Modo Mio, Pacific Palisades

Ms. Foodecall is back at it again! This time coming from Modo Mio in Pacific Palisades. Modo Mio in Pacific Palisades has that rustic quality that you notice as soon as you step inside. I was greeted by owner, George Zaoui, and we had a conversation about coming to America and putting into action the love of Italian cooking in the form of Modo Mio. Check out my video and read on to get a glimpse of my experience.

I'm sure you want to know more about the food. Modo Mio features a Northern Italian cuisine, primarily known for lesser use of sauces and lighter, healthier style of cooking.

We started off with appetizers, like the salmon wrapped asparagus. 

What I like about Modo Mio is the salad options. The one I went with is the insalata tricolore, which means 3 color salad. The insalata tricolore is made with raddichio, arugula, and belgian endive which are all three very different vibrant colors. I love salads so this was a great choice.

Insalata Tricolore

Below is my favorite ravioli, Ravioli Del Pollo, filled with smoked chicken and turkey. LOVED IT!!

If you want a vegetarian option, I would go with the Lasagna Verdure. It's so hearty you'll never miss the meat!

Lasagna Verdure

You can't go wrong with the fish of the day. This one was marinated in a delicious sauce, topped with peas and sundried tomatoes for the win, with a side of herbed potatoes and veggies. Very light and perfectly balanced. 

I don't know a lot about wine but George sure did, and he gave me lessons on what to look for when selecting and drinking wine. Visit the Modo Mio website to get a list of their wines which are also very reasonably priced, IMO.

I know, I can be really cheesy at times but food like this just instantaneously puts a smile on my face and will have me grinning from ear to ear. I loved my experience at Modo Mio and I'm so very grateful that I get to wake up and do what I love. Thank you Modo Mio!! 

Habana, Irvine

Can I just say that this was probably one of the most fantabulous dining experiences I've had in a while. I am soo grateful to have been invited to the first buffet brunch at Habana's in the Irvine Spectrum. The attention to detail in the entire place made it feel like I truly was in Cuba sipping on a nice fresh ice cold coconut. To make you truly feel like you've been transported to a different country is no easy feat! 

I would recommend this place for any weekend outing, whether it be with family, friends, date, GNO, GDO, birthday celebrations. You name it. I've heard that their actual menu outside of the brunch buffet is also to die for. I will be going back for sure, you can count on that.

All I can say is this place is a must! Show up in your nicest attire. Have a coconut with rum. Eat everything. Dance to the live music. Have fun and Enjoy!!

Modo Mio, Sherman Oaks

Modo Mio in Sherman Oaks is the 2nd location of owner George Zaoui who purchased the first Modo mio in Pacific Palisades 3 years ago. I had the pleasure of having dinner here and captured the entire experience. 

Day or night, Modo Mio makes it easy to sit out on the patio, catch some sun and people watch. At night time, they turn on the tea lights which give it such a homey and romantic ambiance. 

I asked George what their specialty drink was and he said the Tiramisu drink of course. The bartender, having worked in that same spot for over 20 years, served up a delicious drink with all the right flavors to complement my dinner. 

I've got to get the carpaccio everywhere I go. I was very pleased with theirs. The meat was fresh and the touch of arugula and parmesan was perfect. This is a very light and adventurous appetizer, do try it!

What you see below is the Ravioli Dello Chef. It is filled with ricotta and spinach in a pink sauce...deeelish. My 2nd favorite dish of the night.

I'm not a gnocchi expert, so I can't comment on the consistency of it, but I can say that the sauce was good and we enjoyed it all around.

The lasagna di carne is made with wide strips of pasta layered with ground beef, pork and herbed ricotta. Hearty and cheesy :)

Risotto Porcini

My favorite dish of the night was the Cioppino Adriatico - clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari & salmon in a light tomato broth. Delicious, tasty, gluten free, low carb, just perfect for me. 

The tiramisu is house made using a family recipe. You can really taste the homemade quality to it. 

Loved my dinner, and a big big thank you to Modo Mio for the lovely dinner! 

Xoxo,

Nellie Christine

Jalapeño Pete's, Studio City

Jalapeño Pete's is a new gastropub in Studio City and it is lit! I was lucky enough to go there when the Kansas City Chief fans were there to watch the game and I've never seen a crowd like that before. They had their chant going and the energy was so infectious!

The bar itself is incredibly spacious and I can see why a crowd like that would go there. There are tvs everywhere so you can pretty much watch the game from every angle and every seat in the house. 

Now on to the drink stuff. Jalapeño Pete's hands down has THE best happy hour in all of LA. They have a $3 happy hour Sunday through Friday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on select beers, wines, and well cocktails. The also have a buy one get one free special 7 days a week from 9pm to 2 am....hello!!!! I'm bringing all my friends. 

Now on to the food stuff....

The menu is Mexican fare, and there are several great options for sharing like the spicy nachos, the flautas, or even my favorite....the tacos. 

The shrimp tacos were seasoned well and I loved the creamy sauce on top. But the short rib taco won my heart over with its flavor and juicyness. My mouth is watering just thinking about and guess what, they've got a Taco Tuesday deal with $2 Tacos :) 

Chicken Wings

Spicy Nachos

Flautas

Check em out for yourself and if you enjoyed the video, please give it a thumbs up and leave a message in the comment section on what you thought!

The Rockefellar, Hermosa Beach

The Rockefeller in Hermosa Beach is a gastropub with great food and even friendlier service. Their happy hour is noteworthy, in that they've got drinks, oysters, and even $.99 cent hamburgers!?! I would totally go back just for that. But now on to the food...

Ahi Tuna tostadas...I was debating between getting this and the Ahi Tuna Tacos. Kinda wish I got both. The tostadas were tasty, creamy, and had a generous serving of ahi tuna on each bite. 

The snapper ceviche was really interesting because it had this sweet and spicy mango sauce, and a generous helping of fish with a side of corn tortilla chips. I think this is a pretty good appetizer to share.

We got an order of their Short Rib tacos. My husband loved these. I liked them too, but I prefer a more saucier, almost like a saucy braised type stew while he likes it less saucy and more meat. It was delicious nonetheless, just a difference in opinion. 

Their Chermoula Seabass was done very well and a good option if you want to go with something healthy. The mediterranean was made with char braised fennel and wild pico rice, red-vin glaze, and freso chile.

Oh, but their Truffle mac and cheese...perfect on its own or as a side dish to practically any one of their entrees. If you like mac and cheese and are often disappointed with what is out there, you won't be disappointed with this one. I thought it was really flavorful, I could taste the truffle, I could taste the bacon, and the taleggio and parmesan cheese. WINNING!

They carry locally brewed beers and we had a good time trying them. They even had a sour, my favorite! Their happy hour is Monday thru Friday from 5pm to 7pm. The food and drinks are TOTALLY worth checking out. 

What an amazing feast we had! I only wish I lived closer so I could check out their happy hour too!