What I Ate Today :: The Tam O’Shanter :: Hidden Gem of Los Angeles

First of all, any place that has a name that begins with “The” is starting off on the right foot in my book.  Secondly, when you walk into The Tam you are immediately greeted by the nicest people in America.  It is as if they did their training at Disneyland and were hand plucked by the nice police to work the door.  Awesome.

{red phone booth for that authentic British feel}

What’s even better is the food.  The amazing “sandwich bar” has an array of traditional sandwiches ranging from roasted turkey to beef brisket.  The adorable sandwich chef works his knife like a wizard with a wand and carves the perfect sandwich with joy and glee.

My go-to favorite is the corned beef sandwich on rye.  While most people choose to get this magic sandwich only on St. Patty’s, for me, it melts in your mouth for days and the spicy mustard gives you the perfect spank of flavor.

{sandwich bar magic}

Furthermore, the many other reasons I love this gem are as follows: the prices {$11.50 for sandwich and sides}.  The atomsphere {think It’s a Small World gone Cheers}.  The folks working here wear traditional Scottish garb {adds to the old world vibe and you feel as if William Wallace is gonna show up and yell about freedom {in a totally non-threatening way}}.

And, lastly, the people who frequent this joint remind me of the rest of America that exists outside the bubble known as Los Angeles.

Are you sold yet?  See you at The Tam.

What I Ate Today :: LA Mill :: Best Coffee in Los Angeles

You know how there are thousands of places that hang a neon sign in their window and claim: World’s Best Coffee?  Well, LA Mill can actually make that claim but they are far too classy of a joint to hang such a sign.

This is one of my happy places in LA…actually in all the world.  Every time I go, I am greeted with Tiffany blue walls, lively wallpaper, and textured chairs that immediately remind me of my all too short time in Paris.  And who wouldn’t want to feel like they are spending an afternoon in Paris?!

{perfection in a coffee shop}

These folks are serious about coffee; their coffee, espresso and tea menu runs several pages deep.  My palate can’t help but gravitate toward the crème brûlée latte. Espresso with all the magic to give it that crunch and sweet vanilla essence…and that’s just one of their lattes.

{i ♥ you, LA Mill}

{they put ♥s on their drinks…um, amazing}

Their food menu is a lovely hybrid of Asian and French, my two favorite fares.  For breakfast, I am in love with their Dungeness Crab scramble.  For lunch, try the Jambon de Paris au Beurre Sale.  You will be transported to Paris immediately.

For dinner, I would push people into the street for their Arctic Char.  I am gonna say it: the best fish dish I have ever had. The flavors jump out at you and punch your asleep-until-now taste buds around.

Lastly, not to be missed are their House-Made Brioche Doughnut Holes {be sure to get the side of vanilla cream}.  Donut holes lightly covered in powered sugar {think beignets}.

While the service is kinda spotty, who cares?!  When surrounded by such awesomeness on every other level, my serotonin levels are through the roof!

Make sure as you are leaving with your coffee in hand to say “sayonjour” to the staff for me {hybrid of sayonara and bonjour}!

What I Ate Today :: Delilah Bakery

My neighborhood jam is without a doubt, Delilah Bakery.  Their baked goods had me hooked at first bite.  Furthermore, they have adorable down to a science.

{in a city where everyone is looking for an amazing red velvet cake/cupcake, Delilah hits the mark}

Upon arrival, the kitschy table dressings greet you in a vibrant fashion as if to say: “hello, friend.”  The parking is a bit of a pain.  As often as I come, I have never really scored pole position but that’s the LA way.  Circling until a spot is found.

Their prices are spot on and the cake is always moist.  The frosting.  Let me tell you about the frosting…it is the perfect amount of sweetness and butteriness {not a word, but you get the point}.

My favorite of theirs though is, without a doubt, their chocolate chip cookies with walnuts.  I am usually not a huge walnut fan but the cookie is lightly dusted with nuts and it is always cooked to perfection.  Chewy on the inside and a golden brown on the edges.

Delilah, you are a delight-ah.

What I Ate Today :: The Bazaar by José Andrés

I am calling it now: the best restaurant experience I have ever had.  Not only was the “molecular gastronomy” aspect second to none; the atmosphere, presentation, and shear taste of everything goes unrivaled in a town where amazing restaurants run rampant.

When you walk in, you are immediately greeted by an electronic host/butler dude and then you are whisked away to the saam part of the restaurant where cotton candy and foie gras dance in your mouth.  Just to be clear, it isn’t just cotton candy and just foie gras.  It is the two of them together.  On a stick.

{Also, be sure to get the Philly Cheese Steak and the Potato Foam, strange name for divine deliciousness!}

Lastly, much like Alice in Wonderland, you are taken over to the patisserie for dessert.  That’s right, they move you to a different part of the restaurant to close your meal.  Upon opening the menu, my heart skipped a beat as the list of desserts seemed too good to be true: Nitro Coconut Floating Island.  I don’t even know what half that meant but it was delicious.  The assortment of teas made this MadHatter begging for more.  How bazaar.

What I Ate Today :: Osteria La Buca

Once upon a time I used to think Italian food couldn’t get any better than Olive Garden.  I know, I know, but I was a college kid, what did I know?!  Although, they still have phenomenal bread sticks.

Unlike a lot of other actresses here in Los Angeles, I eat.  I eat a lot.  I eat a lot of carbs too.  And I don’t put too much of a restriction on what I eat, even though sometimes I know I really need to start.  I go in and out of being staunch about healthy foods being incorporated into my day-to-day diet.  Today was not one of those days.  What can I say except: I really love food.

I visited my favorite Italian joint in town that only a handful of Angelenos really know about: Osteria La Buca.  When you walk in, it is warm and inviting and the smell of fresh cooked bread wafts through the air.

My go-to-can’t-live-without item on their menu is the Pappardelle fumé, which consists of handmade inch-and-a-half-wide noodles in a tomato cream sauce basking in smoked mozzarella and bacon.  Um…what?!  That’s right: bacon.

My other favorite things about this joint is that the prices are just right and the wine list is right on time.  I found out about La Buca from a New Yorker who I was complaining to about not finding fantastic, authentic Italian that wasn’t a million dollars.  Dear random New Yorker dude, thank you…you changed my life and my taste buds forever.