Killer Shrimp, Marina Del Rey

Secret recipes, delicious food, and waterside dining is what you can expect from Killer Shrimp. I suppose its called Killer Shrimp because they are known for their Shrimp dish. I recommend getting the "Original"....Shrimp cooked in their famous and super secret sauce. A recipe I'm told that only the owner knows. I can't tell you what is in it, but I could definitely taste the chili flakes and saffron. It was a very unique sauce for shrimp and because it's what they're known for, I do recommend trying this. 

Although the steak can be hit or miss, my grilled hangar steak happened to be uhhh-mazing!!! It was incredibly juicy and tender. Cooked perfectly, seasoned well. I'm picky when it comes to steak but this was a good one! But my favorite part would have to be the bone marrow griddle cake that it comes with. So indulgent but totally worth it!

For a side, we got the Lobster Mac and Cheese...because, well, Lobster mac and cheese. This was creamy and had quite a bit of lobster pieces.

If you want something a little fresh, I recommend the aquachile for that.

For dessert, I went with the sweet potato pecan by. Very rich and sweet. Two bites is all you need!

All in all, I'm very happy with what I ordered and would recommend them all. I would also recommend this place for a nicer family dinner or date "night"...but instead of going at night, you should definitely go while the sun's out so you can truly enjoy the ambiance. Hope you enjoyed my review! Leave a comment and let me know if you have ever been to Killer Shrimp.

xoxo,

Nellie Christine

Surfside Bar & Grill, Venice

Venice Beach, CA was originally founded by Tobacco millionare Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a beach resort town. Fast forward a century and it is now one of the biggest tourist attractions in LA. Visitors can take advantage of the beach which stretches for miles, watch live performances, OR my favorite thing to do which is, eating of course!

Venice Beach has so much to offer but when it comes to food it can be hit or miss. That’s why I was excited to try a new restaurant that happens to be in the heart of it all, Surfside Bar and Grill.

Venice has a plethora of carnival food like hot dogs and pizza, but I was looking for something a little more for the adults. That’s why I was excited to try a new restaurant that happens to be in the heart of it all, Surfside Bar and Grill.

The menu at Surfside is as diverse as the people in and around Venice including both Mexican and Asian influence, from Korean fries to Mexican Pork Skewers. Personally, I’m open to it all, as long as it tastes good, I’m in.

The Korean Fries was made with caramelized kimchi, onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, cheese, bulgogi steak, and sriracha mayo. The bulgogi had so much flavor and went really well with the fries and cilantro for freshness. I’d order this for taste and biggest bang for your buck. Definitely great for sharing in a group.

You can’t go wrong with the Mexican pork skewers or the chicken wings. Loved em! 

The salad I had was also worth ordering too. It was very well portioned. Dressing was deliciousl Loved the sweetness from the caramelized pear and sugar coated pecans. But most importantly, had two little fried goat cheese patties. YUMM! This may not be a regular on the menu, but all their salads are equally incredible.

I'm always a little skeptical of Korean/Mexican food fusion because of one bad experience I had, but their Korean tacos were so tasty, just like the fries. The tacos are made with bulgogi, short rib, carm kimchi (not even sure what carm is), onions, cilantro, and a sriracha aioli. 

The Surfside fish tacos are made with grilled wahoo, tropical marinade, pineapple habanero slaw, served with chips and salsa. I think this dish might be a little more filling than the other tacos because you get a generous portion of fish. 

The breakwater Burger is made with ½ lb angus beef, Applewood bacon, aged cheddar, tomato, grilled onion, lettuce, pickles, tangy sauce on a brioche bun. It was so juicy and tasty, and another great option for biggest bang for your buck.

The Mac and Cheese was more of a pasta dish than mac and cheese, not enough cheese or sauce to my liking so I would probably skip this, even though my expression says otherwise :) I'm just happy to be here! 

They’ve got brunch daily from 11 to 2 pm, and happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 7pm on drinks and Food! You really can't go wrong with any of the drinks so I'll leave that one up to you to figure out. 

The dessert on this day happened to be a cast iron skillet of freshly made bread pudding, topped with vanilla bean ice cream, drizzled with caramel. Yes, this was as epic as it looks. Something you definitely want to share. 

