Restaurant Review #274: Blockheads, West LA, Sawtelle

Green tea snow cream with condensed milk drizzle, $4

So you know how sometimes shave ice isn't that satisfying because it's just ice with sugary syrup on it, and sometimes ice cream--well, there's never anything wrong with ice cream. But Blockheads has found a way to improve on both with something it calls "snow cream."

Blockheads usually has four snow cream flavors available, which you can pimp out with various drizzles like caramel, chocolate sauce, or sweetened condensed milk and toppings like mochi, sweetened red beans, or almond jelly. And if your tastes veer more American than Asian, there are chocolate chips, cookies and cream, or strawberries. One drizzle is included in the price; toppings are extra. A regular size is about $4, and a large is about $6.

I went to the one on Sawtelle in West LA. They open around lunchtime and close late. This place is popular, so don't count on getting a table or running in and out. The lines can get long--it takes longer to make a shaved snow than to pull the handle on a froyo machine or scoop an ice cream cone.

But it's worth the wait. I'll wait a good 30 minutes for this fluffy, sweet stuff. If you go easy on the toppings, it's the perfect light dessert after you've stuffed yourself silly with ramen or burgers or sushi.

Blockheads also has locations in Alhambra and Pasadena.

Blockheads
11311 Mississippi Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-8725
Blockheads website
Blockheads menu

Restaurant Review #257: Tsujita LA / Artisan Noodles, Sawtelle, West LA

Char Siu Tsukemen, $13.95

Tsujita LA / Artisan Noodles on Sawtelle in West LA is two restaurants in one. At lunch, it serves tsukemen and ramen; at dinner, it serves traditional Japanese cuisine, sushi, and sashimi. The restaurant hails from Japan, with four locations in Tokyo, one in Bangkok, and the one on Sawtelle, which opened July 30, 2011. A second location will open soon across the street in the former gr/eats space.

We visited Artisan Noodles on a Sunday afternoon around 1:00. Like all the new restaurants on Sawtelle, the interior is impossibly tiny. The limited tables and high demand mean waits are inevitable, but the restaurant has an efficient system for shortening the time you spend standing on the sidewalk, jealous of the patrons seated on the umbrella-shaded patio who are already slurping noodles. There's a sign-in sheet, and once you've signed in, the hostess will take your order ahead of time when she knows a table will be opening up soon. There are plenty of menus available for browsing, but don't sign in until you know what you want to order.

The menu can be confusing to the uninitiated; it's short and the English isn't perfect. I thought I was at just another ramen joint--I hadn't researched the restaurant in advance, just popped in on a whim because I love noodles. The restaurant does serve the wavy noodles in broth that we're all familiar with, and you can specify whether you want them cooked firm, medium, or soft (the restaurant recommends firm). However, the real draw are the tsukemen, or dipping noodles.

For the char siu tsukemen that we both ordered, the  long, chewy noodles are served cold in one bowl, topped with a sheet of nori (seaweed); several slices of tender, fatty char siu (barbecued pork); and a petite lime wedge. Served in a separate bowl is an unctuous broth made from pork and chicken bones, vegetables, bonito, and dried sardines slowly simmered for 12 hours. In the broth are smaller pieces of pork, a seasoned soft-boiled egg called ajitama, scallions, and dark brown bamboo shoots called men-ma. A set of somewhat helpful, somewhat irritating instructions on the back of the menu instructs diners in the proper way to eat tsukemen.

You can add a squeeze of lime to the noodles whenever you like, but the limes were so small that they were only worth about one squeeze each. The small limes aren't a big deal, but they do seem like an oversight in an otherwise meticulously prepared dish, and if the servers don't come by to check on you (ours didn't), you can't ask for extra limes unless you manage to flag someone down.

There are also several condiments on the table that you can add to your dish: strands of neon red pickled ginger, mustard greens marinated in chili paste (not for the faint of tongue), sesame seeds, tonkatsu sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and a mild chili powder with black sesame seeds. Extra limes are free; for $1 each you can order an extra egg, seaweed, or bamboo shoots.

 Men-ma (Bamboo shoot)

We sat on the patio, which was cold and windy and a bit of a rushed, intimidating experience since you're in such close proximity to the throngs who are hungering for your table. The interior is beautiful; I'll sit there next time, even if it means elbowing up to a stranger at the bar since there are few tables and they mostly seem sized for parties of four. One strange oversight in this otherwise polished space was the bathroom faucet, which is loose, dirty, and in desperate need of replacement. (I hate bathroom sinks where I feel less clean after using them than before.)

