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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BARBRIX

I am finally writing about my dining experience at Barbrix (yes, I fudged the date)—that is the problem when you eat more than what you can write…the evening had started incredibly rocky.

I had made the reservation a week ago just to find my two friends and I to dine all the way in the back at the counter, sitting on the stools right in front where the chef cooks…now I normally don’t mind sitting in front of the chef but there were 3 people and it’s not sushi. The hostess attempted to fool us to thinking that was those were the best seats in the house, right by the chef…and next to the bathroom. No seat that is next to the bathroom is good. If looks could kill, mine certainly would; my evil glare went on autopilot. The hostess seated us outside, and at the time, Barbrix did not have outdoor heating lamps (they do now); we froze to death, but luckily they knew we were not happy campers as our teeth were chattering, and seated us at an inside table.

After five minutes, the owner came up to us, apologizing that we had to move as he had promised the table to a client. I believed all our jaws dropped. SO…we waited for a side table to clear up. The inside is a backward L-shape. At first we were annoyed that were seated at the side table (closer to the front) instead of the main area (the mid –“L” part) but then realized that it was best there as it’s SUPER LOUD inside. Do not take a date to Barbrix unless you are sitting outside. The hostess continued to dig herself in a deeper grave by saying, “we don’t have much option” (something along that line), as we would have had she placed a “reserve” sign on a table! The owner felt bad about our situation and treated us extremely well after we were seated –REALLY well, our jaws dropped even lower than the first time.

Enough about the huge hiccup and let me move on to the important stuff –the food and wine! The owner recommended the Qupe-Syrah, which was excellent—simple and smooth.


I heard about Barbrix through the Zagat. It had noted the owners are from La Terza and I was sold. I am in love with La Terza, which is now called Minestraio Trattoria. I have yet to try Minestraio Trattoria, but am confident that the food is just amazing as it was when it was La Terza. Unlike La Terza and Minestraio Trattoria, Barbrix is a wine tapas bar/restaurant. The portions are small reasonably priced and meant to be shared. That said, we ordered a lot—not every woman is on diet (ironically I am on a raw diet now…) and here are the dishes we had:

Deviled eggs: safe, nonetheless delicious

Spring faro salad: you must order it! love it!

Wild boar sausage w/ bean ragu & green apple mostarda: The sausages was not too spicy.

Prime skirt steak “tagliata” w/ arugula, parmegiano-reggiano, balsamico: good

Crispy grilled polenta w/ shitake mushrooms & creamy gorgonzola fonduta: another must order!
Roasted Alaskan halibut w/ fregola, leeks & asparagus w/ tomato-caper salsa: good –just remember halibut is not a flavorful fish

Burrata w/ eggplant caponata: another must order! the eggplant is not overpowering; I hate eggplant.

Monkfish w/out chorizo and tomatoey chickpea sauce: this dish was another surprise because I’m not a fan of chickpeas but find myself enjoying this dish

Shrimp and chickpea flour tortilla: I’m allergic to shrimp but my companions seemed to enjoy it.

Lemon torte: We were disappointed that they didn’t have a chocolate dessert, the lemon torte suffice our sweet tooth. It wasn’t too “lemony.”

Adria’s Favorite Ginger Shortcakes: My companions liked this dessert more; I just not a fan of ginger.

Despite the gad awful start, the food won us all and the service was stellar after we finally reached our final destination. We will be back very soon.

Address: 2442 Hyperion Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone#: (323) 662-2442
Rating: 4 out of 5

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COLORADO WINE COMPANY

Jesus is a wino.

It’s true. His parables are about wine and he likes to turn water into wine. I wished I had that gift…I thought it was very fitting to go wine tasting at Colorado Wine Company in celebrating Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday with a couple of my friends. Every Sundays CWC has a lazy Sunday wine tasting from 1 to 4pm, but might extend pending on number of tasters for $12/person. You get to try four bottles of whatever they feel like, and that’s why they called it a “lazy” Sunday.

If you’re a KCRW member, you get 10% off the wine tasting and on any purchases. Once you pay up front, in the store area, you pick up an animal as proof of payment and head back to the small bar area in the back where the wine tasting is held.

I couldn't find a hippo, so I had to settle for a cow..

The space is smaller than 55 Degrees. Crackers, cheese and fruit is prepared by Auntie Em's Kitchen. Auntie Em knows how to pick her cheese! Delicious!

We started with the Sensation Fournier Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Loire, France ($12.99/btl); I forgot to take a picture of that bottle.

Next up, the Veit Piesporter Spatlese Riesling 2007, Masel, Germany ($21.99/btl).

Muga Seleccion Especial Rioja 2004, Rioja, Spain ($45.99/btl).

Alcione Aglianico 2004, Puglia, Italy ($17.99 btl).