The next time you go to Venice, head on over to Surfside and let me know what you think of it! Check out my video as well and show some love! 

Xoxo,

Nellie Christine

EMC Seafood, Koreatown

EMC Seafood and Raw Bar is restaurant located in Koreatown of los Angeles. I had the pleasure of experiencing it first hand and I'm now a fan.  The ambiance is that of a upscale restaurant with plenty of seating.  They have many options to choose from when it comes to the raw bar, from Octopus, to scallops, to live uni. Everything was extremely fresh and delicious. Read on to see what we ate.

From the Raw Bar, I tried the Octopus, Scallops, and the uni. All are great options and I would order them again. If you are an uni lover, then you'll like the uni here. Its soft, buttery, with a hint of the sea. It's difficult describing the taste of uni to those who have never had it. All I can say is go with someone who likes uni and try it out. 

Uni

Octopus

Scallops

My favorite dish though, besides the uni pasta (more on that later), is the Spicy Albacore Tuna Crisps. Holy Moly! First of all, I'm a sucker for crispy wontons, secondly, their tuna mix was really flavorful. It was drizzled with eel sauce and topped with micro greens for freshness. I seriously wish I could order like 5 of these and eat them all myself. I was really sad that I had to share...(insert fat girl "humpphh"). I would put this on my must order list.

Spicy Albacore Tuna Crisps

Oysters

If you're the kind of person who knows your oysters, then you'll love EMC because they actually have different kinds to choose from like the Fanny Bay or the Fat Bastard, freshly shucked to order. They come with horseradish, cocktail sauce, and homemade ponzu sauce, but I always have my oysters with just lemon and salt. My mouth is literally watering as I'm writing this!

Oyster shooter

Now on to the cooked food...I ordered shrimp, seafood stew, and the bone-in rib eye steak. They were all delicious, so its just a matter of preference and if you happen to be feeling it when you go. But I do want to elaborate on the steak a bit because this was quite different. First off, the meat was cooked exactly how we ordered. It came with a semi-sweet balsamic glaze that had caramelized onion and whole garlic. This was different than how I normally take my steak..(covered in loads of butter), but I think unique enough and worth mentioning. 

Whole Shrimp

But of course, my favorite dish, and probably their most popular dish, is the Uni pasta, made with cream, fish roe, chives and dried seaweed. This was so rich and creamy, and had the taste of uni throughout the dish, without it being overpowering. They really got it right in my opinion.

The drinks at EMC Seafood are also noteworthy, as they take a lot of pride in their mixology. My favorite, also highlighted in the video, was their lychee drink. The good news is that they've got happy hour that includes both food and drink! Two happy hours in fact, a daily one and a late night one. Before you go, check the day and time of their happy hour as it varies with each location. 

To sum up everything, if you're into the raw stuff, you can't go wrong with anything. I had an assortment and there wasn't anything I didn't like. Same with the entree's as well, but out of everything the absolute must orders are the spicy albacore tuna crisps and the uni pasta. And if you're not into seafood, they have a good number of delicious options for you too! 

Watch my video and if you like it give it a thumbs up and leave a message in the comments section. Love you all and thanks again for your support!!

Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken

I recently had the opportunity to try out Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken. I ordered their fried chicken sandwich with their savory doughnut as the bun! It also comes with bacon, cheese, and your choice of sauce. I am such a huge fan of buffalo sauce so I went with their Sriracha buffalo sauce....SOOO FREAKING GOOD! I also ordered another sandwich with their cheddar buscuit. Equally as good but I think the doughnut is where its at. 

If you are a fan of the sweet and savory, you could also do what I did except with a sweet doughnut. And do they have doughnuts or what. They had all kinds of interestingly flavored doughnuts...like pumpkin, bacon, and even creme brulee! If you are a doughnut lover, you need to try this place!

Check out my video and let me know your thoughts!

Hugo's Restaurant, Studio City

Hugo's restaurant in Studio City has been added to my list of go-tos when I want to eat out and eat healthy. I know I can count on them to deliver high quality and healthy food. I also appreciate that they have an extensive menu so I won't be getting bored of it either. 

They have soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, breakfast items, appetizers, burgers, drinks, dessert, and other specials.

