City of San Fernando California’s Old fashioned Chiliburgers and Sandwiches Restaurant

Multi Cultural Cooking Network Editor 

If you want a chili dog or chili burger there’s a place in the city of San Fernando, CA pleasing customers for five years.  That place is called Old Fashioned Chiliburgers and Sandwiches.  Pulled pork,  tri tip and pork belly fixings are also available.   The average price of items seem to range slightly above four dollars to slightly over $15.  For instance, my burger and fries featured above came up to slightly less than eight dollars.  I asked for a courtesy cup of water but they don’t offer courtesy cups of water.  You’ll have to pay for bottled water they say.   The food was fresh tasting and tasty.   They served up crisp fries, a quite sizable amount.  The burger beef patty is thin (not a complaint), complete with pickles, mustard and a load of shredded lettuce.

I’d love next time to visit and try something with chili or pork.

There is a steady flow of customers as the restaurant shares a court with the library, a cafe,  Papa Juan’s Taco’s and it’s not far from the local courthouse.  The parking lot is rather small but there is a steady flow of traffic leaving and coming.

 

ARDOR Launches A New WEEKEND BRUNCH MENU AT THE West Hollywood Editions By Chef John Fraser

 Following a successful debut this past November, Restaurateur and Chef John Fraser will expand menu offerings this spring with a new weekend brunch menu served at Ardor in The West Hollywood EDITION. Continuing to bring the best of California cuisine to West Hollywood, Ardor’s brunch menu will include highlighted vegetable forward offerings such as cauliflower tandoor, soft scrambled tacos with sweet potatoes and whole wheat skillet pancakes. For the egg-lover at heart, the new brunch menu features eggs of all varieties, from the lobster scramble, or the forest mushroom omelet, to the classic benedict or egg sandwich.

Celebrating the abundance of local produce in California, Ardor’s new weekend brunch features dishes made with ingredients available at the nearby farmer’s markets. A California native and Michelin starred chef, Chef John Fraser is recognized as a culinary trailblazer, best known for redefining the role of vegetables in American cuisine from imaginative fine dining restaurants, such as Ardor, to nostalgic neighborhood brasseries.

Nestled in a green oasis, brunch at the Ardor at The West Hollywood EDITION transports guests from the hustle and bustle of Sunset Blvd to a luxe plant-filled oasis of culinary delight. For the new weekend brunch, Chef John Fraser’s approach to the finest of ingredients is also mirrored in the brunch cocktail offerings – a staple and must-have offering to compliment a successful brunch. Brunch will include popular rosé options, as well as cocktails on the spectrum of colors and emphasizing mezcals and tequilas. Additional brunch favorites will also be incorporated into the brunch cocktail menu, such as bloody mary’s, bellini’s and mimosas.

Commenting on the new weekend brunch menu at Ardor, Chef John Fraser said, “I wanted to be able to play it both ways. We’ve applied Ardor’s vegetable-forward philosophy to brunch, so there are plenty of colorful, flavorful and healthful dishes, but I also love to make brunch an occasion for casual indulgence. Our brunch cocktail line up is full of good reasons to make an afternoon out of it.”

From Sofrito potatoes, to avocado toast, to sunflower fried chicken, Ardor’s new brunch menu at The West Hollywood EDITION will include favorites for the utmost discerning palate.

Menu items range from $7 for specialty muffins, to $35 for the Greek Orata. Weekend brunch runs from 11:00am to 3:00pm.

 

Reservations:   | +1 424 310 1572 |

 www.opentable.com/r/ardor-west-hollywood

A San Gabriel Valley, CA Chinese Food Tour with ‘The Farewell’ Director Lulu Wang

Director Lulu Wang with Boyfriend Director Barry Jenkins dining with her family.

Lulu Wang’s film ‘The Farewell’ features Chinese food in abundance. Director Lulu Wang took L.A. Times Senior Food Writer Jenn Harris on a short food crawl through the San Gabriel Valley to eat some of the dishes featured in the film.

Duck House in Monterey Park, California

Lang Lang Food Court – Alhambra, CA

Beijing pie house – Alhambra, CA

Click to Find out Wang’s picks from these locations

Monty’s Good Burger Has An Oscar Winning Moment with Vegan Activist Joaquin Phoenix

Phoenix grubs with fiancé/ gregwilliamsphotography

Hungry after an Oscar win, Joaquin Phoenix enjoyed a plant based burger from Monty’s Good Burger on Sunset Blvd with his fiancé Rooney Mara.  Monty’s Good Burger originally as a pop-up food station at Coachella in 2018, then expanded to the Riverside Food Lab, a communal food hall that features other eateries and bars. In August 2018, Monty’s opened its first brick-and-mortar location with a restaurant in the Koreatown neighborhood. They are 100% plant based. 

Phoenix and his entire family first became vegan back in 1977. Joaquin Phoenix, a longtime vegan activist and Mercy For Animals supporter, touched on his thoughts about the consumption of cow’s milk  animal cruelty at the Oscars.

A Page Six article stated:

After persuading the Golden Globes to go vegan, Joaquin Phoenix then convinced his powerful Hollywood agency, WME, to give up meat for the Oscars.

