Thursday, September 28, 2017

GUS'S FRIED CHICKEN (BURBANK, CA)

Gus'S Fried Chicken 
509 S. Glenoaks Ave
Burbank, CA 91502
www.gusfriedchicken.com
Tel: 747.231.3990
Cuisine: Fried Chicken, Southern
$$ ($15-$30)
Sun, 09/17/2017, 2:00pm walk-in
    (4.5 Piglets)




Crispy. Tender. Juicy. Moist. Flavorful. Those are characteristics that I look for in a good fried chicken. Gus's Fried chicken was able to hit on all points. It is so delectable, that chicken juices fly out of the chicken with each bite (literally, cause it happened to me where the juices landed on my friend).

Gus's Fried Chicken comes from Tennessee. It started off as chicken being sold from a tavern to having expanded to various locations throughout the Midwest and now the West Coast. The Burbank location in California is fairly large and was once a sushi joint that I used to frequent. There were plaid tablecloths, various photos, and simplicity at its best.  

The chicken is fried to perfection. It is juicy and has a bit of a kick to it the way Nashville fried chicken should be. It is simply delicious and the pics below doesn't do it justice.


Dining room

Dining Room
Decor
Condiments
MAC AND CHEESE ($2.90-SIDE ORDER): This was just ok for me. The small is pretty small, but if you order the plate, it was just enough. It wasn't creamy nor was the pasta al dente. It was pretty bland and I felt it needed seasoning. 
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES ($7.50): I love fried green tomatoes. I tell myself that I'm eating something healthy even if it is fried. These are no exception. They come out piping hot and super crispy. It's like eating Carl Jr's Fried Zucchini but 10x better. It's served with ranch, which was great, but if you throw in a little of that Louisiana hot sauce into the ranch and mix, it became that much better. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. 3 PIECE DARK PLATE W/ 2 THIGHS AND 1 LEG ($11.60): Includes Baked Beans, Slaw and White Bread. Man. This chicken. Freakin Amazing. It was a little spicy but not overly spicy. It was extremely moist and juicy. The skin was unbelievably crispy. It was just perfect. The beans are cooked with pork and man oh man, they were mighty tasty. I actually liked the slaw (which I normally hate). The slaw just cooled down the spice and the heat coming from the chicken. Amazing. 

A closer look at the chicken 
CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE ($3.50) ADD VANILLA ICE CREAM ($1.00): I love chess pie, but chocolate? I had to try it. It was decadent, but not overly rich.. The crust was flaky. The pie itself is not as chocolate-y as I would have expected, which I appreciated. The ice cream was perfect. It was a good way to end the meal. 
Overall, Gus's Fried Chicken is probably my go-to for fried chicken. It doesn't beat Willie Mae's from New Orleans in my opinion, but it sure is hella good. The chicken is perfect, the beans were spot on, and the pie was sweet enough to complete the meal. This Burbank location had a seat-yourself program and it wasn't overly busy. I thought the service was decent enough, filling up the waters when needed. Now, if only there could be a westside location! 

Notable Dishes: Chicken Plate and Fried Green Tomatoes

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

FELIX (VENICE, CA)

Felix
1023 Abbot Kinney 
Venice, CA 90291
www.felixla.com
Tel: 424.387.8622
Cuisine: Italian
$$$ ($30-$45)
Mon, 09/11/2017, 9:30 walk-in (called 15 min before to see if a table was available)
     (4.5 Piglets)



Felix is the hot, new Italian restaurant on the Westside. It is in the former space that once housed Joe's restaurant that I visited numerous times. It is now revamped (in a good way), now paying homage to fresh pasta created by none other than the former chef of Bucato Evan Funke. 

Each bite of the perfectly sauced pasta was al dente. Unique pasta shapes take hold of the menu, offering dishes based on different regions of Italy. 


The back dining room
The bar
The dining room

The décor is simple and comfortable. Upon entering, all you see is a bar; turn to your left and you are welcomed by the hostess. Off to the side of the hostess is a glass space where you may be lucky enough to see peeps at work rolling out fresh pasta sheets. The restaurant is surprisingly large, with a main dining room and another back room that houses multiple tables.  

POLPETTE DELLA MAESTRA ALESSANDRA ($18.00):  Pork Meatballs, Salsa Verde and Parmigiano Reggiano. This dish was good. I thought for being a pork dish, it was surprisingly moist. I'm used to beef meatballs, so this was a nice change from the usual. The texture is different, a little more spongy and chewy. It was perfectly crisp. The salsa verde was a bit on the lighter end and I kinda wish it had a little more.

MY FAVORITE DISH. RIGATONI ALL' AMATRICIANA ($23.00): Guanciale, Pomodoro and Pecorino Romano DOP. This was freakin amazing!!! The pasta was perfectly cooked al dente style, fresh and homemade. The sauce was rich without being too acidic. It was slightly sweet the way pomodoro should taste. It's so simple, yet so delicious. I highly recommend this popular dish.