Drew our host was great; he let us also sampled two other wine from the other night. I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy for any of the wine we tried… my other friends enjoyed some of the wines. I’m picky. Actually, I do recall the riesling. My friend said it's more of a German riesling where it's sweet. I normally hate riesling for that reason, but what's different is that it has a bitter finish to offset the sweetness. I hope my three purchased bottles that the staff recommended are good…I bought a CWC gift card when KCRW was doing its fundraising drive.

I’ll have to come back and try their wine tasting on Wednesday. They don’t offer cheese that day, but you can order a slice of pizza from Brownstone Pizzeria (a few doors down from CWC).

Address: 2114 Colorado Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone#: (323) 478-1985
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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CORKBAR

Corkbar is a newly opened expensive wine bar near the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Came here with other hungry, hungry, hungry and thirsty hippos who have waddled very far their food/wine tasting at a bargain price of $30.

It was a bit of struggle getting there as a film was shooting in the area, but luckily I wasn’t the only one late and had also scored on metered parking (free on Sundays). The interior is spacious with its high ceiling..causing it to get really loud...

They have a nice outdoor patio section. Corkbar kind of reminds me of the Embarcadero area in San Francisco..without the Bay.

Like the Downtown Standard, they have a communal sink in the bathroom area. Ladies best to keep a mirror pocket if you don't want to do your make up in front of the boys.

Once the herd was rounded up, we indulged into the five California wines with its food pairing, but not so fast, as our first two appetizers had olives in them, and I hate olives.



However, to my surprise, the lemon juice in the green olive tapenade and the 2008 Brander Sauvignon Blanc from Santa Barbara went well together.

Corkbar knows how to pair their food with the wine because I didn’t gag when I tried the black olive tapenede with the 2007 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir.

Our next pairing was the 2006 Keenan Chardonnay with the parmesan risotto.

Corkbar was kind enough to accommodate my food allergies as everyone else had shrimp risotto (normally priced at $14).

Their risotto was heaven!

The entrée just got better with their mac & cheese (normally priced at $10) and 2006 Ethan Sangiovese Syrah. Corkbar’s mac & cheese was absolutely divine and you must order it if you are ever here.

Our last wine was the 2005 Richard Partridge Cabernet Sauvignon paired with the short ribs and polenta (normally priced at $18), which was a bit salty but the Cab helped smoothed out the taste.



Our waiter risked his life and gave us another pour of the Sauvignon Blanc –my favorite. The portions were just right so we could also order dessert. We went with the banana bread pudding.

Everyone loved it…but the texture was too much like oatmeal to meal; I hate oatmeal. The owner was nice enough to comp our dessert.

Overall, we had a blast, and I will definitely be back for their mac & cheese!


Address: 403 W 12th Street Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone#: (213) 746-0050
Rating: 5 out of 5

BACARO L.A.

Dear Winos,

If you haven't tried Bacaro LA yet, then GO!!!!!! Bacaro is such a cute place for people like us to relax and drink us silly in wine. It's best you go in groups of 4 because the tables are REALLY small. The "bottles" ceiling is cool; it's too bad it didn't hide the fluorescent lights...nonetheless, this wine bar is adorable.

They have a great wine selection. Wine that I've never heard of...but then again I just like to drink and I don't really pay attention to the labels. Santos (I think...) helped me out me with my wine. The Ochoa, Viura & Chardonnay was light and dry, but still tasted like Chardonnay...Santos 2nd suggestion, the White Burgundy (the only w.b. by the glass) was much better.

If you are hungry or need substance to sober up, they have an excellent food selection, offering (3) small plates for $19 or $7 each. Santos suggested 3 plates per person. I was hoping he was wrong as I shared my meal with my cos, but he was right and we opted for the Grilled Panini w/ham, cheddar & tomato as our 4th dish. OMG, we should have ordered the Grilled Panini because that tipped us over and had absolutely no room for dessert. You get (2) Paninis with that order. Their burger was delicious!

You will add 5 lbs eating their burger -don't let the size fool you. I also enjoyed their Roasted Beets.

The Caprese salad was average. You might need to ask for water twice...

I spent a total of $37 including tax & tip. Overall, we had a great time and you will too!

Sincerely,

Hippo the Wino

Address: 2308 S Union Ave Los Angeles, CA 90007

Phone#:(213) 748-7205

Rating: 4 out of 5

Photo credit: Bacaro L.A. (top photo only)

BLUE DAHLIA CAFE

Hmm...guess I should have ordered the burger even if I wasn't in the mood for burgers...

