It’s not that I’m anti fake meat. I actually enjoy a good “chicken” mole or “B”LT once in awhile, and places like Flore and Cinnamon do the veg-meat thing really well. However, there’s a special place in my heart for Echo Park’s Elf Café, where whole foods are the focus of their all-vegetarian cuisine, and there’s no tofu, tempeh, or wheat meat to be seen…or tasted.

With a creative and drop-dead delicious menu, this tiny restaurant with no sign to speak of has become a mainstay on Sunset Blvd. since opening in 2006, and even carnivores like me lust after their eastern Mediterranean fare. There’s nothing I love more than introducing “I-have-to-eat-meat-every-meal” friends to this place and watching their looks of skepticism (read: complete and total resistance) turn into utter satisfaction.

The starters at Elf are very tempting, and I love going with a group in order to justify getting at least two. One must is the Labneh, which I’ve praised here before. The light, fluffy texture and tang of the goat yogurt cheese is the perfect match for the richness of the date and kalamata tapenade that sits atop it. Spread on the whole wheat pita with a bit of roasted garlic to punctuate it, this is exactly what I look for in an appetizer.

The Roasted Flatbread Shawarma, served open-faced and piled high, is also a good choice. The pita is firm enough to cut with a knife, but still soft and chewy. The hummus is spicy, though not oppressively so, with a thicker consistency than you’d expect. Oyster mushrooms and red cabbage salad top it off, making this a substantial dish—so much so that it can work as an entrée if you’re so inclined.

I tend to jump around when it comes to the entrées at Elf. On my most recent visit, I had the Braised Portobello Mushroom, stuffed with risotticelli, which the waitress informed me is a word invented by Elf head chef Scott Zwiezen to describe his savory mix of smokey mozzarella , grains and seasonal vegetables. As if that weren’t enough, there’s also garlic mashed potatoes and a toasty cheese crisps involved.

My dining companions chose the Spanikopita, which is served as a casserole rather than the usual square, and the decadent Savory Crepe and Chevre Butter (pictured at the top of the post). The two cheese-centric dishes are indicative of the dairy emphasis at Elf, but there are a few options that don’t fit the mold, including the Moroccan Vegetable Tagine, a hearty stew served over a red quinoa with a side of harissa. There are also some pretty serious salads to choose from.

Every dish at Elf possesses multi-faceted flavor—savory, sweet, and spicy always seem to make appearances along with richness and lightness that strike a delectable balance. Who needs meat or even a reasonable facsimile when you’ve got all that?

Note: It’s cash only and BYOB. Also, I highly recommend an reservation, thought if you have to wait, you can walk across the street for a glass of wine at City Sip.

-Valentina

Elf Cafe
2135 Sunset Blvd
(Map It)

My maiden voyage landed me in the Brentwood Country Mart. I’m not judging the whole neighborhood by one little shopping district, but this probably wasn’t the best entrée. While it’s a perfectly beautiful place—very peaceful, with lots of greenery and pony rides to boot—it just wasn’t my scene, and I quickly felt like a stranger in a strange land.  The stores were frightfully out of my price range, and the closest thing I could relate to was the taqueria in the middle of the shopping center.

Still, I knew I couldn’t let a cross-town drive be a complete bust, and I wasn’t hungry enough for a taco, so I began searching for the one thing fancy shopping districts are always sure to provide: fancy sweets.  And then, as if on cue, Café Luxxe came into view.  I knew from reading Food GPS that this teeny café serves up some serious coffee, so I figured some worthy pastry couldn’t be too far away.

I found something even better: picture-perfect French macarons. Score!  I chose lemon to go with my iced green tea (very nice).  It was so perfectly delicate with a meringue crust that crackled with every bite and bravely-tart jam center.  I savored it until the end, and when it was finished, I was ready to deal with the 10 again.

It just goes to show, a trip is never a waste if it ends with a good food experience.

