Cooks County: Brunch For Five

Waking up on a Saturday morning always brings about feelings of excitement. It's the first day of the weekend - what shall we do? 

Brunch, of course! 

My father mysteriously texted me, "Reservations at noon." We were to meet at my apartment to find out where our Saturday eats were about to take place. Heading down Beverly with empty stomachs, I was happy to feel the car slow down at Cooks County. What followed was a beyond-delicious meal filled with BLT's, baked pancakes and pastries.

This baked pancake was to die for. Each bite was cripsy on the outside and soft and doughnut-like on the inside. Did I just say doughnut? Yes, I did. Who wouldn't want a plate-sized doughnut? This also came with blueberry compote (not pictured) which at the end of the meal, I was eating with a spoon. Never be wasteful...

Fried eggs are a brunch standard, but fried eggs with perfectly-seasons chickpeas, yogurt, harissa and a slice of olive toast - not so standard.

 [Ham & Cheese Scramble]

My father had a little discussion with the waiter before he ordered his BLT. He made him aware of his frustration of ordering BLT's at restaurants where the B is missing and you end up eating an LT sandwich. It's a valid point because really, who wants to eat lettuce and tomato on bread - boring! You need the star of the sandwich to be plentiful. After being assured that a generous portion of bacon would be included, he happily ordered the BLT - and threw in some avocado 'cause everything is better with a little avocado, right?

 [Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit]

[Pastries - Jelly Donut, Ginger Scone, Biscuit & Raspberry Muffin]

 {We obviously hated all of them...]

 [Some fancy fancy beer]

 [Inside of the restaurant]

Cooks County did not disappoint and just might become a new brunch staple for my family. Not only were our meals delicious, but the fresh ingredients and innovations were not lost amongst our minds and taste buds. After my sister told the waiter how much she enjoyed the iced tea he offered to give her a to-go cup. 5 stars for you, sir!

8009 Beverly Blvd.   Los Angeles, CA   90048   (323) 653-8009

www.cookscountyrestaurant.com

Beer Belly: Not For the Faint of Stomach

As an avid Food Network-watcher, there are a few restaurants that I see repeated across shows - Beer Belly was one of them. I was glued to the screen watching them prepare duck fat fries with duck confit and a grilled cheese that looked like it could kill a man, and knew it was a sign from the food gods above when I heard that this majestic restaurant was in Los Angeles, my hometown...

I had to go.

It was a family affair - I dragged along my parents, sister and my boyfriend. Everything on the menu looked delicious, but we decided on the duck fat fries, grilled cheese, housemade beer & cheese brat, fried chicken, duck french dip and fried Oreos for dessert. Okay - that actually sounds like a serious amount of food, and in truth - it was! This is a restaurant where one could be wheeled out and not feel one ounce of shame. Every dish was heavy, rich and downright tasty. If you are on a diet, steer clear of this establishment. Or, go anyways and relish that cheat day... it's totally worth it.

Beer Belly is in a funky location. It's right in the middle of K-Town on Western...not easily seen by the street. It's pushed back in this parking lot, but if you're hungry enough, you'll spot it - don't worry. See that "Park" sign pointing to the right? Yeah, that's no joke. The parking lot in front of their own restaurant is not for them. Bizarre, I know.

 [The Duck French Dip]

 [Housemade Beef & Cheese Brat]

 [Buttermilk Fried Chicken]

[The Beer Belly Grilled Cheese]

 [Death by Duck]

 [Deep Fried Oreos]

[These Deserve a Close Up]

This particular day boasted a warm temp of 90+ degrees. Here's a little tip - they don't have air conditioning. It wasn't unbearable, but I would have enjoyed devouring my grilled cheese a little more with some artificial cold air pumping through the restaurant. Good thing LA has about 2 days a year of this ridiculous heat. Come fall, guess who will be knockin' on their door...

532 S. Western Ave.   Los Angeles, CA    (213) 387-2337  
www.beerbellyla.com

Birthday Dinner: Top Round Roast Beef

Birthdays have lost a certain magic ever since themed parties and goodie bags ceased to exist. While my childhood was filled with Wizard of Oz and Barbie-themed parties, my early-twenties life has replaced those with long nights out of drinking and dancing. In a sense there were still goodie bags - wait, I don't think leftover cake or extra alcohol constitutes as proper takeaways. 

