CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

800 Degrees Pizzeria Giveaway

You know, on days that end in 'Y,' we eat pizza. As in -- does one ever need an excuse for pizza? GOOD pizza?

Among the many choices we now have for DIY/custom pizza, you simply have to give 800 Degrees a chance. CBS just named them one of the best pizza shops in LA, alongside such worshipped eateries as Bestia and Jon & Vinny's! They are setting themselves apart, far and away, with their sophisticated aesthetic and unique menu choices. And their Hollywood location on Vine rises above with a beautiful patio besides, amazing appetizers, courteous staff, great wine selection and a new, scrumptious rotisserie chicken menu.

No bad-idea-jeans here, guys. You're going to love anything you order off the menu, but for my money, I gotta advise you to give this chicken a try. I skeptically tried it with a side of Quinoa Tabbouleh, but that surprised me, too. It was delicious and I inhaled it as I silently told myself it was guilt-free since Quinoa it toally a healthy food -- right? 

If you ask nicely, they'll even throw some dipping sauces at you. The aioli was my favorite.

It boggles the mind that I had any room left in my body for more food after this -- and I nearly didn't -- but I got a bite of cheese pizza, which was was completely delicious, and the kind folks there subsequently sent me home with a pizza of my choosing, so naturally I gravitated right to the prosciutto and burrata pizza. Because anything with those two things is all I need in life, basically. Prosciutto is one of my favorite foods and burrata is like the King of all cheeses.  (I also asked them to add shrimp to the pizza. Is that weird? I find shrimp with prosciutto is heavenly. It's like the italian version of bacon-wrapped shrimp, y'all.) 

It was such a delightful evening, really. I attended alone but found myself at a table of other bloggers and influencers whom I now follow on their own socials and adore. It was fun to make new friends, enjoy some new food, sit in such a gorgeous place.... I smiled all night! There's a special little place in my heart for this pizzeria so I am happy to also give away a gift card so that someone else can go and discover it like I did! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 MORE

• Location: 1521 Vine Street
• Parking: An adjacent garage, inexpensive, or on the street if you can manage
• Check out the Hollywood location's menu here and visit the 800 Degrees website. 
• Follow 800 Degrees on Twitter and Instagram; like them on Facebook!

Why would you choose ordinary pizza at any ordinary place when this terrific spot is available? 

Interior photos: Alen Lin

Join me at MASTERS OF TASTE!

Friends, fellow foodies, locals, please consider joining me at MASTERS OF TASTE on Sunday, May 7. 

Perhaps you need a little nudge? A little reminder? Check out this recent post about how incredible (and delicious!) it is. 

If you would like to attend, here's a chance for all of my readers to get a ticket at 15% off the price. Simply use the code GIRL17 at check-out. 

I am Returning to Masters of Taste!

If your memory is as good as mine (that's kind of a joke, my memory is terrible), you'll totally recall the time I went to the MASTERS OF TASTE event in Pasadena. It's essentially a luxury Super Bowl of amazing, local Chefs and restaurants. It is also where I ate these delicious sushi rolls from Ayaea Thai:

While I'm at it, it's also where I immensely enjoyed this "tri-belly" of pork, lamb and beef from Claud & Co:

And.... IT IS BACK! This year’s 2^ndAnnual Masters of Taste will be held on Sunday, May 7^th from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl (1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103). It will bring all the food porn you could ever need with it -- more than 2500 food and beverage enthusiasts from all over Greater Los Angeles for one afternoon to celebrate more than 40 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, signature handcrafted cocktails and tastings from more than 30 Beverage Masters, including L.A’s top bartenders and cocktail bars, local California wineries, local craft breweries, pressed juices, hand roasted coffee, live entertainment and much more.

Like last year,100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a nonprofit committed to helping homeless men, women and children rebuild their lives. 

Are you ready for just a sampling of whose food I will be tasting at this illustrious event???

