available from 11-2:30 pm..and my lunch is @ 1.

So basically, at 1pm, I ran back to the casa to grab Mari to try it out with me, get back to the truck no later then 1:15pm....there's no more then 6-7 people in front of us...

15 min later...I get to the front of the line..only to be told that 3 our of 4 items on the menu are sold out..and the one I didn't want to try (Chicken Curry) was left.....so...by default we had to try the Chicken Curry Sandwich...

20 min later (1:50 @ this time...50 min to get ordered and food in hand) we got our very sloppy, but semi-tasty Sandwich. A breast of chicken drenched in Curry Sauce on a Rice Patty Bun..

Check the pics, sure..it was a novelty, but nothing I'd go hunt down like people do for the Kogi Truck. I'd really like to try the Beef or Pork if they come back.. (as well as order ASAP)

Menu Choices

Some of the Crowd waiting/twittering about the meal

The Truck at a glance...doesn't look like a 45 min adventure..does it?

A very understaffed kitchen (2 people...)

The product...

Here's after a bite..don't get me wrong..was yummy, just nothing epic.

Here's MAri giving the Thumbs up...she later disclosed she couldn't finish the huge chicken piece, but the Rice bun was to DIE for :-)

Overall...I think it might have just been a one time "problem" As mentioned before, I'd be happy to try them out again, I'll just remember to get there quick and try something else :-)

I wish Marked 5 luck..this whole lunch truck craze is taking off here...we'll see if these guys wanna come back.

My suggestion to marked 5...order limit of 3, one more person staffed (one for orders-delivery, one for prep/one for cash/crowd)

Happy eating...

The Counter (4x4 Beers/Sliders) Again...

Wednesday afternoon we hit up The Counter in El Segundo and munched on a slider special: 4 sliders and 4 mini beers, each with their own sauce on Hawaiian bread for $12.00.

This was a special promotion showing a few different Burger/Beer combonations, which I felt was pretty neat-o. Something a little different then my normal Counter adventures which include building your own burger (see previous blog)

They had a DJ spin after 7 pm, too...it was kinda cool. The food was delicious. Next week I will propose we go again

Option #3-4

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Must Have.. 50-50 Fries...Sweet Potato + Regular Fries...perfect combo of sweet and salty

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Twittering about the meal

My Favortie was the second burger/beer combo w/ Carrot Strings/Mushrooms (Not the biggest fan I'll tell you), but the asian style dipping sauce was awesome. My least fave, was the one with the slider paired with the Arrogant Bastard Ale, the Blue Cheese has too much of a bite for my preference and the Arrogant Bastard Ale is one bitter SOB.

Highly recommended, this was at the Counter in El Segundo, the newest in the chain I've visited.

Happy Eating.

Highlights: Taste Bud Temptations

It's been quite a while since out last update (and we apologize to our readers for that--if any, ha). Our gastronomic journeys throughout Southern California have brought us some tasty hits and indulgences.

Benihana in Santa Monica, CA
Tak's mom flew down from Colorado for Mother's Day weekend. We dined at Benihana and I (Mari) was excited because it was my first visit to the establishment. I'll be honest though: it was pretty cool watching our cook whip up these delicious meals at the table. We sampled fried rice, chicken, shrimp, and fish. Meals are served in courses. There was the salad, then the soup and then the main entree you ordered was prepared at the grill adjacent to the table. Then ice cream for dessert. There is so much food to sample and share with your table and I was very satisfied. A definite must for a special occasion, as the prices are a little higher than the average restaurant.








Mom's Birthday Chilaquiles
Speaking of moms, it was my mom's birthday last week and my mom would rather invite everyone over and cook for them on her birthday! That's the kind of giving and special person she is. This year she treated us with chicken Chilaquiles and frijoles de la holla (beans cooked in a pot). Sprinkle some queso fresco on those babies and place a dollop of crema fresca or sour cream on top and you're good to go! Talk about comfort food. My mom makes the best Mexican food, but I bet everybody says that about their moms! The fruit tart cake was unbelievably tasty. Happy birthday to my mom and thank you for the Chilaquiles!

El Segundo Style -"Good Stuff"Restaurant

We like to sample our local establishments in El Segundo. Last Sunday we visited "Good Stuff" restaurant (love these wacky restaurant names) and dined on chicken and turkey sandwiches and lemonades. Their menu is really varied and broad and they serve breakfast until 5 pm every day. This is a nice option to cure the crudaon the weekends. Their service was pretty great and the waitresses did everything to make us feel comfortable, from turning on the heat lamps on the patio to refills and speedy service. I'm looking forward to going back and trying the breakfast. I had the chicken pineapple croissant with sweet potato fries. Tak had the turkey sandwich with a side of chili.