For appetizers, we ordered the spinach artichoke dip and the vegan mac and cheese. Both were good and very different from what we're all probably used to. Definitely on the healthy side. 

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Spinache Artichoke Dip

For the entrees we ordered their steak and very green casserole. I would order both again, but my favorite goes to the very green casserole which had vegetables on the bottom layer, then a layer of chicken breast, topped with goat and mozzarella cheese, with a side of salad. I mean, besides the fat you get from the cheese, the plate overall was a healthy and unique one. I recommend this one to ALL!

Skirt Steak

Very Green Casserole

Dessert at Hugo's is a must. For dessert, we ordered the vegan and gluten free brownie, and, my favorite, the STICKY BUNS! The brownie was so rich and chocolaty, you would never be able to guess it was vegan or gluten free if no one told you.

Gluten Free Brownie

Sticky Buns

I would recommend this place for dinner or brunch, just know that it does get kinda busy so plan to get there early! 

Check out the video I made and let me know where I should do my next foodecall!

xoxo,

Nellie Christine

Tokyo Shabu Shabu, Pasadena

Loved everything about Tokyo Shabu Shabu. The appetizers like the chicken wings and potstickers were on point. The broths were unique and each of them tastier than the last one. I would totally go back here because I LOVE soup, and I love that you get so much quantity of soup. I also love the plate of fresh veggies that it comes with.

Shabu shabu, in Japanese, means "swish swish," and was named so because you take your meat and cook it in the broth using a swish swish motion. The longer you swish it, the more it cooks. So if you like your meat on the rare side, 3 swishes is all you need. Tokyo Shabu Shabu has approximately 7 cuts of beef, as well as chicken, pork, and seafood.  And if you are vegan or vegetarian, they have options for you too!.

The pots of broth are brought to a boil on the burners that are located right on top of the table. Raw meat and raw vegetables are also given for you to cook at your leisure. Normally people share the broths, but with 4 burners to a table, one could get their own boiling pot. The interactive experience of the meal itself made it so much fun.

I tried 4 of the broths, the traditional tonkotsu, creamed corn, spicy kimchi, and yellow curry. They were all so good. The creamed corn was creamy but not heavy at all, with a very subtle hint of sweetness. This was probably my second favorite soup. My first favorite has to go to the tonkotsu. I was scared to try this because I've had it at other places and it was very heavy for me. But I was assured that this one packs the flavor without the richness, and they were true to their word. I loved it.

The meat cooked surprisingly fast. Literally 4 to 5 swishes was all it needed to fully cook. Vegetables, depending on what it was, obviously took a little longer and cooked best when left in the broth.

If you think it couldn't get any better....it does. The dessert was also good!  Cheesecake stuffed eggrolls, hello! They were such a hit! Overall, I loved Tokyo Shabu Shabu and will be going back for sure. It definitely has my stamp of approval and I do highly recommend!

Baleen Kitchen, Redondo Beach

I cannot express the extent of what a wonderful time I had at Baleen Kitchen. Tucked away in the marina off the coast of Redondo Beach, across from the Portofino Hotel, you will find one of the chicest waterside restaurants in LA. The second I walked in, all I could see were the picture perfect views from the windows stretching the length of the restaurant. There is no other way to describe it other than to say that you just have to see it for yourself.

That day in particular, the weather was as perfect as it could get. Warm but comfortable weather, clear blue skies. It is the perfect backdrop to any occasion. I had the pleasure of taking my best friend for a real foodecall experience and I know this is one dining experience we will never forget.

Right when you walk in and go up the stairs, you have all your dining tables to the left, with a fireplace in the back of the restaurant. To the right is a lounge and bar area. I'm told they have a happy hour Monday thru Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. and even offer live entertainment on select days.

Now on to food and drink.....

I ordered their bloody Mary and Sangria. The bloody Mary was incredibly spicy. Truly a kick in the mouth so proceed with caution! The Sangria was not your average sangria, it had different liquor in it, with an added touch of carbonation. More on the sweet side. I loved the bar area and loved the presentation. If I lived closer I would totally come here just to grab some drinks. But if you are visiting for the first time, you DEFINITELY want to go while there's still sunlight.

