HATCHET HALL (LOS ANGELES, CA)

Hatchet Hall
12517 W. Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Hatchet Hall
Tel: 310.391.4222
Cuisine: American
$$$ ($30-$45)
Fri, 12/16/2016, 6:30pm reservation 
    (4 Piglets)

You know those farm to table restaurants that are popular in California and pretty much, throughout the States? Well, this is another one of those restaurants. With an emphasis on utilizing fresh ingredients from local farmers, Hatchet Hall applies American techniques with wood fire cooking. 

The interior is composed of casual elegance. There is a hidden bar in the back. It's dark, so reading the menu was a task in itself. The cuisine almost touches on a bit of the south. It's different and something you don't find at most restaurants. 

The interior

MY FAVORITE DISH. BENNE YEAST ROLLS ($6.00): Honey Butter, Sea Salt. If you're a big fan of bread, you'll love these rolls. They were light and airy and warm and moist...everything you would want in a roll. It was so good and the honey butter melted perfectly onto the roll. It was so delicious that I was sad it only came as a set of two. 

OCTOPUS ($19.00): Cranberry Beans, Treviso, Lemon Aioli, Salsa Verde. The octopus was pretty good. It wasn't overly rubbery and was quite tender. The first time it came out, the dish was quite cold and they actually refired the dish for another, which I appreciated. It had good flavor and I liked the beans a lot.

GULF SHRIMP ($17.00): Sausage, Greens, Calabrian Chili, Polenta. This is HH's take on shrimp and grits. I recently just came back from New Orleans and nothing compares to the shrimp and grits there. This is a good take on the dish. The polenta was creamy and the shrimp was cooked well. I liked the little spice from the chili.

CORNBREAD ($11.00): Jalapeno, Cheddar, Cultured Butter, Honey. This bread was actually pretty darn good. It was moist and the butter went well with the cornbread. It looked burned at first, but that's cause they flipped the cornbread over.

GRILLED SWEET ONION ($8.00): Bagna Cauda, Lemon, Bread Crumbs. I loved these onions. This was probably my second favorite dish. It was sweet and had so much flavor. I loved the garlic. It is a must order.

Duck (I forget the price cause it was a special). The duck was just ok in my opinion. It was a little dry and I felt like it lacked some flavor. It's probably best to skip this dish and order something else.

BEEF FAT POTATOES ($8.00): Roasted Garlic Aioli, Salsa Verde. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The aioli was great. I don't think the potatoes were anything spectacular. They were just good.

WINTER SQUASH ($8.00): Calabrian Chili, Mint, Gingerbread. This dish was pretty good. I actually enjoyed the touch of gingerbread. Of the side dishes, I would pick the sweet onions over this.

Overall, Hatchet Hall has some good potential. I thought the food was decent, but it didn't blow me away. The yeast rolls that they have are amazing, but they make them in limited quantities. I think it does a good job for being a cool local eatery serving food that is Southern inspired. There is valet parking and street parking, though the street parking maybe a little difficult to find.


Notable Dishes: Benne Yeast Rolls and Grilled Sweet Onion

NOODLE ASIA (LAS VEGAS, NV)

Noodle Asia
The Venetian
3355 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Noodle Asia
Tel: 702.414.1444
Cuisine: Chinese
$$ ($15-$30)
Sat, 12/10/2016, 11:30am walk-in
     (4 Piglets)

For a good decent Chinese meal on the Strip in Vegas, it seems it would be hard to find. Somehow, with the help of some good friends who grew up in Hong Kong, I have managed to find something as authentic as you would find in HK (I mean, look at the Chinese peeps standing in line to eat). 

Located inside the Venetian hotel, Noodle Asia serves authentic noodles and Dim Sum. The flavors are pronounced and the noodles range from beef noodle soup to Singapore vermicelli. It is a casual spot and especially good for those late night hangovers (it is open til 3am) or the morning hangovers. Just have a bowl of noodles or congee, and you'll be golden for a few more hours of partyin' in Vegas. 

The interior

MY FAVORITE DISH. FIRE HOUSE CHICKEN WINGS (6 FOR $9.95): These chicken wings are bomb! They're super crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. There is a bit of heat, not the type of heat that you would get from the South, but the Chinese way. I mean, I seriously could eat these wings all night long while watching some Lakers basketball. 

JELLYFISH SALAD ($9.95): This was just ok for me. It was a little spicy, cold the way it should be, but it just didn't taste as fresh as I would've liked. It's worth just ordering two sets of wings and skipping on this. 

SHANGHAI NOODLES ($14.95): Stir-fried Napa Cabbage, Black Mushrooms, Spinach and Pork. These noodles are amazing. I mean, it's pretty simple and a staple at most Chinese restaurants, but it was so freakin good this morning. It was especially better when it was doused in chili sauce that you ask for. The noodles were cooked to perfection and the cabbage added a nice crunch. It was earthy, hearty, and tasty. 

SZECHWAN BEEF ($14.95): This was probably my second favorite dish. There was a bit of spice and it was cooked like a traditional Taiwanese beef noodle soup. The noodles were perfect and the beef were super tender. It's a must order when here. 

RED WON TONS (8 FOR $8.95): Tossed in Szechwan chili, garlic sauce, pork fillings. This was delicious. The wonton wrapper was tender and the pork held up well to the sauce. I thought it was decent and a bit of a step down from the Din Tai Fung wontons, but hey, you're in Vegas. 

DAN DAN NOODLES ($13.95): Sauteed spicy peanut, sesame, minced pork sauce. This was probably one of my least favorite dish. It was too soupy in my opinion and not a traditional dan dan noodles I am usually accustomed to. It felt a bit flavorless compared to all the other dishes we ordered. I would skip this and order the beef noodle soup. 

Overall, Noodle Asia is a legit Chinese restaurant. It is a great go-to place if you want something not too fussy. It is Chinese food with a burst of flavor. I thought most of the dishes were comparable to what you find in the SGV, which is saying a lot. The cooks are Chinese and a lot of the customers are Chinese which speaks for itself. 

Notable Dishes: Fire House Chicken Wings, Szechwan Beef and Shanghai Noodles