Hoagie Fans?

I'm a huge fan of Italian hoagies and submarine sandwiches. We finally found a spot in Playa Del Rey I can't wait to get back to. It's calledHogan's Heroes(seriously) and their Italian sub was large and in charge. The meats were fresh, the bread was soft and had a hint of sourdough. Large portions and good prices. Tak had the pastrami and fries with a side of chili. And yes, there is a silly looking hot dog on your way to the entrance. So you can't miss it!

Until the next one, happy eating!

***

This post is dedicated to Mike Honcho. Our hearts go out to Mike's family and friends during this difficult time. You will be greatly missed.

Pho...in Chinatown!

Today we stopped in Chinatown for a quick jaunt with shopping and site seeing, and we decided to eat a a little Vietnamese Restaurant right across the the historic "gates" in China Town.

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Mari and I were joined by my little sister and her friend in from Tennesee, who I have to say were brave for trying new things, the reactions were mixed. 

Onto the food!

Tak had the Pho, a typical dish when you're eating Vietnamese, mixed beef w/ beef balls in a tasty broth with heaps of fresh veggies and spices..DELICIOUS!!! I'm a huge fan of PHO and have been looking forward to exposing Mari to it. 

Washed down with a Thai Iced tea...

Mari has a Chicken and Rice Plate..which we enjoyed very much (but we have to admit so did our puppy belle w/ the leftovers). It was served with a side of soup and some sauce for the chicken, she enjoyed it, I can't say if she loved it or not, perhaps she'll comment later. 

She enjoyed a Milk Tea Boba for her beverage though..which she's a huge fan of boba. 

My sister has a rice and Filet Mignon Plate, which she claims was excellent..she finished every morsel..lol. I nabbed a taste..and the meat was very tasty, very flavored and not at all tough. 

While the food is great...there's a wicked selection of condiments to choose from. 

If you have the chance...we can recommend it for some decent Pho in Chinatown..if that floats your boat! 

-Tak

C & O Trattoria

I miss my favorite peeps from my employment days at the QE Law Firm on a daily basis! I was excited for our gathering on the Venice Beach boardwalk to celebrate Monica's birthday on a breezy Saturday evening.



Venisa arranged for us to have dinner at Monica's favorite restaurant, the C & O Trattoria. First time visitors to the restaurant, Tak and I arrived hungry for the feast and the "Gargantuan" portions did not disappoint us. I was ready to eat! Take a peek at Tak's Penne Sausage plate, the gargantuan version:



We'll have leftovers for days. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the flavors were not too strong, but very subtle and I now know why it has been voted the Number 1 Italian restaurant in Los Angeles by various food reviewers. Here is a sampling of everyone else's meal:

Ray's Dinner Salad


Ray's Spaghetti & Meatballs


Monica's Chicken Dish


William's Spaghetti & Shrimp


He enjoyed them...


Venisa's Dish


I was having too much fun and neglected to make a note of everyone's dish. Guess this just means you'll have to visit C & O Trattoria to sample the goods!

My Angel Hair and Veggies


The Garlic Knots are addicting and are refilled non-stop! I had quite a few of these bad boys.


For dessert, we tried the Mango Sorbet. The tartness was perfect and the whip cream at the base was a nice contrast to the Mango.


The servers sang Happy Birthday to Monica and kudos to Venisa for obtaining the bright blue Lady Bug and Butterfly cake, which was mighty tasty.

It's funny that the cake looks like it's on the ceiling. This is due to some reverse flip action on my part to get the writing on the cake right-side up. Gah!

It was great seeing the girls again and we caught up on our daily happenings. Iveth has taken up professional tanning and is a prospective foreign service candidate, Venisa is racking up the overtime hours at her new law firm paralegal job and Monica is downtown at her new law firm gig, as well.


Dining with Iveth, Venisa, Mari and Monica at C & O Trattoria on the Venice Beach Pier.


Looking forward to the next one! Provecho.

Secret Menu @ In and Out...Dangerous!

Well, my lovely GF has mentioned this before, but I found a great link today exploring the "secret" menu available @ In and Out..

we all know how much we love In and out

Below is an example of the blog's reviews...I'm finding myself wanting to go to In and Out after work today..lol...

Here's the link

http://www.badmouth.net/in-n-outs-secret-menu/

...please give them a read :-)

“Animal Style” Burger

Tester: Patti

Description: Mustard-cooked beef patty, additional pickles, extra secret sauce with grilled onions.

Comment: I love this burger. Best if ordered without tomato. It has lots of oniony, cheesy, goodness with “special sauce” to boot. (No one ever says that the sauce is just Thousand Island dressing.)

