People in the know are aware that true and authentic Asian food in Los Angeles can only be found primarily in San Gabriel Valley as most new immigrants settle in the SGV and open up shop in close proximity to their homes. Newport Seafood embodies the melting pot of SGV in its menu which incorporates Chinese, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. Most of the clientele is of Asian descent and the many Asian dialects spoken within the restaurant are positive signs of a legitimate and successful Asian establishment.
Eight of us met up for this venture for what has now become our twice a year pilgrimage from the Westside. It takes anywhere from 30-65 minutes to drive to the restaurant so we try to plan our schedules sometimes a month or two ahead of time to ensure that a large enough group will be able to make the trek.
Newport Seafood should only be visited by those who truly love and appreciate the Asian culture, its culinary techniques as well as the flavors and traditions of Asian cuisine at its best. Those who mistake cheese for tofu or or those who are unaware that steamed rice is served in the red and black covered bowls should not bother visiting Newport Seafood as it is not for novices with inexperienced and unsophisticated palates. Friends who truly recognize and respect the time, effort and quality of the cooking technique and melding of flavors are the ones privileged enough to be invited to this sensational feast.
As usual, we began with the offerings from the cart.
The seaweed salad in sesame oil is always a refreshing start to the decadent meal. The slightly spiced sliced cucumber adds a bit of heat to the subtlety of the seaweed. Combined it checked off the salad component of the meal.
First to arrive was the crab and asparagus soup which had a slightly thick soy sauce broth with chunks of crab and white asparagus. It was hot, savory and delicious. The flavors were reminiscent of the traditional Chinese egg drop soup with a nod to Vietnam in the addition of the crab and white asparagus creating subtle layers of flavor.
The first entree served was the star of the dinner, the massive plate with the 6 lb lobster sitting atop a bed of egg noodles. The sheer grandness of the dish automatically set the stage for a celebratory meal. The sea of hands and fingers reaching for its claws and shells began at a slow and then increased to a rapid pace. There was no easy or dainty way to eat the lobster except to use fingers to pry off the piping hot, delicious, succulent meat from the shell. With the noodles resting underneath the lobster, the juices from the lobster were interwoven in between the strands which enhanced its umami flavor. Our server mentioned that they only use female lobsters as was evidenced by the roe sitting on the side of the platter. It had a dense texture with a mild but slightly bitter flavor though admittedly, it’s definitely an acquired taste.
We also ordered the fish with basil which was lightly breaded and subtly salted. It was a simple and light dish but had a great deal of depth with the basil adding a layer of slightly sweet and peppery flavor.
Next to arrive was the French Vietnamese fusion dish, the beef loc lac, which was amazingly tender and moist. The cook who prepared this dish wisely sliced the beef against the grain and cut them into small bite size pieces allowing the juiciness of the meat and the thick soy sauce gravy to fuse and get absorbed within each crevice of the meat.
The walnut shrimp was prepared similarly to the fish but was slightly sweeter and was prepared without a heavy sauce allowing the plump, moist shrimp to shine on its own.
Last to arrive was the yang chow fried rice which had petite pieces of BBQ pork, fried eggs and mixed vegetables. The rice was fluffy, not oily, perfectly cooked and was a very generous serving.
In the large expanse of Los Angeles and all the restaurant options it has to offer, Newport Seafood is one of the most delicious budget friendly options for large group dining. There is always a moment of silence when the food arrives as we sample and savor each sumptuous bite. All conversations cease, and we each silently enjoy each dish, appreciating and attempting to understand the complexities of the flavors. As we move on to each course and immerse ourselves in our own nirvana, we are whisked on a journey across Asia, with spices, flavors and techniques fusing each region’s history and traditions onto our plates.
Newport Seafood has masterfully created a diverse and expansive dining experience that cannot be replicated and stands head and shoulders above all Asian restaurants for its culinary expertise of southeast Asian cuisine. It is always an exceptional experience and should definitely not be missed by Asian foodie aficionados.
Newport Seafood
518 Las Tunas
San Gabriel, CA
Mastro’s Beverly Hills has been our special occasion dining restaurant for well over a decade. The service has always been exemplary, the location is ideal and the food is nothing short of amazing.
We decided to celebrate our anniversary two days early this year as it falls on a Monday.