–Valentina

P.S. I’m sure Brentwood has more to offer than one delicious macaron, so let me know what I’m missing.

Here’s what I read and liked this week:

• The Teenage Gluster writes from Puebla, Mexico and makes me want a Cemita in the worst way.

• Peanut Butter cookies, anyone? The Gastronomer shows us how to make some à la Bouchon.

• Street Gourmet LA illustrates the talent of Baja California’s best chefs in 39 dishes.

• Table Conversation tells us where to get the best shrimp taco, outside of Mazatlan. I was there for this taco, so I can vouch for the veracity of this claim.

• New beer store from the minds at Colorado Wine Company! The Eastsider has the sudsy details.

• In more drink news, Echo Park Now lists the best margaritas in the neighborhood. Cheers!

Have a great weekend, and eat good stuff!

–Valentina

I’ve never really been one for ice cream sandwiches. The traditional rectangular chocolate cookie/vanilla center version sold by ice cream men and lunch ladies is just too mushy for me—the ice cream always melts so quickly and that limp, cakey cookie gets cemented to the roof of your mouth. Not my idea of a good time. There is, of course, the more appealing Chipwich, but alas, the cookie is a little overpowering for my tastes.

This has been my sad ice cream sandwich reality for far too long, so I decided to find a solution. My vision: an ice cream sandwich with a crisp, not-too-sweet cookie that would complement any ice cream. Result: Success!

Here’s how I did it:

The cookies were the main issue. I needed one that wasn’t prone to sogginess and wouldn’t crumble under pressure. I also wanted the taste to be subtle, so that it could work with sherbet and more substantial textures. I was thinking that a Nilla Wafer flavor would be just the thing, so I followed the recipe for a homemade version from one of those Top Secret Recipes books—you can see the recipe here.

Instead of making little cookies, I shaped the dough into flat circles (with about a 3.5 inch diameter). My other alteration was that I used organic shortening to eliminate the partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

My first batch came out too thick, so I decided to roll out the dough, and used a cookie cutter. It was time consuming, but from that point on, the cookies came out looking and tasting perfect! Very similar to sugar cookies, but more vanilla-y and very sturdy.

To complete the dessert, I made a trip to Fosselman’s in Alhambra, home of the only ice cream that matters (excluding Thrifty’s, of course) I chose rocky road, black raspberry and orange juice sherbet. Then, I just added 1 big scoop of ice cream in between the cookies and, soon, I had mountains of ice cream sandwich perfection.

They were a big hit.

–Valentina

My dad invited me to this year’s Taste of East LA, and I’m glad I went.  The event is organized by the  East LA chamber of commerce to bring attention to local businesses. While it’s true that there are some obvious absences from this collection of the “best restaurants in East LA” and some strange inclusions (i.e. Coffee Bean and Juan Pollo), there were some great bites to be had while taking in good music and art.

To be honest, I actually had more stress-free fun here than at the recent LA Street Food Fest, where each tasting was separated by a 20-minute wait in line. Maybe it wasn’t the foodie event of the century, but vibe at the Taste of East LA was less competitive and the price was only $20 for a one shot at every booth, which garnered enough tasty food for two people. Plus, I even got to meet Lalo Alcaraz (see his “Tacos Sin Carne” print after the jump) of La Cucaracha fame.

Here’s what I ate and saw:

Fish Taco from Fish Taco Express

Pork Mole Sope from Moles La Tia

Taquito plate from Manny’s El Loco

Candy Apples from Que Delicious

Lalo Alcaraz and Self Help Graphics were both representing for street food community:

–Valentina

In a neighborhood known for its meat-centric cuisine, Highland Park’s Cinnamon definitely stands out. The vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant offers a large menu of Mexican favorites, including their much-celebrated “chicken” mole, burritos, pozole, sopes and homemade tamales. They also serve a bevy of salads, sandwiches and even a “shrimp” cocktail—all soy-, wheat-, or vegetable-based and completely meat free.