While the servings look small and $14 seems steep for what is essentially a bowl of soup, it's incredibly filling and satisfying. I ate less than half of mine (probably a good thing given what I'm sure is an astronomical amount of salt and fat in that incredible broth). The nice thing about tsukemen is that unlike ramen, you can pack it up and take it home without the noodles getting ruined since they're separate from the broth. Plus, with so many amazing eateries in the area, you'll probably want to save room for a coffee, boba tea, or some shaved ice around the corner or down the block.

Make sure to hit the ATM on your way to the restaurant; it's cash only.

Tsujita LA / Artisan Noodles 
2057 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-231-7373
Lunch: daily, open at 11, last order at 2
Dinner:  6:00pm - 12:00am, Sun - Thur.; 6:00pm - 2:00am, Fri. and Sat.

Restaurant Review #230: Oaks Korean BBQ, Simi Valley - CLOSED

Chicken and beef on the grill

Update: This restaurant has closed.

Oaks Korean BBQ in Simi Valley, whose sign actually says "Oaks Oaks Korean BBQ," is the only Korean restaurant in the area--the next closest are in Canoga Park. The restaurant is attached to a sushi bar, which seems like it may have been a separate restaurant at one time.

It's possible to order sushi from your table, so you don't have to choose between Korean food and sushi, making this restaurant a great option for a group with diverse tastes. The sushi, however, is of the spicy mayo school of sushi preparation, so if that's not your thing, be warned. I tried a spicy yellowtail roll and while the portion was generous and the fish was fine, I couldn't force myself to eat more than two bites because the rice was too soft and not vinegary enough and the mayo was overpowering.


Beef bulgogi, uncooked

The main attraction at Oaks is the barbecue, of course. The restaurant offers the option of cooking the marinated meat at your table over a gas grill or having it cooked for you in the kitchen. Personally, I prefer the latter, as it leaves the cooking to the experts and makes the dining experience more relaxing.

I always stick with bulgogi, as I'm not too adventurous when it comes to eating meat. You have a choice of spiciness when it comes to the meat marinade, but this being Simi Valley, there doesn't seem to be any difference between medium and hot--neither is spicy enough. It's still a decent marinade, and the pork and beef are particularly flavorful here.


Bean sprout banchan

The barbecue dishes come with an assortment of banchan, which are side dishes like bean sprouts, broccoli with sesame seeds, "spicy" cucumbers, and kim chi. The banchan are not very spicy--I even asked if they had spicier ones, hoping maybe they had a second batch only for Korean diners and others who requested them, but no such luck. You can ask for a side of chili sauce, but it's not quite the same. (I enjoy that fiery sensation on my lips and the sweat on my brow, trying to douse the flames in my mouth by chugging beer and shoveling in rice and meat.) Also, the banchan selection is not as extensive or as exotic as you'd find at a K-town restaurant. Steamed white rice, fresh lettuce leaves, and miso paste also come with the meat. The lettuce and miso are for making wraps with the grilled meat.


Marinated turnip (?) banchan

In addition to sushi and Korean barbecue, there are Korean soups, teriyaki beef/chicken/salmon, tempura, raw beef, octopus, tofu and yellowtail collar. There's also a savory, fried scallion pancake that comes with tempura dipping sauce. I highly recommend ordering this as an appetizer. An extensive selection of ice cream beckons for dessert: fried ice cream, mochi, and plum, mango, green tea, strawberry or chocolate ice cream. There's also a small selection of beer and wine.

Cucumber banchan

The food isn't cheap, with each plate of meat costing around $17, but you do get a lot of food for the price considering that miso soup, rice, and all the sides are included in the price. The restaurant is quiet and the booths offer privacy. Since the grills are gas, you won't reek of barbecue when you leave, and there is no noisy vent fan to yell over. The restaurant is also very clean.

Kim chi

The restaurant isn't easy to spot from the street or even after you've pulled into the parking lot. It's at the corner of LA and Sequoia, in the back corner of a strip mall with a 7/11, next to the comic book store. The service is excellent--friendly, prompt, and well-informed. It does seem that the age of the server corresponds directly with English-speaking ability, with the grandmotherly woman who might greet you at the door not seeming to speak any English and the young man who served us last time obviously being a native speaker.

Dining room

Though dining here does make me crave K-Town restaurants like Soot Bull Jeep, whose food is notably better, the less intense food at Oaks is probably more crowd-pleasing for a suburb like Simi Valley (even though Simi does have a surprising number of surprisingly good ethnic restaurants). There's definitely no "scene" here, but that's one of the things I like about it--the atmosphere is very comfortable, yet still probably nice enough for a date. Oaks is one of my favorite restaurants in the area and definitely a place I would return to.