Bloody Mary and Sangria

The Noble Garden was an overall really good salad. I loved the ingredients like the walnuts, beets, and most importantly the bleu cheese. I would totally go back for this. 

Noble Garden Salad

As an appetizer I ordered the duck carnitas. I thought this was rather unique. Its not everyday you see duck on the menu, and in general was just done differently than how I'm used to seeing it. I loved the thin cornmeal crepes. On the side was chipotle blackberries and apple slaw, which added a touch of sweetness and an air of fanciness. If you're looking for an appetizer, I would recommend this for its uniqueness and bang for your buck.

Duck carnitas

At Baleen Kitchen, they have a mini tapas menu. I ordered the Baleen Slider, the Ahi Tuna Tacos, and the Lobster slider. All were delicious, but if I had to pick just one, no doubt my vote goes to the Ahi Tuna Tacos. LOVED these. I could probably eat 5 in one sitting. 

Baleen Slider

Ahi Tuna Taco

Lobster slider

Of course, can't go anywhere without ordering the Mac & Cheese. Theirs happens to be Lobster Mac & Cheese....hello! Great for sharing.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

For one of the entrees, we ordered the Steak Frites and Orrecchiete pasta. The steak had chimichurri and bernaise sauce with a side of arugula salad and my fave, truffle fries. The orrecchiete had a meatless bolognese type sauce with soyrizo, topped with dollops of goat cheese. The orrecchiete I believe is a good option for those that want to go meatless, but in general I'm not a huge fan of soy rizo. If I had to choose just one entree to recommend, it would be the steak frites. 

Hangar Steak Frites with Truffle Fries

Oricchiette

The ultimate showstopper was dessert....3 of them to be exact. And all three were amazing!! The apple tart was fresh, homemade, and had this delicious cinnamon ice cream on top, drizzled with a sweet and salty caramel sauce. The key lime pie was probably the best key lime pie I've ever had. Even though I'm not a huge fan of key lime pie, this one was done really well. Of course, my favorite has to go to the chocolate lava cake. Especially with the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top to make it just perfect.

From left: Apple tart, Warm chocolate lava cake, Key lime pie

All in all, I would recommend this place if you are looking for a really nice place to go for Sunday Funday, brunch, a date, business lunches, birthdays, mother's/father's day, and even a venue for a rehearsal or engagement dinner. Its upscale, classy, and definitely worth a visit. Check em out and let me know your thoughts! Until next time foodecallers!

xoxo,

Nellie Christine

Hiho Burger, Santa Monica

Hiho Burger, the newest burger joint to hit Santa Monica is creating waves with their intensely curated menu. Their concept is to do one thing, but do it well.....really well. Founders Matt Levin, Jerry Greenberg, Ajay Sahgal, and Lowell Sharron tried just about every type of grass fed beef, and Wagyu came out on top. 

There are burgers on the menu: The Hiho Burger, The Classic Burger....and I'll stop right there because those are the only two you need to concern yourself with. Both are made with a 1/3 pound of 100% grass fed Wagyu beef and American cheese. The Hiho burger is where its at though, with its topping of bread and butter pickles, mustard, ketchup, and a layer of a SWEET ONION JAM. No, this is not your typical burger. 

The beef itself comes from a farm in New Zealand...you know the kind where all the animals have a name, and from what I'm told, are on a strict grass only diet. No grains here my friend. 

Which, is probably why the burger had the cleanest beef taste I've ever had. It's hard to describe what that is like, but imagine beef without that strong beef flavor. It made me think, "hmm....is this what burger meat is supposed to taste like?" Meaning everything else that has that strong beef flavor just doesn't seem right when you know the best of the best tastes clean like this one. 

All I know is I loved it. My sister loved it. My husband loved it. OH, and did I mention the other perks? Homemade Key LIme and Banana Cream Pie. I tried the banana cream and it was so delicious, not too sweet, and totally had that homemade feel to it. The chocolate milkshake tasted like a really fancy adult milkshake in that it had a rich chocolate flavor and not too sweet (just the way I like my dessert). 

A burger and fries will only throw you back $9.75. All in all, would I go back? Yes. Would recommend it to others? Hells yes.

Try it out for yourself and check out the little video I made to chronicle my visit. Let me know what you guys think!

Until next time foodecallers!