Hits Only: The 5 Best Dishes I’ve Had This Week
If you challenge the burger master and host of The Burger Show, Alvin Cailan, know that he obliterates such pressure with his keen prowess and knowhow. The sensei of smashburgers laughed in the face of mine and MeesterKeem’s Chinatown burger challenge and simply shrugged it off in the form of one of the wildest burger creations I have ever seen.
The Bolo Bronson Burger
Amboy Quality Meats — Los Angeles, CA
An episode of MeesterKeem’s Foodbeast World Tour in Los Angeles’ Chinatown had him and I looking for ingredients from local businesses Alvin Cailan with. A “Will it burger?” type of situation, if you will. What we brought him: Chinese roast pork belly, smoked sausage and a Bolo Bao, also known as a pineapple bun. And the result (No Ocky)? A smashburger patty that’s wrapped in a cozy blanket of hard scrambled eggs housed within Bolo Bao buns, joined by crisped up roast pork and smoked sausage. Truly one of the most off-the-wall and one-of-a-kind burgers I’ve ever had.
Matcha Strawberry Mochi Cookie
Lei’d Cookies — Culver City, CA
Fitness instructor turned unlikely baker, Leilani Terris, is where she’s supposed to be. With her partner, James Lewis, the duo churns out my favorite cookies in LA. Lei’d is slanging astounding flavors ranging from the insanely creative Thai Sticky Rice to this mind bending Matcha Strawberry Mochi cookie with a stretch that would make Bikram yoga instructors clutch their pearls.
Lamb Hearts Khorovats
III Mas BBQ — Los Angeles, CA
In the hands of a skilled pit master like Arthur Grigoryan, lamb hearts take on a pristine level of medium rare, like the most optimal cook on a fine steak. A bite into the almond wood-smoked flesh gave way to the very epitome of juicy. III Mas BBQ is a newcomer to the famed Smorgasburg food market in Downtown Los Angeles, and with expertly grilled meats on deck, they’re sure to draw a new fanbase, soon.
Vietnamese Garlic Chicken Wings
Mama Hieu’s — Garden Grove, CA
When fish sauce, butter, and sautéed garlic form one bionic force to impart the utmost flavor into a chicken wing, know that you’re getting one from Mama Hieu’s. The backyard pop-up has become a SoCal darling thanks to it’s Vietnamese chicken wings infused with as much garlicky funk as Dracula’s worst nightmares.
Unagi Crispy Rice
Sogo Roll Bar — Los Angeles, CA
Crispy rice usually feels like such a basic order at the sushi bar, but throw unagi and avocado into the mix and you’ve got me popping these things like chips. And that crunch was the right pop of texture to keep each chew exciting.