The agency threw its starry annual pre-Oscars party in Beverly Hills on Friday and offered stars including Leo DiCaprio, Jason Momoa, Wiz Khalifa and Miley Cyrus an entirely plant-based vegan spread.  READ MORE

Monty’s has locations in:

•  Echo Park, Los Angeles. 1533 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. HOURS: Sunday – Wednesday 11a – 11p.
• Koreatown, Los Angeles. 516 S Western Ave,
• Los Angeles CA 90020. HOURS: Sunday – Wednesday 11a – 11p.
• Riverside Food Lab. 3605 Market St, Riverside CA 92501. HOURS: Sunday – Thursday 11a – 10p.

 

Get Your Fantastic Fried Chicken Sandwich Howlin’ Rays in Los Angeles

Read the Howlin Rays website and it says:

The story of Howlin’ Rays isn’t simply about a restaurant. It’s a tale about love – for the people in our lives and for the dishes that bring us together. Since 2015, Chef Johnny Ray Zone and wife Amanda Chapman have been bringing the heat to the people of Los Angeles, courtesy of their Nashville-inspired hot chicken…  

 

Fantastic fried chicken sandwich and a lively show by the crew at the boisterous and fun Howlin’ Rays. Prepare to wait in line, or time-it-right to get in sooner. Spiciness is up to your own discretion – note the blue gloves !  Report by James Schneider

Los Angeles Authentic Korean Eats at Sun Ha Dang

Sun Ha Dang has a delicious and unique dish. Here’s a video with voiceover about that excellent experience. Come hungry and stick around for the rice finale. Sun Ha Dang is located at 4032 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019 Report by James Schneider. 

 

So Cal: Nékter Juice Bar, a healthy Breakfast and Snack Choice for the Person on the Go

While in San Diego, I got a chance to visit Nekter Juice Bar to grab some grub.   Preparing for a day of Comic Con, I needed to take the kids for some nourishment.  One can easily do six to seven miles in a day.   The kids got the Acai bowls.  If you are admitted unhip person.  Heck, I may be unhip for using the expression, “hip” then let me explain the acai bowl.

It is a Brazilian dish made of frozen and mashed açaí palm fruit. It is served as a smoothie in a bowl or glass, and is commonly topped with granola and banana, and then mixed with other fruits.  At the San Diego location, bowls were about $9 each.

As for me I ordered, the vegan ice cream.  They offer four choices.  I selected the orange twist which sort of reminds you of a creamsicle.  The other selections include chocolate haze, monster cookie dough,  and peanut butter swirl.  Let me warn fellow weight watcher smart points folks that 180 calorie serving is high in smart points.  Nevertheless, the handcrafted coconut milk based delight doesn’t disappoint.  The vegan ice cream priced between $4 and $6 bucks.

Orange Twist

There are locations in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, Porter Ranch, Thousand Oaks and more.

Click Here to Visit their website

 

 

 

 

Northridge, CA: Waffle Love

I can just hear Morris Day now, “Waffle Love, Oh- Wee- Oh- Wee- Oh” Now, some of you of a certain age catch the joke but others of you may need to travel to 80’s music history catch up on Morris Day and the Time.   Waffle Love is a small shop in Northridge, CA(The San Fernando Valley) located on Reseda Blvd.   Despite their proud accolades from the Food Network posted on the from the building, I didn’t have high expectations.

Dulce de Liege

However, this restaurant needs to been shown some love for specializing in waffles and doing them extremely well.  With Waffle themes of Banana Cream Pie (A waffle filled with chocolate),   the churro waffle and Dulce de Liege, you are in for a decadent treat.   If not for breakfast you may want to make this a dessert spot.

The Banana cream pie was good.  The Dulce de Liege was excellent with an incredible unique flaky and crispy texture.

Van Nuys, CA: South African Cuisine at Springbok Bar & Grill

Springbok Bar brings the tastes of South Africa to Van Nuys, CA.  This restaurant is a diamond in the rough.  It is unassuming and near by the Woodley Lake Golf Course.  My dining companion and I had no idea what to expect.   But when I opened the menu, way too many things looked great.

You may think the menu does jump all over the place with style of cuisine and you will notice a heavy amount of Indian cuisine on the menu.   That is in part because South Africa has a large Indian population and the food of India has been embraced in South Africa as if it were it’s own.

Well, I enjoyed South African style samosas.  The were large and packed with flavor.  And I also enjoyed my fish and chips.   Both had a delight salad of arugula, diced tomato and drizzled with it seemed a mustard dill dressing.   Everything was delish.    Check out this spot.

 

On many days they have live entertainment from comedy to trivia to jazz and they often showing a variety of sports giants screens.

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Shop: A Portland and Los Angeles Delight

Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate, Honey Lavendar,  Black Olive Brittle & Goat Cheese, and  Freckled Woodblock Chocolate are just of the gourmet flavors you can experience at Salt & Straw Ice Cream shops.

Take 1

To the Left (MCCN Editor having Honey lavender)

My friend who lived in the Portland Area recently moved to LA and asked I wanted to get ice cream.    Now, I don’t love ice cream.  I like it.  I crave it more when it is hot but gourmet ice can change your mind about what you know to be ice cream.  Nothing boring on the menu like plain old chocolate, ice cream or strawberry.  And the title of each flavor at this shop is likely to be more than one word.  Like popular yogurt shops they let you endlessly sample flavors.   Considering that the flavors are so different, it is best than you can before walking on the wild side.

Take 2

The proof is in the putting when you can bring friends back to enjoy the experience with you.   We’re not selfish like Eddie Murphy’s famous comedy skit, ” I got some ice cream and you ain’t gone none. ”  No, the more the merrier when it comes to sharing in masterful taste experience.

Visit the website for locations:  http://saltandstraw.com/