• 118 Degrees Chef Jenny Ross (Tarzana)
• Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Matt Bata (Pasadena)
• Bacchus Kitchen & Eatery and Claude & Co. Chef Claud Beltran (Pasadena)
• Bone Kettle and Komodo Chef Erwin Tjahyadi (Pasadena and Los Angeles)
• CAST at the Viceroy Santa Monica Chef Larry Monaco (Santa Monica)
• Celestino Chef Calogero Drago (Pasadena)
• Church & State and Spring Chef Tony Esnault (Downtown Los Angeles)
• Crossings Chef Lalo Sanchez (South Pasadena)
• HACHÉ LA Chef Michael “Mick” Schepers (Silver Lake)
• HokePoke Chef Lauren Haas (Downtown Los Angeles)
• Hamasaku Chef Yoya Takahashi (Los Angeles)
• Hyperion Public Chef Paddy Aubrey (Silver Lake and Studio City)
• INTRO Art Gallery & Chef’s Table Chef Paul Shoemaker (North Hollywood)
• Little Beast Chef Jose Perez (Eagle Rock)
• Magnolia House Chef Evan Colter (Pasadena)
• Mama Lion Chef Michael Hung (Koreatown)
• Mexikosher Chef Katsuji Tanabi (Los Angeles)
• Milk & Honey Chef Lulu Cai (Hollywood)
• Miro Chef Gavin Mills (Downtown Los Angeles)
• Momed Chef Alex Sarkissian (Beverly Hills and Atwater Village)
• Nerano Chef Michele Lisi (Beverly Hills)
• Prince of Venice
• Ramen Tatsunoya (Pasadena)
• SpireWorks Chef Kuniko Yagi (Westwood Village and Eagle Rock)
• Redbird Chef Neal Fraser (Downtown Los Angeles)
• The Raymond 1886 Chef Tim Guiltinan (Pasadena)
• True Food Kitchen Chef Phil Noresetter (Pasadena)
• Venice Whaler Chef Nick Liberato (Venice)

So who's coming with me on May 7th? Tickets are already on sale. Just head to www.MastersofTasteLA.com/Tickets. A VIP "Power Hour" will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Please note that tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over.  

Also, always important in our city of dreams, some transportation and parking info: Masters of Taste guests are encouraged to utilize car services – Lyft, Uber, Taxi, etc. – since this event does serve alcoholic beverages, but complimentary parking will also be available at the event.

ARE YOU HUNGRY? ARE YOU READY? Grab your stretchy pants and MEET ME IN PASADENA! 

A beautiful ceviche from 118 Degrees

I'm Growing and Trying Healthier Recipes

At the start of this year, I was - and still am - going through a lot of changes and it was time to make some changes in my diet. And much to my surprise, it's mostly felt really wonderful. I've been pinning new, interesting recipes to my "food" board on Pinterest and slowly trying out a few. 

Now, don't get my wrong. I still see recipes for things like "soft baked cheerio monster cookies" and salivate. There's a time and place for those, too, right? But I thought I would share some of the cool things I've tried here and additionally, some of the recipes that remain on my "to do" list. ENJOY! 

GLUTEN FREE EGG CASSEROLE - Fit & Awesome

My friend Lindsay posted this one and it was actually the first new, healthy recipe I tried. I'm not much for ghee so I stuck with some smart balance butter. You can totally mix and match your ingredients, which I like because she uses spinach and I have this weird aversion to cooked spinach. It was maple sausage, peppers and cheese for me. Anyway, the point is, it's delicious and something you can make on a Sunday and then portion out for office lunches for a few days! 

POTATO-LESS POTATO PANCAKES - The World According to Eggface

Mine did not turn out as pretty as the ones on "Eggface" but they were really, really yummy! It would never occur to me to use cottage cheese and an egg together. In fact, even typing it now, it sounds kinda gross, but this was delicious, made a big portion, and subbing some plain yogurt for sour cream was perfect. I didn't have any chives in the house but I'm sure I'll make this again soon.