I’ve been a fan of this friendly little place for a while, and more often than is respectable, I find myself craving their delicious vegan pies. On my first visit, they gave me a sliver each of all four flavors: blueberry, keylime, chocolate and pumpkin. They knew what they were doing because ever since, I’ve been hopelessly addicted to these unbelievably creamy desserts.

Made in-house daily by Cinnamon’s chef Esperanza Cano (she runs the restaurant with her brother), these impeccable pies are sweet, but not too sweet, with a crumbly crust. The flavors are so authentic, without a hint of artificial flavor that plagues so many of even the most famous pies in town. I recommend taking a friend and sharing a slice of the rich, chocolate pie along with any of the others because the contrast is pretty spectacular.

All pies are $3.50 a slice or $25-30 for an entire pie (order a day in advance). A little pricey, but so worth it.

-Valentina

Cinnamon
5511 N. Figueroa St
Los Angeles

Sunset Junction just kind of happened to me this year. I almost never go for all the complainy reasons you can imagine, but this year, a friend gave us some free passes. That seemed like a good deal, so we hopped on the train to see what was doing in Silverlake.

We did go into the fest for a while and even watched a band. However, most of our time was spent recoiling from the sun (I was really getting used to this “no summer” scam we had going) indoors and in the company of good food and drinks, an action for which we have no regrets! In fact, I think this was the best Sunset Junction ever.

The Red Line stops at Sunset and Vermont, just a short walk to where the festival starts. The best part of the trek is that it put El Chavo in our path. We had to stop in. Their bar, in all its 1970s Mexican restaurant decor glory, is one of the best places to have a drink in LA, especially on a Sunday afternoon when the crowds are non-existent. The margaritas were strong, the salsa was hot and the somberos florescent. It’s just what we needed before stepping into the fest.

After about an hour of walking around, taking in some live music, and wondering who in their right mind would risk their lives on those rickety rides, we headed over to Cafe Stella for some (more) restoration. The French bistro fare offered at this smallish restaurant is always solid, and the atmosphere, which is low-key in the evening and lively at night, is usually what I’m in the mood for.

We grabbed one of the cozy little booths in the bar and started with the cheese plate. The star of the board was the stinky, gooey, orange-rinded Epoisses. Its saltiness and sheer power struck a perfect balance against the sweetness of the dried fruit and currants. The smoothness of the blue cheese was a dream, especially when it was spread on the crunchy crust of the bread.

Next came the gazpacho, which isn’t nearly as common as it should be on LA’s menus. A dollop of Burrata stood in for the more traditional sour cream, offering a new take on the summer soup. There’s really nothing like a soup-soaked-but-still-crunchy piece of bread topped with creamy Italian cheese. Refreshing and decadent.

In Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain says you should never order mussels in a restaurant unless you know the chef. When I found out why (I don’t want to discuss it, thanks), I decided to head the warning. Fortunately, I do know one of the chefs at Café Stella, my good friend Kevin McAfee, who was kind enough to send out a pot of gloriously plump mussels, served in a irresistible white wine, shallot and cream broth.

The “frites” part of the Moules Frites entrée is no afterthought. Thinly cut and sprinkled with white truffle oil, these french fries really complete the experience. And yes, of course, I soaked them in the mussel broth.

Thanks to Kevin for making us such a great meal. Honestly, if this is what I can expect, I think I’m going to start going to Sunset Junction every year.

–Valentina

Cafe Stella
3932 West Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles (Map it)

El Chavo
4441 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles (Map it)

I’m a big fan of Tes at Home , a super-inspiring food blog that focuses on (mostly) Thai home cooking. Almost every day, the lovely Tes teaches her dedicated readers (like me!) how to cook impressive-looking dishes, making every curry, rice dish, fritter and dessert look like a cinch.

