Wally's Cheese Box

Located just north of Olympic and Westwood sits Wally's Wine & Spirits. Little did people know, they actually have a store devoted to fine cheeses and chacuteries, and they even make sandwiches upon request. While their menu is only made up of seven different combinations of sandwiches, they are of the highest of quality. During my last dining experience at Wally's, I ordered a grilled cheese which consisted of layers upon layers of gruyere and emmental cheese, which was then smushed together with two slices of brioche. While the cheeses may have been great, I felt as though the sandwich could have used a little something extra, possibly some mustard. The presentation was sub-par, but the overall sandwich was quite tasty. I actually preferred my father's selection for his meal, which was a grilled ham and cheese which was then lathered with spicy dijon mustard. I had to say the mustard essentially did it for me and my father. I strongly suggest going to Wally's for all of one's culinary needs. Their wide variety of cheeses and meats is spectacular, and I do not know other places in Los Angeles which live up their name.

Tatsu Ramen

​Over the past couple of years, Sawtelle boulevard has seen a drastic change from old and crummy to young and happening. The recent addition of many top quality restaurants have motivated many top food connoisseurs to get a chance to try some one of a kind dishes. This newly developed area of Los Angeles has been coined “Little Tokyo” due its large concentration of Asian restaurants. While a plurality of the restaurants are of Asian cuisine, Sawtelle boulevard is home to other high quality cuisines, such as Italian and American. Plan Check is home to one of the best burgers in Los Angeles, and Flores carries some of the most unique Spanish and Italian meats in the world. Sawtelle is a great destination for “foodies” because it combines dozens of cultures and nationalities around the world into a square mile radius. If anyone is looking for some top-notch ramen, Sawtelle boulevard is the place to be. People claim that these restaurants whip up some of the best ramen outside of Japan. While all of these restaurants are unique, I feel as though Tatsu Ramen sticks out among the pack. The combination of unique spices create one of a kind seasonings for the soup, which triggered senses in my tongue I never knew existed. The goal of Tatsu Ramen is to get as many people in and out who are satisfied with their meals. Instead of paying after the meal,  Tatsu Ramen has set up a display of iPads so that the customers may order as they please in an orderly fashion. The restaurant does a great job at pleasing the hungry customers, as the wait is usually no longer than fifteen minutes. I ordered their signature dish, the Soul Ramen, which consists of a Tonkotsu Broth, mixed with black garlic oil and Umami sauce. While the dish may have been quite rich, there was no lack of flavor. The broth was wonderful, and when mixed with the noodles, it was heavenly. Overall I was quite satisfied with my meal, but I wish there were a few more tables at the restaurant. While  I was dining outside, it seemed as they the people waiting to get a table were cramming around myself. I consistently was getting a little nudge from behind, but besides that Tatsu Ramen recieved an 7.75/10 on the Conch Scale.

Bucato

Well it is official, the hipsters have taken over Culver City and transformed it in ways the public would have never expected. At the original site of Helms Bakery, which is located at Venice and Helms, restaurant owners have began to open up new restaurants to the public. About four years ago, the city of Culver City closed off this intersection so that no vehicles would be able to come through. Since then, there has been a spark of new restaurants at the point of interest. There is Father's Office, which is a bar which supposodly whips up one of the best burgers around town. Unfortunetly, for you minors, the restaurant does not cater to those under the age of twenty-one to enter the premises. If anyone is looking for a top-notch dog, I highly suggest trying Let's Be Frank, whose headquarters are located in the heart of Los Angeles. Their grass fed beff hot dogs are some of the best hot dogs I have ever had to chance to try. While all of these restaurants are unique in each of their own ways, I devoted this blog to discuss a recently opened Italian restaurant known as Bucato. After apporximetly a year of construction, Bucato opened it's doors to public on August 1st. After eating at many of the other fantastic restaurants on this street, I would always say to myself that I wanted to eat there, but I never made much of an effort to try and get in. My father and I were home on a Friday night and had no idea where we wanted to dine, until he came up with the brilliant idea to try Bucato for the first time. Walking into the restaurant, I was not sure what to expect in terms of quality of food, but by the end of my meal, I certainly knew I was willing to come back in a heartbeat. Having a quality waiter or waitress is key to having a one of a meal. After striking conversation with our bartender, he shared with us his favorites on the menu. We began our meal with freshly made Italian garlic bread, which was mixed with the two greatest items, garlic and butter. As an appetizer, my father and I ordered their fried artichoke hearts, which I was a little hesitant to sample, but I enjoyed them quite frankly. We both decided to order two separate pastas, so we could each get a sense of the two. I ordered a rabbit ragu gnocchetti, which was topped which shredded cheese. For an entrée we ordered their one of a kind chicken, which was topped with just the right amount of salt to compliment the chicken. While I could not possibly fit another piece of food into my mouth, as soon as my eyes caught a glimpse of the dessert menu, my mouth was drooling. The meal was just a wonderful experience, and I plan to bring friends and family there as soon as I can. I decided to give Bucato a 9/10 on the Connor Scale, which is the highest score thus far. Bucato has satisfied my stomach beyond my expectations.