TOASTLESS AVOCADO TOAST (baked eggs in avocado) - Allrecipes.com

I really love avocado toast and cutting out bread meant this was off the table for me. But then I remembered going to a restaurant where I had "avocado toast" in an actual avocado shell and went on the hunt for a similar recipe. (Apologies, I did not get a photo of this one!) 

Also, not so much a fancy recipe, but I also learned to make GRITS. Go figure! They are tasty sweet or savory. Give 'em a shot! 

And here are some more recipes I am eager to try:

• Risotto... made from SUNFLOWER SEED! WHAT?! - Epicurious
• Paleo Meatball Soup - Recipe This
• Crispy Baked Tofu - Cookie and Kate
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes - The World According to Eggface
• Healthy Banana Bread - A Cookie Named Desire
• Butternut Squash Soup (Note: I really want to make a soup from scratch and I feel like I could make a healthier version of this somehow) - Thrifty Jinxy
• Spaghetti Squash with Lemon Herb Shrimp - Sarah Peretz
• Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower (Note: I don't even like cauliflower but DAMN this looks GOOD!) - What's Gaby Cooking

WHAT SAY YOU?

What healthy recipes should I try? I would love your recommendations! Please share in the comments or tweet them to me! 

 

Hyperion Public in Studio City, You Are Welcome Here

The building at 12969 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City has seen a few "rebirths" over the last few years. When I worked down the street from it, many years ago, it was kind of the place you went for business lunches with passable eats. Later, it was a pub with passable pub fare and loudness. 

I am glad that something classy has finally turned the space around and I hope Hyperion Public stays in the hood for a long time! The brunch I had was wonderful. 

Photo co. of acuna-hansen

We happened to be there for "Pancake Mayhem" which was both good and bad. Good because, well, DELICIOUS. Bad because, well, DECISIONS.

But you'd better believe that "Camp Counselor" made it's way to our table. And even though I had to skip the nutella (allergies, y'all), it really ranked right up there as some of the best pancakes I've ever had. No joke. The pancakes themselves were soft and delicious but a little crispy around the edges, which was a nice touch that added texture. And while the toppings were obviously decadent, they weren't piled on the dish in massive heaps so I never felt like I was heading to sugar coma-land, and that was much appreciated because I had more food to try! 

Not too much chocolate, not too much anything -- everything as it should be and perfect. 

My friend and I shared the pancakes but we also wanted to sample some egg dishes. So we had the savory Chilaquiles -- over easy eggs, black bean puree, pickled vegetables, queso fresco, sour cream and, of course, fresh corn tortilla chips. And also the rich Croque Madam -- grilled rustic bread with dijon aioli, swiss cheese, black forest ham, thyme-pecorino mornay and two sunny-side up eggs. 

If those photos make you wanna lick the screen, I wouldn't blame you. I took them with my friend's new iPhone 7. That camera is a food blogger's best friend, I tell you. Of course, it helps that the food actually was that good.

Hot tip: Hyperion Public's special sauce is worth the ask, daytime or nighttime. Get the "OMG Sauce." Try subbing out your breakfast potatoes for fries and dip 'em. I'm also a big, big fan of their pretzel and dip appetizer. They make a GOOD pretzel, y'all. 

The valley definitely has some good Brunch spots within it's boundaries but the east end has been lacking in superstars lately. Hyperion Public is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and i look forward to returning many more times. Perhaps the next trip will be with a group as they have a great setup for that (something else also hard to find)! 

Photo co. of acuna-hansen

Oh hey, did I mention a GREAT Bloody Mary and BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS? 

So? Who's coming with me?

More:

• Website
• They also have a location in Silver Lake! 
• Follow them on Instagram and/or Twitter.
• There's a fair amount of street parking in the area but valet is inexpensive.

Disclosure: This meal was hosted. The opinions are hosted in my own noggin', though. You're welcome.