Her recent post on coconut ice cream caught my attention because a.) it looked delicious and b.) she did it without an ice cream maker—I’m telling you, she’s a genius. I decided to try the technique, which required only a freezer, a blender, Tupperware, a whisk and a few easy-to-find ingredients.

In addition to coconut cream, sugar, corn flour, sugar and salt, I added a little nutmeg, which warmed up the flavor a bit. I also couldn’t resist throwing in some diced mangoes, and now I’m excited to it try pineapple. The result was a light, surprisingly creamy frozen treat with a natural coconut taste—none of the fakeness of a lot of similar store-bought ice creams. The toasted peanuts Tes suggests as a garnish, really made this one heck of an ice cream event! Plus, everyone was so dazzled—“Wait, you made this?”

My one suggestion would be to buy a can of coconut cream if you want the process to be quick. Personally, I enjoyed making the cream myself, but it took awhile, and opening up the coconut was no easy task. Either way, you have to try this recipe out. It’s delish.

–Valentina

A while back, a reader named Adrian tipped me off to “the best damn salsa and guac” he’d ever had. Naturally, I was intrigued and excited that such a find was available minutes from my house at Figueroa Produce in Highland Park.

Figueroa Produce is a great little market located in a strip mall at the corner of N. Figueroa and York. Dedicated to offering high-quality food at discounted prices to the local  community, they carry harder-to-find international food brands, dairy products, and snacks. Plus, their meat and deli sections include grass fed, organic and free-range options—I’ve heard amazing things about their carne asada.

Much less of a headache than Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

But onto the salsa and guacamole. I hear that the owner’s father comes in everyday to make fresh batches of each. It really shows. The salsa is full of tangy flavor, and the guacamole is equal parts smooth and chunky with a nice jalapeño kick. Yeah! Both were so fresh and went really well with my beloved tortilla chips from Superior Market, which also must be applauded because they are, hands down, the best store-bought chips in existence. Just look at them! I served the whole shebang at a recent party, and everyone was blown away.

Thanks to Adrian, and keep the tips coming!

–Valentina

Figueroa Market
6312 North Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90042

Disclaimer: This picture is awful, but it looks much more appetizing in person.

You might as well know right now, I didn’t get a huarache. Yes, I know, this place is called the El Huarachito, but I was craving Mexican breakfast, and the other diners were all eating delicious looking egg dishes. I would have been too jealous, even if the huarache was spectacular. And I’m sure it would have been, judging by what I did eat.

I went for the Chilaquiles Rojos con huevos, over easy. I’m not opposed to saucy chilaquiles, but I prefer them to be a bit dry and dark, so that you know the sauce has been thoroughly absorbed into the tortillas. This really allows all the flavors to be distinct, instead of everything just blending together in a big mushy mess. El Huarachito’s are pretty near perfect and the rest of the plate followed suit, including beans were too delicious not to have been refried in lard and potatoes that tasted like meat.

In a good way.

Josh got the Plato Compesino (pictured at the top of the post), which had all the things already mentioned, plus carne asada and a basket of handmade tortillas. The meat was well cooked, though a little over-salted, and the tortillas were thick and chewy–we spread some crema on the leftovers and rolled them up, just like when I was a kid.

My mom was impressed by the Machaca (eggs with shredded beef). She liked the crispiness/tenderness of the meat and the lack of soupiness: “I stopped ordering machaca at restaurants because it’s always so soggy,” she remarked as she savored her decidedly un-soggy breakfast and kindly allowed my fork to make repeated visits to her plate.

A word about the chips. I read some reviews saying they’re homemade, but these didn’t taste homemade to me. They were fine, just not homemade. It should also be noted that El Huacharito has a good selection of drinks, including aguas frescas (the pineapple is great and not overly sweet), Mexican Coke, Jarritos Mineragua, my personal favorite and easily the sharpest mineral water in the universe.

–Valentina

El Huarachito
3010 N Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90031
323. 223.0476