The 3rd Stop: Birthday Part 5

The next day my boss took me out to the 3rd Stop for my birthday. I like the 3rd Stop...but I was hoping to go to an unmarked territory. 3rd Stop is the ideal bar/finger food restaurant that you go to after work where you can watch sports or chill outside. Boss likes their beer list, but I hate beer and always go for their sangria.

I started off with the spicy tuna tartar with wontons. I know, it was a weird choice, but it satisfied my fish craving. I do think if a restaurant can't make an edible spicy tuna tartar, then they should shut down.



I shared my mushroom & pepperoni pizza with my boss' daughter's fiance. My boss and his family are vegetarians. I am so happy that a meat eater is joining the family because now I don't feel the pressure to eat my entire meal.




As you can see, their pizza crusts are fairly thin (not as thin as Osteria La Buca though). I enjoyed the pizza and the company.

Address: 8636 W 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone#: (310) 273-3605
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Tommy's Original World Famous Hamburgers: Birthday Part 4

After a night of debauchery at the Association, the Golden Gopher Bar, and the Broadway Bar, it was time to soak in the alcohol with my very 1st Original Tommy's burger and chili cheese fries at the Original stand. At this point, I don't remembered much...but I must have loved it since I just found the messy food wrapper the next morning...I am amazed at myself that I managed to take photos of the evidence....super messy!





Address: 2575 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
Contact#: 213.389.9060
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Cole's: Birthday Part 3

After the Gorbals, we stumbled to Cole's since there was no dessert at the Gorbals. I've been to Cole's for dinner and let me just there is no comparison between Cole's French dip vs Philippe the Original; Cole's is way better! I find Philiippe's meat to be on the dry side and lacking flavor. I am a huge fan of Cole's bacon potato salad. I really enjoy their drinks. In the back there's the Varnish Bar; a very dark speakeasy bar with fancy drinks. I much prefer sitting at the bar upfront where there's light. I love their Cosmos, in which use gin instead of vodka, so watch out! They also have absinthe. I wasn't disappointed with their dessert either.

While Chrissy had Cole's French fries (yes, he was starving from Gorbal's overprice food for mini-midgets), I had the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, which made my night complete.



Happy Birthday to me!

Address: 118 East 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014-2006
Contact#(213) 622-4090
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THE GORBALS: Birthday Part 2

I was hoping to continue eating well on my birthday at the newly opened top chef Ilan Hall’s Gorbals…but fate reminded me that I was celebrating my “odd” years. Now one can say that I am being harsh as it was opening night but time have passed, and it’s clear the reviews are not positive.

Gorbals is located in the Alexandria Hotel, which desperately needs a face-lift. The restaurant’s interior matched the hotel. I haven’t been to Gorbals recently as they had shut down a few weeks after its open but I hope they fixed the floor. As you enter the bar is the to right and in the back you can dine and watch the chef cook up your meal.



I was considering bringing a bottle of wine but soon realized that we should have brought our own glass as you can see in the photo…don’t know they know the girl needs to get her drink?

I hope they improved their wine selections.

They were already 86 on a few items on their menu…luckily they had their talk about Bacon-Wrapped Matzo Balls w/horseradish mayonnaise.


I love bacon. I love matzo balls, but the combination just fell flat—maybe because it’s just not kosher?

The Rarebit with chicken egg was another disappointment. Again it lacked flavor.

The most appetizing dish was the Sheppard's Pie in potato with egg.


Our tab came out to $50. Portions are small; so don’t expect to be full when you finish. Do yourself a favor and head over to Cole’s instead.

Address: 501 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone#: (213) 488-3408
Rating: 2 out of 5
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Auntie Em's Kitchen : Birthday Part 1

This review is dedicated to Jane who inspired me to get back to blogging. Today’s date is November 18, 2009 but I am noting it under August 29, 2009. Now, it might not be kosher to write about one’s experience months later but fuck it, it’s my blog.

August 28th is the Hungry, Hungry, Hungry Hippo’s birthday. Yes it was my 31st birthday. Thirty-one…one…I am firm believer of not celebrating my “odd” years as something always seem to always go terribly wrong.

On my 7th birthday, I was roller-skating near a construction site and accidentally fell on a bunch of nails, giving myself 30 stitches. I was really happy becoming a woman and getting my period on my 15th birthday…I just wished I wasn’t in public wearing white…On my 29th birthday I lost what I thought was a good friend over…I have no clue what the issu(s) was/were as we were both highly intoxicated at a Kings of Leon concert. I’m not a fan of K of L.

All right, I lied about my 7th and 15th birthday. My parents were too damn cheap to celebrate my birthday, and that’s the honest truth. Well after organizing /participating all my friends’ birthdays, a raw dinner party the sheer idea of organizing my birthday, and spending so much money just made me cringed –let alone the omen over my “odd” years, I decided to play “sick,” well I mean I was sick…in case this gets to my company’s HR…

My good friend Chrissy would not leave me alone on my birthday and joined me on my quest to try Auntie Em’s Kitchen’s famous French toast and on our way we almost died three times…really.

Auntie Em’s Kitchen is the cute restaurant that you are thankful that you don’t live nearby because you would be 10lbs heavier in a week because we went to town on the French toast, Cajun turkey sausage and…the vegetarian breakfast sandwich (there is why it’s best to write up immediately).

We started w/ a cup of Intelligentsia coffee, my favorite because it’s the best coffee.

Their orange French toast topped with fresh fruit was amazing—it was worth being run down on the 2 freeway. I will let the picture speak for itself.

The vegetarian breakfast sandwich w/ sautéed mushrooms and tomato olive aioli put all breakfast sandwiches to shame
.

And of course I had to have some meat to complete my birthday breakfast. I had a big smile finishing their Cajun turkey sausage.


I so wanted to try their famous red velvet cupcake but it so bloody hot that day and I was also on a mission to eat at Gorbals later that night…

Address: 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone#: (323) 255-0800
Rating: 5 out of 5
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