MEZZE MANICHE ALLA GRICIA ($23.00): Guanciale, Black Pepper and PecorinoRomano DOP. This pasta was also delicious too! The texture is a bit lighter like a pappardelle. The sauce, oh man, the sauce...it was like a cacio e peppe but with bacon in it! It was simple and oh so satisfying. I couldn't stop eating it. So good!!
PICCHIAPO ($26.00): Roman-Style Braised Beef, Pomodoro, Peperocino, and Gnocchi alla Romana. This was delicious! The beef was so flavorful and delicious. I got a little confused with the dish as it is listed as "gnocci" and I expected gnocci pieces but received polenta cakes. Supposedly that was the gnocci? I think it should've been clearer on the menu or they should have listed it as polenta cakes; nevertheless, it was delicious and everything went well together. It was rich and savory and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


TIRAMISU ($14.00): I believe Jonathan Gold had stated that this was worth trying. It is a fairly large dessert, good enough to be split amongst 2 people. I was expecting something a little more lighter, but this was fairly dense and a bit on the drier end. The flavor itself was decent, but I didn't love this dessert.


Overall, I thought Felix lived up to the hype. To get a reservation is pretty much pure luck or reserving way in advance. I was lucky enough to call last minute around 9:30pm and found a table available (although I had to wait about 15-20min for the actual table to free up). The service was pretty good and I was happy with all the dishes we ordered. Unfortunately, they also ran out of some of the dishes we wanted to order, i.e. the pappardelle and the foccacia. I can't wait to go back. It's like the Bestia of the Westside (but pasta oriented)...yes, it's that good.






Notable Dishes: Rigatoni all' Amatriciana, Mezze Maniche alla Gricia, Picchiapio 

Thursday, September 7, 2017

UOVO (SANTA MONICA, CA)

Uovo
1320 2nd Street, Ste A
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.uovo.la
Tel: 310.425.0064
Cuisine: Italian
$$ ($15-$30)
Wed, 08/16/2017, 6:30pm walk-in
    (4 Piglets)


Uovo means egg in Italian. Egg is one of the main ingredients used in pasta and hence, it is the name of the new restaurant that just opened up in Santa Monica. It is a restaurant that overnights fresh, handmade pasta from Bologna to ensure the taste and texture remains consistent to what is produced in Italy. The chefs of Uovo have re-created traditional sauces of Bologna that pair well with the pastas that are shipped. 

The restaurant itself is quite small. Similar to KazuNori (which makes sense since it is part of the Sugarfish/KazuNori family), there sits a massive bar countertop with an open kitchen. Around the bar are tables that house larger parties. Uovo lacks décor and the wine list is quite small, but in all honesty, who cares? It's all about the food, specifically the pasta, and well, the fact that it's pretty darn affordable helps too. 


TORTELLINI IN BRODO ($16.00): Handmade Meat Tortellini in a broth of Vegetable, Chicken and Beef. This was a really light dish, which I enjoyed. The broth was absolutely delicious. It was soothing and full of flavor. The tortellini was actually still al dente, even when floating in the broth. They are a bit small, so really easy to chew. I think this would be a great dish to have when sick. 

TORTELLINI CREMA DI PARMIGIANO ($16.00): Handmade Meat Tortellini in Cream of Parmigiano-Reggiano. This dish was definitely on the heavier side. The sauce was creamy and cheesy. The tortellini is the same as the dish with the broth. It's simple, yet tasteful. If you don't like creamy sauces, then this dish isn't for you. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. TONNARELLI ALL' AMATRICIANA ($15.00): Imported Tomatoes, Pecorino, Onion, Guaniciale, and Red Chili Pepper. This was quite delicious. The pasta is similar to spaghetti but with a bite. The sauce is a bit spicy, which I like. It definitely is saucy and full of flavor. I thought this was well-made and simple. 

TAGLIATELLE AI CARCIOFI ($15.00): Tagliatelle with Fresh Artichoke. This was a good dish. It's very light and the tagliatelle was cooked perfectly. There is butter in this dish, which I love. If you like a lot of sauce, this isn't the dish for you. 

TONNARELLI CACIO E PEPE ($15.00): Pecorino and Black Pepper-a Salt Forward Dish. This was my least favorite dish. I think it was a bit too heavy and very buttery. I just didn't think it tasted what a true cacao e pepe. would taste like. IT was creamy and saucy and very cheesy. 

Overall, Uovo is a great place if you're feeling like you want pasta without putting a dent in your wallet. It's a great place to bring a friend or two so you can try all the different pastas available. I've been to Uovo again since this visit and ordered the Bolognese, which I think is now my favorite dish. The place can be quite busy and the wait time isn't too bad; they usually do a good job with turning the tables. It's a simple place with simple dishes. They also have a few vegetable dishes, but I don't think it's worth wasting stomach space. Stick with the pasta. 


Notable Dishes: Tonnarelli all' Amatraciana and Bolognese (not pictured)