And Then.... I Had Brunch (Of Course)

It's been a busy, busy Summer. I took a vacation to Portland! I've been away for work three or four times! I've seen movies and friends. I've eaten meals and colored. I just got back from BlogHer and am speaking at ConnectHer in two weeks -- all of the "hers," eh? 

Here is where I am not going, though -- I am not going to BrunchCon. I was disappointed that they did not seem to be working with bloggers - a mistake in my opinion. I have a lot of pride and cannot get over that I was not approached to support (I offered, I was ignored). And I was turned off by a lackluster list of vendors and the price of admission, which is not an unlimited admission -- it only entitles you to a limited quantity of tickets to trade for bites and sips.

PASS. 

I do have a whole bevvy of new brunch places to recommend, though, if anyone is looking. 

MERCADO

They have three locations. I like the one on West 3rd which opens up to the street and is quite lovely on a nice day. Visit their website for more. 

My picks: The guacamole and queso and the chilaquiles. Particularly the pork in the chilaquiles. WOW.

LEDLOW

A charming, new spot downtown! Visit their website for more.

My picks: The Brandy Milk Punch (right), the Burrata toast... and the very attractive manager. ;)

FAT DOG

They have two locations. Visit their website for more info.

My picks: The short rib hash or the strawberry mascarpone pancakes.

Well, now I am sufficiently hungry. Damn. 

I have a back-log of brunch photos and blog posts and ideas that I swear will not continue to go ignored. This site is definitely due for another rebrand, right? Please be sure to follow me on ajfeuerman.com as well -- I am blogging there as well, of course. And don't forget you can sign up for my exclusive, monthly brunch e-newsletter there. 

Set Your Calendar for National Hamburger Day!

Who do you suppose came up with these things like National Pet Day? National Baked Bean Month? National Hamburger Day?

(Seriously. BEANS. It's July, by the way. I know you were wondering. I don't like beans but y'all go ahead and enjoy that.)

Rascal is celebrating National Hamburger Day (it's on May 28th!) with Chef Andy Lee’s Rascal Burger made with beer-deglazed beef, caramelized onions, sharp cheddar, arugula, vine ripe tomato, herb remoulade, and field greens. Deglazing is a fancy and intimidating word that means to pour some cold liquid into a very hot pan, getting all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of said pan. And then onward from there, burger lovers. Salivate on that. And you're welcome. 

Fear not, I have mediocre photography to share, too! (This looked like art on my iPhone, guys. I'm sorry)

One of my biggest complaints, generally, about cheeseburgers is that you don't always get to taste the cheese. Think about that. But at Rascal, I took one look at that juicy burger and that nice slab of sharp cheddar and I knew I was in for a treat. It was absolutely delicious and a nice precursor to the holiday -- I will have to go back and really dive in then. 

This didn't take like just every other burger. I don't really know how to explain -- I could really taste it. You could say it was really flavorful but that sounds so cliched, and I hate cliches! But then, sometimes a good cliche is apropos. 

However if you're some kind of weirdo (or perhaps a vegetarian which doesn't mean you're not a weirdo), and do not like a good burger. I did take the liberty of trying some of Rascal's other stand out menu items. The polenta fries were my favorite -- dusted with grated parmesan, cilantro and, for a change of pace, tzatziki. Those came out to us with the Brussels Sprouts, which I liked. I prefer my Sprouts way more roasted but these were still savory and delicious. The chunks  (yes, CHUNKS) of  bacon in it didn't hurt, either. 

There was also chicken and gravy. Boy do these guys know how to do fried chicken. Not to be outdone by it's predecessors, the gravy had chunks of pancetta in it.

And then the crown jewel of our meal. Please let me know when it's National Chocolate Day so I can write a love poem to Rascal's Chocolate & Salted Caramel Bar -- it's chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse,salted caramel & chocolate crust. It's heaven. It's National Everything Day in my mouth, tummy and heart. And I don't care how sexual that sounds because I'd probably sleep with this dessert in the first date. 