Oaks Korean BBQ
1970 Sequoia Ave #9
Simi Valley, CA 93063
(805) 583-3434
Oaks Korean BBQ Menu

Restaurant Review #226: Ken of Japan, Simi Valley

Spicy mayonnaise--err, spicy scallop roll

Ken of Japan serves the kind of sushi that I used to like--before I moved to California. I knew what I was probably getting myself into by choosing a restaurant that was both Japanese steakhouse and sushi restaurant. But on the other hand, if I had ruled out O2 based on the teriyaki chicken and teriyaki filet mignon that appear on its menu, I never would have found an almost Westside-caliber sushi restaurant in sleepy Simi Valley.


Yellowtail nigiri

So to Ken of Japan I went. We called to make a reservation. For some reason we couldn't have a 7:00 slot for four people--granted, we made the request at 6:00, but you don't expect to be refused a reservation time in the suburbs. Especially when the restaurant is almost entirely empty when you arrive. Who knows why they didn't think they could or didn't want to seat us earlier.


Eel cucumber roll

The menu is expansive. A photo menu of different sushi rolls shows most of the options available, though because of (I'm guessing) space limitations, it is not entirely clear on all the ingredients that are in each roll. Most of the rolls seem to contain crab (or fake crab, as the case may be) or spicy tuna. So while there appears to be a wide variety of interesting sushi on the menu, if you don't like these two items, you'll find yourself mostly limited to the usual stuff. And the usual stuff, like the dry yellowtail nigiri I ordered, is not very good. With sushi, there is no acceptable middle ground. Either the fish is top notch, or it's just not appetizing to eat raw. And with globby, spicy, mayonnaisey rolls, the quality of fish takes a backseat. So why pay a raw fish premium when you're mostly just eating rice and sauce? (As some consolation, the spicy scallop roll was genuinely spicy.)


Spicy tuna tempura roll

If you're the kind of sushi eater who likes spicy tuna tempura rolls (quick, eat them before they get soggy!) and doesn't really like raw fish, you'll probably be quite happy at Ken of Japan. Like I said, the selection is considerable. The portion sizes are also huge, especially if you're used to Westside restaurants, and the prices are reasonable (even bordering on inexpensive). We ordered way too much sushi. Each roll had eight large pieces--not the small six pieces I am used to. I kind of wish our waitress had commented that we might be ordering too much food. But I guess it's not really the staff's job to discourage you from spending money.


Salmon mango roll

As I alluded to in my comments about the reservations, I was disappointed in the service. The mango salmon roll came stuffed, unexpectedly, with crab. When we mentioned it to the waiter, he had no interest in having the roll remade or taking it off the bill, but only asked us if we wanted to box it up and take it home. (I'm not a fan of the "customer is always wrong" philosophy of business.) A take-home box didn't exactly solve the problem for the people who couldn't eat crab (yes, even fake crab). Also, the quality of mango used in the roll was pretty much what you'd expect for the dead of winter--so why is the restaurant even serving it? A place like Kiriko in West LA would never try to pass off a roll made with pale, almost crunchy mango as one of its top offerings--it wouldn't even serve it.


Teriyaki chicken and beef

The non-sushi-eaters in our party ordered a combination plate that came with teriyaki beef, teriyaki chicken, spicy chicken, eggrolls, salad, and miso soup. The salad had a mayonnaise-based dressing (surprise) that wasn't appetizing to anyone, so those went back to the dishwasher untouched. The miso soup had bits of fried tempura batter in it (intentionally), which tasted better than it sounds, though soggy bits of batter aren't very appetizing. The teriyaki meats were both dry and inunspired. The spicy chicken was a winner, though.


Spicy chicken

Ken's serves beer, wine, and sake plus cocktails made with soju, a Korean distilled liquor considered comparable to vodka in taste but that doesn't seem to require a full-blown liquor license (Musha in Santa Monica also serves beer, wine, and soju cocktails). We didn't try any of the drinks, though.

You've probably guessed that this isn't my kind of restaurant and I won't be going back. If it sounds appealing to you (plenty of Yelpers like it), save a few bucks by picking up a gift certificate on Restaurant.com before you dine. Look for a coupon code online to get your $25 certificate for as little as $2--Restaurant.com is always having sales.

Also, I should point out that while we chose to sit at a regular table for the peace and quiet and privacy, Ken of Japan also has a room with communal, Benihana-style tables and cooking.