Prior to our arrival, I contacted the restaurant to advise them that we were running about fifteen minutes late to which the hostess said would not be an issue and we would be seated in between the parties. When we arrived, all the seats at the bar were full and there were a few guests standing, waiting in the lobby. About ten minutes later, we were whisked to the second floor where we had requested to be seated so we could listen to the pianist and singer during our dinner. This particular evening, the set being played was quite lively and there was both a male and female singer which was a pleasant surprise.
We were welcomed by our server Keith who made the evening feel effortless.
The basket of bread arrived a few minutes after we were seated and drinks arrived less than five minutes after ordering.
Our Caesar salad was split and served shortly thereafter. Surprisingly, my favorite bread in the bread basket, the cheese crisp and the croutons in the salad were stale and lacked crunch. I made a point to mention it to the busboy and our server who thanked me for raising it so that the kitchen is aware and can test the bread being served to other guests during the evening.
Next to arrive were the sizzling 12 ounce filets immediately followed by several runners with each of our side dishes. The filets were cooked to a perfect medium, pink in the middle, so buttery and tender it seemed like you barely needed a knife to cut through it.
The Gorgonzola mashed potatoes were incredibly rich, the Alaskan King crab gnocchi was super decadent, the mushrooms were silky and savory. Each side was a very filling and divine accompaniment to the steak. Since the servings were so large, we opted to pack up the rest and eat it at home on our actual anniversary.
Our dinner ended with a beautiful pairing of both a slice of chocolate cake and butter cake on the house. We saved the chocolate cake but devoured the butter cake which was moist, slightly sweet and topped with a scoop of refreshing vanilla ice cream.
Our evening at the Beverly Hills Mastro’s was once again a spectacular experience, starting with the valet and all the way to the manager, Michael, who came by to ask how our evening was going and gave us his card for future visits. Though we have dined at other Mastros locations, specifically the Malibu and the Newport Beach restaurants, the service at the Beverly Hills location has always been top notch and beyond compare.
Mastro’s Steakhouse Beverly Hills will continue to be our special occasion restaurant for many more years to come.
Mastro’s Steakhouse Beverly Hills
246 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA
https://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/Locations/CA/Beverly-Hills-Steakhouse/
After a long work week, we were torn on whether to stay in on a Friday night and order delivery from one of our standbys, The Original Thai BBQ restaurant on Venice, or head out and experience a change of scenery. We opted for the latter but chose a place close by in downtown Culver City. A new restaurant opened fairly recently called Amacita. It sits where the former BacoShop had its two year residency. Over the last fifteen years, the space has had several other iterations including Santa Maria BBQ and coincidentally a different Thai BBQ restaurant.
When we arrived, the restaurant was full including its bar area. In the few times we ate at that location, we had never seen it at full capacity so that was a good omen. We ordered beer and wine and were served a basket of super crispy and addictive tortilla chips which was another point in the restaurant’s favor. Luckily, a table for two was leaving so we were seated inside fairly quickly.
We started with two crispy fried golden tacos with chicken which had the same crispy texture as the chips. It came with a huge dollop of crema, a pile of red cabbage and salsa. The chicken was perfectly moist and savory and each taco definitely had a generous helping of meat.
Next to arrive was the McGrath charcoal grilled baby corn with queso fresco and morita crema. The corn was smoky and the sauce added a layer of creaminess and tanginess. It was quite unique as they were petite baby corn and not the usual plate of corn kernels or an actual corn on the cob giving it a much more refined presentation.
Our last starter dish to arrive was a bowl of Weiser tiny russet potatoes with arbol chile cream, manchego, bacon and chives. That was the dish that made me do a double take and pay attention. All the flavors blended perfectly well and the texture of the potatoes weren’t too creamy but weren’t too roughly chopped either. It was somewhere in the middle so that you could taste the chunks of potato with the bites of bacon and chives subtly blending in.
Sadly, there was at least a 20 minute delay in between the starters and the main dishes so that was disappointing.
My husband ordered the mesquite grilled arbor shrimp in country Rhodes blistered tomatoes and tomatillo. It was delicious, savory, smoky and tender all at once with a subtle hint of tanginess.
I ordered the Peads & Barnett pork collar pibil with roasted pineapple and salsa verde. Sadly, it was inferior in comparison to the quality of the preceding dishes. The pork was dry and lacking in flavor. Unlike the three other dishes we ordered which had depth and complexity, the chunks of pork didn’t absorb any of the seasonings or the flavor of the sauces on top and around it. Somehow there was a strange delineation and separation which is indicative of the parts being cooked separately. Perhaps the pork should be marinaded in a lemon, lime or even grapefruit base to tenderize the meat and give it a bit more acidity in flavor. A bit of black pepper would also give it more depth.