800 Degrees

Last night was another man-date with the my amigo, Cole. Where were two young teens going to go to dinner on a friday evening, well how about 800 degrees. 800 degrees is located in the heart of Westwood, where everyone breaths and bleeds blue. The restaurant has been a campus favorite for quite some time now and the lines are getting longer and longer as words spreads. Luckily, when Cole and I went, it was not that busy, so we did not have to wait in that long line going around the block. We both decided that we should each order a pizza, so then we would could each have some of each other's pizza. I decided to be traditional and order their marguerita pizza, while Cole chose to order a pesto pizza. The marguerita was topped with proscuitto and some parmesan, while the pesto pizza was topped with bacon. While both of the pizza's werre delicious I really felt the pesto pizza stood out. While I was not sure how the combination of pesto and bacon was going to taste, it was a taste I will never forget. I now really understand that bacon is good on anything, no matter what. The pesto compliments the cheese very well, while the bacon adds a sweet and salty taste. While their pizza's are one of a kind, what also grabs the attention of the consumer are their ridiculously low prices. The marguerita pizza, which is enough for two people, was $7, while the pesto pizza was a minimal $8. They run a tight business at 800 degrees, as people are served quickly, but with high quality food. The overall experience recieves a 8.25/10 on the Conch Scale.

Rivabella

Well time continues to past, and we continue to age. September 11th, I know, not the greatest day for our nation, but it is for to Moldo's, as it's Jordan's 22nd birthday. Everyone in the Moldo family, except the mother, loves Italian food, and when I say love, I mean I would do anything for risotto milanese. Rivabella, which sits at the intersection of Sunset blvd. and Doheny, is an Italian restaurant, owned by the Innovative Dining group, which owns other restaurants such as Chi-Lin and Boa Steakhouse. I began my dining experience with a traditional beef carpaccio, with shredded parmesan cheese on top. Beneath the steak, was an arugula salad. The beef was fresh and the combination of the meat and cheese is just wonderful. For my entrée, I ordered their seafood risotto with zucchini. I'm not the biggest fan of zucchini, so I kind've ate around it, and acted like it never existed. The shrimp was drenched with garlic and butter, and I loved it. The crab was fresh, but I ran into a little trouble getting it out of its shell. Risotto is always tasty, and I really do not need to describe it any further, because it is legendary. As everyone always says, dessert is a separate part of the stomach, and boy was I happy that it was, because I was so full after the rich risotto. For dessert, we shared a decadent chocolate mousse, with chocolate syrup drizzled on top. It was perfect to end the meal on a sweet note.

Conch Scale: 7.25/10

Westside Tavern (Westside Pavilion Mall)

Well the parents were out of the town for the weekend, you and I both know what that means, party!!! No, but seriously, Saturday night was a brotherly bonding night. The night tipped off with a lovely dining experience at the Westide Tavern and then a movie. Once again, I am writing about one of the best burgers in Los Angeles. Many of the burger restaurants which I have gone to, try to get fancy with their burger and I love it, but the Westside Tavern does not put anything fancy on it, nor do they lather it up with butter, rather is was just a good burger. Inside the mouthwatering burger is tillamook melted cheese, carmelized onions, arugula, garlic aioli, and for those who are are health fanatics, it's on a wheat bun. The combination of those sweet carmelized onions and the melted cheese is a taste that cannot be described in words. Arugula, I do not know why, always makes a burger taste better. By itself argula tastes like I just pulled a leaf from a tree and said "Eat it", but when it is cooked, the crunchiness makes the burger all the merrier. The restaurant was packed, and I mean packed, as I was sitting at my table, I'm pretty sure I felt two things touch me and it wasn't my brother. The burger is sold for a reasonable price of $12, and the service was quite satisfactory in all regards. After the quick dinner, we went to see the new Joseph Gordon-Levitt film, Don Jon, which was a great film for those of all ages. The movie was perfect for a night out with the big brother, and I learned many things about women that I did not know before...

Conch Rating: 7.8/10

Major League Madness

For my annual summer adventure I decided to go on a program which kids and adults dream about doing their whole lives, but never end up actually doing it. Over a course of three weeks, from July 8th to July 29th, my friend Jack and I travelled through the midwest and east coast visiting a majority of the MLB stadiums. As one travels through the cities, one gets an idea of the popular foods at each stadium. Whether I'm in Chicago, Baltimore, or even Detroit, each stadium had a different identity. My journey began in the windy city of Chicago. The first of eleven total games during my trip was played at Wrigley Field home of the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley was known for their Chicago dog, which consists of a sausage, caramelized onion, some greens, and some mustard. The dog was scrumptious, it tasted like no hot dog I had ever had before. The combination of the flavor of the sausage and the onions were mouthwatering. The second stop on my trip was in the city of Detroit. The Detroit Tigers home field is Comerica Park, which sits right in the city, adjacent to Ford FIeld. One of the members on my trip was a Detroit native, and suggested that if I was looking to get a taste of what Detroit is made of, then I should go to Leo's Coney Island Chili Dog. Though the service at the restaurant was not top-notch, the meal completly turned my frown upside down. The chili dog was just an average ordinary bun, a crunchy hot dog, some spicy chili, and little mustard to top it off. While I did have many quality meals on my trip, I would have to say I was most pleased with what I had at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. Food Network set up a little booth at the stadium, which allowed baseball fans to create any combination of hot dogs that they can think off. I got a hot dog on a bread roll with chili, frito's chips, mustard, and grilled onions. I was concerned I was not going to enjoy the frito's chips on the dog, but it just made it all the merrier. I left each city knowing that I got a good sense of what the most renowned baseball park foods are.