Ken of Japan
4340 Cochran Street
Simi Valley, CA 93063-2352
(805) 527-6490

Restaurant Review #215: O2 Sushi, Simi Valley

Hawaiian ceviche

I found O2 Sushi on Yelp! while looking for a nice, independent restaurant in Simi Valley, land of many casual restaurants and chains. Simi Valley actually has a surprising number of independent restaurants - you just have to work a little harder to find them since they aren't in freestanding, multi-thousand-square-foot buildings with giant red signs. Perhaps even more surprising are the number of sushi restaurants in Simi - at least ten by my count.


Albacore roll (front) and scallop roll (back)

I will admit that I am skeptical of eating sushi in a place that doesn't have the culinary reputation of Beverly Hills or West LA or West Hollywood because for me, sushi doesn't have a middleground--sushi that's just okay is not okay. But after examining O2's online menu and prices, I felt confident that the odds would be good with this place.

We went early, around 6:30, thinking we would beat the rush, but when we got there and found the place full, we thought perhaps people in Simi like to eat earlier than people in LA. Like all sushi restaurants, you can choose between a table or bar. The sushi bar is the focal point of the restaurant, brightly lit with a backdrop of blue-grey fabric mimicking water and a school of silver fish swimming energetically toward the ceiling. Almost all of the tables run around the perimeter of the restaurant, so there is a considerable amount of privacy. I could even push my chair back without hitting the person behind me.



The teriyaki filet mignon ($20) cooked medium rare is a nice change of pace from the usual teriyaki chicken (which they also serve). Since teriyaki sauce can be very sweet, I wasn't sure it would be a good match for such a fine cut of meat, but this sauce was very subtle and the steak was beautifully presented on an oblong plate with vibrant green asparagus, an orange pepper, a single curled shrimp and a rectangle of cantelope. The entree came with standard-issue miso soup and a fresh green salad with a tasty soy vinaigrette--not quite Maggie's Farm quality (my favorite salad purveyor at the Santa Monica Farmers Market), but not bad for the middle of winter.



Teriyaki filet mignon

The Hawaiian ceviche (lead photo) was a ring of wafer-thin half slices of lime heaped with voloptuous wedges of whitefish, tuna, salmon and yellowtail, interspersed with cilantro and almost unnoticeable slivers of red onion and marinated in a succulent citrus-soy vinaigrette. I didn't care for the whitefish, which was a bit crunchy, but the tuna was especially supple. And for $11, it was plenty of fish, too.

The albacore roll and scallop roll were sloppily presented compared to the other two dishes, but that didn't affect their flavor. The portions were generous, the rice was loose and moist, and the fish was top notch. The albacore roll had the perfect amount of wasabi packed in, and the mayo in the scallop roll, despite looking a tad menacing, didn't actually have any flavor (and that was fine with me).

The service was slightly erratic, but friendly. The waitress seemed to expect us to know what we wanted to order almost instantly, and the arrival of the food wasn't well-timed. But honestly, I'd rather have the minor shortcomings of this restaurant than a technically perfect meal where I can't hear the person sitting across from me, I'm bumping elbows with my neighbor and I'm being rushed through my 7:00 reservation to accommodate the next reservation at 8:30. And, like every place in Simi, parking is plentiful and free, and there's no need to contend with a valet.

Overall, I was very pleased with the high-quality fish, the relaxed ambiance, and the reasonable prices.

O2 Sushi
2902 E. Tapo Canyon Rd. Unit A
Simi Valley, CA 93063
805.527.0202
O2 Sushi website

Restaurant Review #202: Sushi Roku, Santa Monica

I've been to Sushi Roku, a small chain with locations in Santa Monica, Pasadena, West Hollywood, and Las Vegas, more times than I can count. I suppose I always choose it in an attempt to fulfill a sushi craving when I'm in downtown Santa Monica and don't feel like fighting rush hour traffic to Brentwood or West LA or the Santa Monica Airport, where there are considerably better options (but it can take a terrible hour to make the four-mile drive).

I've always found it perplexing that a place as close to the ocean as Santa Monica doesn't have better fish. There are those who will argue that I should go to Sushi King (too much wasabi, no atmosphere, I say), and I used to be a big proponent of Noma until they gave me some dried-out hamachi, but for the most part, all the sushi options in the area seem more focused on being trendy than on serving top-notch fish. I'm surprised that there are still restaurants serving sushi rolls that contain mayonnaise, but I guess there are still people who enjoy that.

Sushi Roku is, in fact, another one of these not-so-good sushi options, and on top of that, it's overpriced. I like the decor, the low lighting, and perhaps the familiarity, even though the fish is sloppily cut and I never leave feeling satisfied. Once, three years ago, I had the tasting menu and was quite impressed, but that was in my considerably more naive days and pre-Foodie Universe. My tastes have changed considerably since then. How could they not have, now that I've eaten pad kee mao at Krua Thai, mole coloradito at Monte Alban, fresh tofu with sea salt at Musha, and sweet corn ravioli at Melisse?