Luckily, I mentioned my dissatisfaction to our busboy who must have said something to the manager as it was removed from our bill.
In addition, to apologize for the long delay, we were given a beautifully refreshing dessert on the house. It was a berry granita with peaches and cream which was a delicious way to end our Tex-Mex experience.
All in all, aside from a few hiccups which management acknowledged and corrected, it was a great dinner at Ama-cita. The presentation and flavors were polished and the vibe of the restaurant is a fantastic addition to bustling downtown Culver City. We will be back!
Ama-cita
9552 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA
https://www.ama-cita.com
Our first introduction to Wood & Vine came by way of friends who had a theatre subscription to the Pantages. They frequently ate dinner at the restaurant prior to the evening’s performance. My friend made a point of letting me know that their meal set-up was a great value and the food was actually quite good as well. I made a mental note to make reservations the next time we had theatre tickets.
The opportunity presented itself when the touring company for Miss Saigon announced it would have a short residency at the Pantages. As we had not seen the musical yet and I was offered presale tickets, it was an easy decision which was quickly followed by pre-theatre dinner booking at Wood & Vine though my Open Table app.
Last Saturday night we finally experienced both. Wood & Vine is conveniently located diagonally across the street from the Pantages. They had a few high tops and bar stools by the front, the upstairs dining room had a traditional dining set-up with several tables with quite a few more at the outdoor patio which had the added bonus of a large rectangular table set-up around a fire pit. We opted to sit inside right by the window adjacent to Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame.
Our first order of business was toasting the start of our evening and taking the obligatory photos of and with the Pantages sign.
Drinks were quickly followed by some very tasty appetizers which came in the form of Crispy Brussels Sprouts with a sherry dijon vinaigrette and Shells and Cheese with aged cheddar and a moderate topping of crumbled cheez-its.
The sprouts were savory and smoky all at once. It was a solid dish and a decent sized serving which seemed more plentiful than anticipated so we wisely asked for it to be packed up to take home with us after the show so that we could continue to enjoy what was yet to arrive.
We also opted to bring the mac & cheese home with us as it was quite filling and unique. It’s definitely a dish you want to try again on a different day to make sure that your taste buds weren’t misguided or possibly tainted by alcohol. The cheez-its added a layer of eclecticism to the dish and as strange as it might sound, the combination actually worked! It served as a nice crispy cheesy crust, much like breadcrumbs, on top of a smooth, silky, savory pasta but with a tangier and crunchier texture. It’s true ingenuity stemmed in childhood creature comforts.
As our friends previously mentioned, the dinner entrees were truly a great value. They had quite a few options but we opted for The New Standard which was a shareable platter with 2 short rib, brisket and chuck cheeseburgers and a side of delicious crispy fries. I opted for animal style and was quite happy with how simply it was prepared.
Having consumed a very filling meal, to stay awake during the performance, we ordered a French press coffee which was followed by two very decadent desserts.
We started with the butterscotch which was light and rich at the same time. The maple ice cream with the sprinkles of sweet thyme crumble gave it that a bit of crunch and savoriness.
We also had the dark chocolate cake which looked like a chocolate comet flying off the plate. It came with coffee ice cream and caramel tuile to give us the added boost of caffeine and sugar to keep us alert for the theatre experience.
We were so impressed with the quality and creativity of Wood & Vine’s offering as well as the impeccable service that we booked our next pre-theatre dinner after completing our meal. Our gracious hostess/server/manager, Adriana was kind enough to let us know that Pantages would not allow us to bring our leftovers so she offered to store our sprouts and pasta until after the show. That solidified our loyalty to her and the restaurant.
Once the performance was over, we returned and decided to have a nightcap outside on the patio. It was a very comfortable evening and we could feel a bit of a breeze as we sat and enjoyed our drinks underneath the night sky, listening to the laughter of the large group sitting close around the fire pit. Under the canopy of lights strung between the trees, the patio had quite a romantic glow and was a beautiful and peaceful way to end our evening.
We look forward to many delicious experiences at Wood & Vine in the very near future. It’s a fantastic pre and post-theatre choice as the prices are quite reasonable compared with its neighbors, APL and Katsuya.
Wood & Vine is a neighborhood find in the heart of eclectic and bustling Hollywood and Vine.
Wood & Vine
The Taft Building
6280 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
https://www.woodandvine.com
Grace Gambin
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