Tonight was one of those nights where you're driving forever trying to figure out what to eat. We head to Philippe's for its 100th Birthday around 7pm, but woahhhh that line was a bit too long for us. So we find ourselves in Chinatown which bf made a quick pass on Chinese. I recalled reading reviews on the Tiara Cafe, so we headed there just to find out that it was closed...even thought it's supposed to be open from 5:30pm-10pm on Mondays. And then I remembered the good reviews at Blue Dahlia Cafe. The restaurant was deserted in the front --we were worried that it was closed too, but then I remembered the photos of the back patio and was hoping patrons were in the back...yes, we weren't the only people there.

We ordered the Quattro Panini, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto & Peperonata Panini, and the Prosciutto & fig bruschetta. The paninis came with salad. The Paninis were ok -- no wow factor like Froma's paninis.
I think there was only one waiter there (he was also the bus boy) and the problem with that is s/he needs to be always in the front and act as a Host as well (I wonder if he was also the chef...), consequently making the service slow, lacking attention --like when our water/ice tea should been refilled.

I won't be coming back any time soon unless I am in mood to try their hamburger.

Address: 738 E 3rd StLos Angeles, CA 90013
Phone#:(213) 613-0621
Rating: 2.7 out of 5

Photo credits: Soo L.

LOU

I don't get it, maybe we orderd the wrong thing at Lou or it was probably because I was sobered...oh wait, I had one glass of wine, so yeah I was sobered, but I was not impressed with Lou.

We had...

Pig candy (carmelized bacon..I think..yeah, dont' get too excited)
Olives and candied almonds (nothing unique)

Sweet corn & avocado soup (yum!, my favorite)

Macaroni & cheese (not bad, top slightly crunchy, filling)
Niman flat iron steak, bistro potatoes, and wild arugula (ok)

It is a cute restaurant for what it is --at a strip mall --you can do your laundry next door. We went there around 9ish, and the place was full. I like how they have tasting prices, so if I had to go back, I would just have some cheeses and sample more of their red wines (if you're a pinot grigio drinker --don't try their white wines, go for their reds).

Address: 724 Vine StLos Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: (323) 962-6369
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Photo credits: Eli G.

BAR PINTXO

1 star because Bar Pintxo have good wine.

What was supposed to be a "20 minute wait," turned into a 45 minute wait, and had the hostess said it was going to be a 45 min wait, I would have dined elsewhere. Now, that's not why I'm giving a poor rating; I don't believe in giving a restaurant a 1 star if I have to wait for ever (after all, if there are that many people waiting, the food must be good). I WILL give a 1 star when people who are AFTER me on the wait list are seated BEFORE me. 3 couples who were after me, were seated before me. WHAT THE HELL IS THE WAIT LIST FOR? When I was finally seated, the guy who signed up after me FINISHED his meal, and when I complained to the hostess, her explanation was that area was not really an eating area (which seemed like a total lie because a couple before me was there....). Don't you think I would rather be seated instead of waiting for 45 minutes? I mean there's no real good seating section (it's tiny, packed like sardines). Furthermore, the hostess was offering some people who have been waiting only a fraction of my waiting time. Hello? Where's my wine???

Enough about me ranting and raving about my horrible experience with the hostess; let's talk about the food now. In a nutshell, the food looks better than how it tastes...

Chorizo & fried quail eggs: It was served on cold BURNT toast...who eats charcoal? cold dish.
Esparragos blancos con romesco: don't order it. cold dish.
Crimini mushroom jamon & diced vegetables: 2nd best dish
Dates wrapped in bacon with cabrales cheese: This was the best item out of the 6 dishes, but bacon could have been crispier. cold dish.
Tortilla Espanola: It's more like a quiche. Very rich. actually a warm dish.
Croquetas de Pollo y Jamon: disappointing

I won't be coming back here.

Address: 109 Santa Monica Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90407
Phone#: (310) 458-2012
Rating: 1 out of 5

VINUM POPULI

I really want to rate V.P. higer because it's a neat idea to pay wine by the ounces, but their white wine selections suck. I'll have to try the red wines next time. If you don't spend all your money on the card, you don't have to worry as it won't expire. The pinot grigio at Ugo (next door) tastes better --albeit on the sweet side.

**Note, when you call up Vinum Populi, it's Ugo, so when you're looking for the building number, just go to Ugo.

Address: 3865 Cardiff AvenueCulver City, CA 90232
Phone#: (310) 204-5645
Rating: 3 out o f 5

Update 3/16/09: R.I.P. - It's closed.

AOC

I was expecting the restaurant to have a better white wine selection since AOC is known to be a great wine bar/restaurant, but after the third wine test, I decided to stick to my first glass. The bartender was very nice and patient --no attitude. Hence the 4-star, not a 3.5 star. My friend and I ordered four dishes, and the only dish that wow'd me was the egg & proscuiotto sandwich--heaven.

Address: 8022 W 3rd StLos Angeles, CA 90048
Phone#: (323) 653-6359
Rating: 3 out of 5