Even though Santa Monica is a beach town, you'll probably feel under-dressed here unless you're wearing business attire or trendy LA clothes. Sushi Roku's service is often a bit snobby, which seems to be a requirement to work at a wannabe trendy restaurant. Some of their tables are awkwardly positioned in the middle of the room, and you're likely to get stuck at one of these as punishment for not having a reservation, even if it's a Monday and none of the better tables are occupied at any point during your meal. Also awkward is the bathroom situation--Sushi Roku is located in a large office building, and their bathroom is not actually in the restaurant--it's in the office building, and it has a bathroom attendant. Not only do I have having to pay money to have someone hand me a paper towel, I find the whole bathroom attendant thing to be incredibly backward.

Sushi Roku's specials are generally more interesting and more flavorful than simply ordering from the sushi menu, but I didn't order any on my last visit. Instead, I tried the crunchy tuna avocado roll, the albacore scallion roll, the spicy scallop roll, and a few pieces of nigiri. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach--even with a friend's help, I couldn't eat it all.



Our food took an unbelievably long time to arrive, particularly considering that the restaurant was only half-full and almost everything we ordered did not require any cooking. The crunchy tuna avocado roll arrived first, but it seemed like it had been sitting out for a while before it made it to our table. It was soggy, not crunchy, especially because someone had the brilliant idea to put something that was supposed to be crispy in a pool of orange mayonnaise. The sauce was good and the roll was flavorful overall, but it might as well have contained chicken since the delicate flavors of the avocado and the tuna were totally overwhelmed by the fried flavor and the sauce. A million years later, the rest of our food arrived. The albacore scallion roll tasted bitter--something had to have been wrong with it, though I wasn't sure what. I'm not sure why I didn't send it back--maybe I just figured that Sushi Roku couldn't do any better.

The toro jalapeno roll was also disappointing. Toro, the fatty belly of the tuna, is supposed to be the king of sushi, but here it just tasted watery, and I should have known better than to expect heat from the jalapeno--without its ribs and seeds, jalapeno doesn't rank very high on the Scoville scale.

The spicy scallop roll was probably my favorite, even though it was one of those blasphemous mayo-fish rolls and it was dotted with a Sriracha-like sauce--two things that can't help but overwhelm the delicate flavor of scallop. Instead, I focused on enjoying the flawlessly smooth texture of raw scallop.

After my latest experience, I think the spell has finally been broken. Whatever used to draw me to Sushi Roku despite my better judgment will draw me there no more. If I'm going to spend $40 or more on dinner, I might as well brave the traffic and go to my old standby Kiriko, where I can get more food that tastes better for the same price.



Sushi Roku
1401 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.458.4771
Sushi Roku Website and Menu

Restaurant Review #1: ZaZen, Marina Del Rey (now closed)

ZaZen's sleek decor, creative (sort of) dishes with raw fish, and very red interior lend it the trappings of trendiness, but its not-happening-enough location on the Venice pier and the large TV screen prevent it from being truly so. This is the type of place that the hopelessly hip go for a nice date, where the boy barely disguises his greater interest in the game while the girl wonders why her prettiness isn't enough to draw all his attention to her. I'm not a fan of trendy restaurants, and the place that tries and fails at trendiness doesn't make me any happier.

Their extensive drink list features a number of special concoctions guaranteed to knock you off your feet rather quickly--which makes sense, since the atmosphere screams pop seduction. Since I'm not much of a drinker, I always appreciate an actual drink list to prevent me from ordering something embarrassing (but tasty!) like an amaretto sour. Of course, who's to say that tried-and-true girlie drinks are any less embarrassing than the latest trendy martini?

The food is interesting and pretty good, though sushi purists won't find much to appreciate. After all, the menu is yet another Nobu wannabe: Latin-influenced raw fish. But that's fine for lots of people.

I went on a Monday night, and the restaurant was nearly empty, but hey, it was Monday. Based on the atmosphere, it strikes me as more of a weekend night, pre-club type of place. The thing is, ZaZen is clearly not a place of culinary or aesthetic inspiration. It's very LA in its imitation of supposed hipness. But if that's you, then there's no reason you won't enjoy ZaZen, and though it's not me, I'd much rather be dragged here before a night of dancing than to El Cholo.

Parking on the pier is difficult, so you'll probably want to valet it for $5. The valet, which serves the entire pier, is on the slow side.

ZaZen
30 Washington Blvd
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 305-4010