Eating Coachella....2009

Coachella 09

April 17-18

Coachella Valley, CA 

Today's Blog entry is all about our trip to Coachella 2009. This year we saw Paul Mcartney, MIA, Buraka Som Sistema, Peanut Butter Wolf..and a whole lotta food...

I will start off by saying we know the following isn't the healthiest...keep in mind this is a concert of over 150,000 people which is 100 plus degrees out...so we went with what we had..lol

DAY 1

Any good Coachella day starts off with mix drinks and "pre-gaming" in the parking lot..

This year we decided to go with the following, Beer, Vodka, OJ and Mango Juice. 

Mango ScrewDriver with a Orange slice. 

Ice on the head..UV Cherry Vodka and Plastic Cup...I'm prepared to drink

Garlic Cheese Fries....drool....by far the BEST (and worst for us) of the weekend!

Mari had a MASSIVE slice of Cheese Pizza..

that was Day one...

We got to see Paul Mcartney before the night ended and we headed to our hotel...

EPIC....

DAY 2

Today we decided to hold off a few before heading to the show...on top of we missed the continental breakfast to we were subject to Applebees Delivery (being it's 100 plus degrees out...delivery to the hotel sounds just about right...ya dig?)

From Applebees we got the following-

Tak got the Mini Steak Burgers along with a Ceasar Side Salad...not bad not bad..

(not that good either though)

Tak got the Mini Steak Burgers along with a Ceasar Side Salad...not bad not bad..

(not that good either though)

Today we Stopped on the way in and grabbed some supplies..and being Mari's Bday Weekend..I got her a Candy Apple..

She Loves it..lol..can't you tell?

I'd like to point out a slight difference.....

More Beer in the Parking lot... (8.99 a 12 pack)

Glass of Warm Heiniken in the event ($8.00)

Sad Huh?....

Moving on...

Today we hit up some more of the fesitval food menu...

I (tak) had a Falafel wrap today.....kinda pathetic for it being $8..but still decent. ..how can ya mess up a falafel ball...found some good hot sauce to add to it

Mari Dines on some Fried Chicken strips and garlic fries.,,,again..not bad..not good..but $9 friggin dollars... (and a $2 dollar water)..making that a $11 meal...(plus mine...= $20+ dollars..)

Obviously you can tell we don't look all that much to buying alot of food @ coachella..it's rediculous expensive and not ALL that tasty..

But luckily the next morning Tak woke up in time for hotel breakfast and came down to a super treat...

MAKE YOUR OWN WAFFLES!

So Mari was woken up to a hearty Waffle Breakfast to wrap up her Birthday/Coachella 2009 Trip...

So much fun... can't wait till next year..and I will prolly break down and get some more of those cheese fries...they were AWESOME

Homemade Thai Food

Hello all..

Todays Foodblog entry is all about a dish I (tak) created on the fly...

Tak's Thai Curry w/ Chicken

Steps-

I took some Potatoes, Carrots, Celery and steamed them still cooked. 

Then grilled up some Chicken in a wok till fully cooked

Combined them all along with a Jar of Thai-style Red Curry

For some kick I added some Safron, Lemon Pepper and Garlic Powder. 

Served over Steamed White Rice...AWESOME..

Check the pics..hope you enjoy :-)

-YUM

Beach Mex, El Segundo, CA

Hey readers...

firstly...thank you for reading this blog :-) We have fun writing it..and we hope you enjoy reading it...

Tonight we decided to hit up a local Mexican spot in El Segundo..here's the catch though, we're in the middle of "puppy barking training" so when we leave @ night it needs to be either for a short while, or we need to bring the puppy (to spare our neighbors)..

So we decided to give a Good ol "Urbanspoon" a spin for "Mexican and El Segundo".  We got a hit on this place called "Beach Mex"...so off we go Belle in tow...

The plan is to either get it to go, or inquire if we can eat outside with the dog...

Luckily with the assistance of a heatlamp and cool owners, they had zero problem with dining on the patio w/ the puppy teathered to the table. 

Onto the food!!

Mari had a combo plate, Taco+2 Cheese Enchiladas...which (considering she finished every morsel) she loved. 7.95 for aLOT of food..while this pic may not look the "best"...it was TASTY!

Tak had (by recommdation of the waitress) a california burrito..as...it's just a Staple when it comes to a quick fix of mexican goodness. 

Carne Asada, French Fries, Cheese wrapped in a huge flour tortilla with Enchilada Sauce (and more cheese) smothered on top.. (7.50)..I must say, I could only eat 1/2..and the next day it was an awesome snack

(here's a look inside)

So there you have it...

Beach Mex in El Segundo...I think next time we'll eat inside and have a margarita or 2....

Here's the directions...check it out!

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