A-Frame is A-OK

Last week I had the chance to finally visit the new A-Frame in Culver City. Created by Roy Choi, the man behind the Kogi Truck, A-Frame packs a Korean and Hawaiian punch with a side of comfort. Community tables, easy to share plates, and plastic dinnerware make this my new favorite homey spot. It doesn't hurt that they have great inventive dishes that keep your taste buds happy and surprised either. Good food, unpretentious, coo,l and open until 12am are all reasons enough to check out this refreshingly unique spot. I'll definitely be back to try their cracklin beer can chicken.

Furikake Kettle Corn = popcorn, corn pops, dried seaweed, sesame seeds, drizzled butter. Could have eaten 3 bowls of this.


Swordfish Brochette on tzatziki. Wasn't sure how I felt about seared swordfish beforehand, still not sure.


Their take on the "clam chowder". Similar to a green curry but one of the best damn chowders I've ever had.


Spicy Asian Baby Back Ribs with hoisin-chili glaze. Delicoius but spicy. Very spicy

A- Frame
12565 Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 398-7700
Spoondelicious Rating: 7.5 out of 10 spoons

Battle of the Banh Mi #1

Definition of Banh Mi: Vietnamese Baguette Sandwiches, most commonly filled with thinly sliced pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, chili peppers, mayonnaise, and various meat or tofu.

Competitors: Pho Lang Thang vs. Nom Nom Truck

Story: Ever since I tried my first Tofu Banh Mi at Pho Lang Thang in Cincinnati, I've been:

A) Craving it
B) Addicted
C) Wanting to see how LA compared.

So this week I decided to check out the Nom Nom truck...

Findings: Nom Nom's bread was great but there was hardly any delicious filling! Not only does Pho Lang Thang have great bread, they really know how to stuff their Banh Mi. They also use a delicious garlic sauce that makes it soooo delish!

Conclusion: Sorry Nom Nom but Pho Lang Thang killed it. So I'm still on the hunt for the best Banh Mi in the West. Let the battle continue...

Shout out: If your a foodie and find yourself in Cincy, check out Pho Lang Thang located in the bustling Findlay Market- Ohio's oldest public Market. It's authentic, delicious, and cheap.

Nom Nom Truck's Tofu Banh Mi

A Date With Myself / How To Spend Your Last Day On Earth

Once in a while I need a ME day. A day where I can do whatever I want, when I want and move as slowly as I like. A day with no set plans. No "meeting up". No one else to please. A day where I can be as selfish as I like. A day where I can be me. And what better time to do this than the "last day on earth?" (Which for those who didn't know, was last Saturday.)

Nervous, insecure to be alone? Rubbish! Follow these simple steps below and find out how rewarding a day alone can really be. Whether its the end of the world or not...

Start the day off with a workout followed by a juice or smoothy from my favorite Beverly Hills Juice Co. I suggest the coconut and carrot shake. Don't be surprised if you hear fellow customers calling this small juice shack "the best place in LA". It is.

Later, after soaking up some sun, check out the Beverly Hills Art Show. There are tons of talented artists to excite your senses ranging from jewelry to sculpture and paintings. Don't miss Thomas Barbey whose work will make you laugh, and ask the relevant question, "why are we here?"

Even though there is an abundance of food trucks at the art show, don't be tempted. Because one should enjoy a much grander last supper. I recommend a late lunch at Bouchon in Beverly Hills. Time your arrival so that the moment before the earth erupts into earthquakes, tsunamis and hot lava, you will be sitting at the bar, delicately enjoying a Fanny Bay oyster, with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Is there really a more perfect way to go?

While there, enjoy meeting other people who have also chosen Bouchon as their final destination. If by chance the world does not end, turn you late lunch into a dinner/ "We are still alive!" celebration with your new best friends. Spend roughly 6 hours eating, drinking and being merry. Get home a little tipsy, full of new hope & contemplation for the wonder of life, before passing out on the couch to pajama jeans infomercials.

Tangelo & Coconut Juice from Beverly Hills Juice Co.



The Beverly Hills Art Show



Heirloom tomatoes, burrata and arugula salad



The Bar at Bouchon

Bouchon Beverly Hills
235 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, California 90210
(310) 271-9910

Shuck It

Spring has sprung. And with it comes spoils. Oysters being one of my new favorites. A platter, a patio, 75 degrees and a bottle of white wine = perfection. One of the best places for such a day is Gjelina's in Venice. Trendy yet unpretentious, the real reason to come here is the food. And that's the way I like it. From squash blossom and burrata pizza to roasted heirloom cauliflowers, everything is done right. So unique. And did I mention I like their oysters? Thank goodness for those curious little guys.

New Find! My Favorite Sticky Balls

It all came about so unexpectedly. I believe it was a Saturday. I was strolling Main St. in Santa Monica, minding my own business, when the couple I had been eavesdropping on for 5 blocks about their explicit late night adventures came to a sudden and rude halt. Fortunately my grace and superb cat-like reflexes kept me from spilling my apple juice all over their backs. "Oooh lets go in here" said the blonde. Not wanting to miss the finale of the story I followed them in. So I stood in line, enthralled by the talk of who did what to whom, where and for how long. Just as the story ended and I was contemplating over the horror of it all, I heard a voice. "what?" I shouted. "what would you like?" said the cashier behind the counter.

And that's when I noticed that I was in the cutest little shop where they were serving rice balls wrapped in seaweed!

Well, technically they're called Omusubi (O-MOO-SU-BE) - Japanese rice balls with different fillings inside, wrapped with or without nori. I glanced up at the board which offered 7 options. Hmmmm, Tuna with Mayo, Miso Beef, or a more authentic choice such as the Hijiki, a mixture of seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, carrots with soy sauce. The cashier suggested I go with a beginners ball so I chose spicy salmon. I noted how small the place was, not even a chair to sit in, but that everything was fresh, made to order and created right in front of you. This I liked. Just before they handed over the warm sticky ball, they sprinkled it with a sesame and seaweed seasoning and wrapped it in dried nori. It was honestly one of the best things I've ever had and for $2.50 it made for a perfect mid day snack. I will 100% be back and next time I intend to try their frozen yogurt!

Sunny Blue

2728 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Neighborhood: Santa Monica

(310) 399-9030 Spoondleicious Rating: 5 out of 5