This year I turned 26 - ah...so old! Instead of gathering the troops for a night on the town, I opted for a quiet night out to dinner with my boyfriend. My mom and sister don't eat meat, so when I scoped out Top Round on a fellow foodie website, I knew I was going to have a difficult time convincing my family to join me. But hey, they can stay at home. On the day of my birth, a day when I get to make all decisions, I didn't ask, I told my boyfriend that we were going. He happily obliged. The menu consists of three things: roast beef sandwiches, curly fries and frozen custard. As I sat on the corner of La Brea & Olympic enjoying my food I thought to myself, 26 ain't so bad...

 [Top Round]

 [Outside View]

 [Delicious Menu]

 [Ordering Window]

 [Old-Fashioned Tables]

 [Our Meals]

 [Close Up of the Beef & Cheese]

 [Close Up of the Black & Blue]

[Frozen Custard]

1000 S. La Brea Ave   Los Angeles, CA 90019   (323) 549-9445   

www.eattopround.com

Girls Night In: Girls Night Out

Because our girls night was so overdue, I decided to go all out. That meant treats and drinks for all! I hit up my trusty Pinterest page and found some recipes I had been wanting to try for some time. First up was cookie dough dip with vanilla wafers...um yes, that's all I'll say about that. I had a hard time not eating the whole bowl when I was making it and seriously considered saying I screwed up the recipe and had to throw it away. However, I had already told my friend I was making it so the absence of this obviously delicious dish would have been blatantly obvious. Trapped, I wrapped the bowl in some foil and shoved it in the fridge before any more damage was done. 

Next up was some crostini with gorgonzola, honey and peaches. Super easy, super delicious -- all eaten up. Lastly was the garlic and pine nut hummus. Okay okay, I won't even try to pretend that I whipped out my food processor and can of chickpeas for this dish. I hit up Ralph's for some pre-packaged hummus and "everything" flavored pretzel thins--so sue me. 

For drinks, I concocted a summery cocktail which was vodka, strawberry peach juice and a splash of sparking water, all situated in some small mason jars with a fresh strawberry garnish. Ate, drank, chatted, laughed, danced, went to bed at 3am...

Success.

[Cookie Dough Dip]

[Cookie Dough Dip With Nilla Wafers]

[Peach & Gorgonzola Crostini]

[Close Up]

[Pine Nut Hummus & Pretzel Thins]

[Table Set Up]

Backyard Adventures: Fruits & Flowers

Sometimes it's fun to go in your own backyard and explore. Nothing better than using fresh fruit, vegetables or herbs for your dishes.

 [Strawberries]

 [Cherry Tomatoes]

 [Pomegranate]

 [Orange Flowers]

[Apples]

Arugula Salad: Summertime Dinner

What is it about summer that makes you want to eat cold, fresh vegetables? Wait-is that something only I feel? Nah...there must be others who want to escape the summer heat and bite into something cool and refreshing. 

As a self-proclaimed junk-food junkie it might seem weird that I'm obsessed with a salad but it is so - I truly love this salad. I won't even bother writing out this recipe because it is so simple. All you need to do is mix together some olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan cheese and then toss it with some fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes et voila! Eat your heart out salad-lovers...this meal is bound to make you forget about french fries and start dreaming of leafy greens. 

Exaggeration? I think not. 

Superba Snack Bar: Venice Eatery Extraordinaire

I hate to admit that I am a creature of habit. Sometimes, I need to be coaxed into trying new things -and new restaurants. Here's the thing - I like what I like, and when given the option to choose a restaurant, why not choose the one that houses my fave dishes? Well, that was my theory and I was stickin' to it, but after my "superb" experience at Superba, I just might have to start expanding my horizons more often. 

If you live inVenice or a nearby area, you have probably noticed how popular Rose Ave. has become. This relatively new restaurant adds to the bustling crowds and foot traffic with its unique food. While almost everything on the menu is delectable, there is one standout dish - the smoked bucatini carbonara. After you see the picture below, you might just find yourself driving down to Rose Ave. I'm about to...

533 Rose Ave   Los Angeles, CA 90291   (310) 399-6400  
www.superbasnackbar.com