A Little Taste of LA

These snails - from Petit Trois - are among the most delicious things I've eaten in the past few days. I couldn't stop mopping up the intense butter and garlic sauce with the restaurant's fantastic bread.  And then there was this irresistible potato cake- crisp on the outside, soft inside, with a buttery golden flavor.

Other memorable bites over the past few days: the boat noodles at Sapp, a modest  coffee shop in Hollywood. This is Thai comfort food at its murky best, a bowl of noodles containing beef, tripe, liver and assorted animal parts, along with chiles, cilantro, fish balls....  Rich and soothing at the same time, it's just what you need when you're feeling slightly out of sorts.

Should you want something a little less intense, try the jade noodles: crab, duck, pork, lime and... sugar?

In the mood for something more opulent?  The felafel at the soaring new Otium, downtown next to the Broad Museum, is as satisfying as it is pretty. Love those pickled baby eggplant!

This next was probably my single favorite bite all week.  It was a special at one of my favorite restaurants, Jar.  Old-school American food - steaks, chops, a terrific pot roast - modernized and served in what may be LA's most comfortable restaurant. This geoduck -giant clam - was a special last week.  It's got a pure, clean flavor and an appealing crunch. I liked it so much I ordered another portion.

Went to Vincenti the other night. Wonderful food.  Lovely service.  An old fashioned restaurant where you can actually have a conversation. My favorite dish? This squid ink pasta topped with sea urchin.

And then, just because it's so pretty, a bit of borage from the Hollywood farmer's market.

Tomorrow - a lovely meal, and a true bargain - in Hollywood.  Three delicious courses of ambitious food for $37. Stay tuned.