 

 

While that photo uploaded I checked. National Chocolate Day is October 28. I'll see you then, my love....

 

But really, in the meantime, I whole-heartedly endorse any National Hamburger Day celebrations or any other celebrations at the Rascal. 

More:

• Rascal's website
• They are located at 801 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles 90036
• Follow them on Facebook and Instagram
• Parking hack - get there at 6:55 and pull up to the curb on La Brea and wait five minutes. You don't need to feed the meters after 7 and then you don't have to pay to valet park.

Have a Taco Party at Cocina Condesa

Not so very long ago against a rather breathtaking sunset, a friend and I got to sample some TACOS! 

Cocina Condesa is a bright spot on the boulevard that is otherwise lined with sushi restaurants (seriously, SO MANY sushi restaurants), offices and care rental yards. They have a great open concept space that gives way to a great patio, too. 

Simple enough - we started with chips and salsa. AND I LOVE THEIR SALSA. Since I  am a pansy about spicy anything, the salsa was perfect for me. I'm sure one could ask to spice it up but I could eat it as is with a spoon, guys. 

We asked our lovely server for recommendations. She said queso so we got queso. And this isn't just any old melty cheese dip. This is manchego cheese, shredded brisket, peewee potatoes, pico de gallo, pickled chiles and a pile of guacamole. 

If I'd had nothing but this during my visit to Cocina Condesa, I would have left perfectly happy. And full.

But then came tacos....

It's funny how you can be full but when someone starts bringing out more and more food, you somehow find room to eat it, isn't it? 

We tried four kinds of tacos. Luckily, they're small and we took at least one bite of each. My favorite was the Al Pastor (left) which was pork, pineapple and jicama slaw with caramelized onions. All of those flavors together were perfection. They were all good but this was totally the leader. Also on the first plate were carnitas tacos. I'm not a cilantro fan (yes, I'm one of those), but that got picked off easily so I could enjoy the rest. 

And also, a unique taco - the roasted butternut squash (left) - and some tasty beer-battered shrimp! I love anything, anything shrimp and this was no exception. I've never had a taco with butternut squash before and thought it was great. Probably an attractive menu item for vegetarians, too! 

Remember how we were full pre-tacos? And then made room? We were put in that position once again when they insisted we try dessert. I can't say I regret it -- because dessert was churro bites covered in powdered sugar with an exquisite caramel dipping sauce.

So yeah, we found a way. Kudos to their Executive Chef, Eddie Garcia. Garcia discovered his passion for cooking in his adolescent years, having the privilege of being raised within the rich and deep-rooted history of Mexican culture. More specifically, and surprisingly, Garcia draws much of his inspiration from the common cultural tradition of traditional Aztec dancing to this very day, paying homage to his biological roots and utilizing a wide range of techniques that parallel his ancestor's cultural tradition of Aztec dancing in order to help curate an innovative and loving menu that is unlike any other. As such, each dish has its own unique story and includes pieces of history that have been passed down for many generations, helping capture the essence of the most exotic family traditions and intertwining them to create signature dishes that are undeniably one-of-a-kind and cannot be found elsewhere.

All in all, with a culinary style that stems from the finest cultural traditions, the signature dishes at Cocina Condesa are sure to provide unforgettable experiences. And it's good I brought a friend. Not just to share the food with but so she could roll me out to the valet parking stand after the meal and hold onto me while we waited an absurd amount of time for our cars. The evening was lovely though and getting some fresh air, making friends with other people waiting, and recollecting the amazing meal we just had certainly didn't feel like a blight on the whole outing so no harm, no foul, I suppose. 

There's really nothing else like Cocina Condesa nearby so it's a welcome addition to the Ventura Blvd. family. Great food, great space, great service. It's a fantastic venue for parties big and small. 

P.S. They have brunch. So you know I gotta be trying that soon.  

MORE:

• Visit their website.
• Like them on Facebook.
• Follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
• Street parking stinks in the area - you're probably gonna have to valet, so just be prepared for that wait.