Archive for the ‘drinks’ Category

Outdoor Cinema and Food Trucks

by josie on July 22, 2010 Share

Outdoor Cinema and Food Trucks

Regardless of whether it’s a date or a mate, there’s no doubt that this series of events will be fun. It’s movie night Saturdays near or around downtown LA and food trucks. Can you think of a more uncouth outing? I think not. I’ll probably be around for The Breakfast Club night if anyone would like to join in on some good cheap fun.
This summer series will feature over sixty different gourmet food trucks throughout eight weeks of favorite movie titles.  Thee Outdoor Cinema Food Fest creates the ultimate picnic environment for entertainment and food enthusiasts – no basket required!
Movies will be presented using only the highest quality projection, screen and sound available; which includes a 52 foot screen with …


LA Street Food Fest @ the Pasadena Rose Bowl

by josie on July 19, 2010 Share

LA Street Food Fest @ the Pasadena Rose Bowl

Did you see us the last LA Street Food Fest? If you didn’t, then I better see you this time around because the LA Street Food Fest is back! As you know, I’m an Eastside girl and so are Shawna Dawson and Sonja, co-founders of the LA Street Food Fest. Shawna and Unique LA’s, Sonja, have partnered up once more to bring you the best of what Los Angeles has to offer in terms of street food life and culture.
Josie’s still broke (don’t feel too bad for me, I’m happy as hell) and will be volunteering once again. I have A VERY SPECIAL JOB this time around so you better stop by and say hello. I’ll be Tweeting the whole …


Craft Beer Crawl and the Manila Machine Truck

by josie on July 14, 2010 Share

Craft Beer Crawl and the Manila Machine Truck

What do you get when you cross a gourmet food truck with craft beer? My perfect date… without the date, that is. #FML. (Can someone please find me a date?! Anyone? Anyone?) As you all know, Minty is the ‘crawl organizer extraordinaire’ and last Friday she hosted the Craft Beer Crawl in/and around Eagle Rock. Make sure to check out Minty’s review.

Here were the stops:
8 p.m. – Eagle Rock Brewery
3056 Roswell Street
Los Angeles, CA 90065
9:30 p.m. – Verdugo Bar
3408 Verdugo Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90065
11:00 p.m. – The Black Boar
1630 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041

I got there a bit early and started chatting up a fellow patron who had gotten stood up by a girl. He looked so sad. …


Debbie Lee & the 1RST Week of the Ahn Joo Truck

by josie on July 4, 2010 Share

Debbie Lee & the 1RST Week of the Ahn Joo Truck

If you’ve read any UG post in the past two years, you know that Josie has always been a strong adherer to the phrase “Price: Pleasure.” And, as many of you may  know, I quit my corporate job two months ago to start a business and possibly pursue graduate school. However, along with the great feeling of independence came less (and less) disposable income. Starting a business has limited my time and bank balance. I am no longer bringing home a steady bi-monthly paycheck and working harder than ever has limited my time for bullsh*!  But, on the whole, I think this ‘I’m not going to pay for bullshi*! and I’m certainly not going to date bullshi*!’ mentality has been …


Roy’s Ohana Tour Excites & Delights

by josie on July 3, 2010 Share

Roy’s Ohana Tour Excites & Delights

Every meal I’ve ever had at Roy’s has always been an insightful delight. And frankly, it’s nice to see a chain restaurant with some personality. If the food wasn’t enough to get you in the door, their new promotion should be. Until August 31st, Roy’s will be doing a special Ohana Tour promotion. This will allow the chefs at each location to creatively spin some of their most popular menu items. Here’s what we had:
Grilled Albacore Flatbread with Pickled Red Onion, Smoked Fetsa, Herb Pesto, and Tzatziki
Yellow Fin Ahi Poke with Wasabi Aioli, Avocado, and Caviar
Spiced Duck Confit Tarts with Sage Chevre (Goat Cheese)
Short Ribs of Beef Au Poivre with Truffled Tater Tots and Tomato Jam
Strawberry Basil Panna Cotta

“The …


Burbank’s Honest Pint: Tony’s

by UncouthGourmands on July 1, 2010 Share

Burbank’s Honest Pint: Tony’s

I was quite excited when I found out I would be covering a craft beer and vegan tasting. I indulge in all types of drinks, but I have a special place in my heart for craft beer. Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank proudly proclaims to be an all-craft, all draft, vegan /not-vegan refurbished dive bar, for beer or wine, with basement couture I must add.
Tony’s serves draft craft beer and draft wine. Wine in a keg? I know what you are thinking… UNCOUTH! I must say the Pink wine is just right; it is not too sweet and not too bitter. My favorite blonde was the Orange Wheat; it has a super light taste with a citrusy aftertaste. I preferred …


You Can’t Live Without O2 in Pasadena

by UncouthGourmands on June 28, 2010 Share

You Can’t Live Without O2 in Pasadena

When I received the invite to O2 Sushi’s tasting party I was thrilled. Since I am part Japanese, I thought it was right up my alley. I was excited to see what the new Old Town Pasadena restaurant had in store for me.
My favorites of the night were the Tuna Sushi, Seared Albacore Sashimi with sautéed spinach, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, and Sweet Chili Shrimp. O2 only serves the highest quality sushi and it was apparent with their Tuna Sushi. It was so fresh and the Chef prepared it wonderfully. I savored every bit of the Seared Albacore Sashimi. It was seasoned perfectly and definitely the entrée I could not have enough of. The Yellowtail Sashimi had a tangy zest …


The Den with The Common Denominators

by josie on June 22, 2010 Share

The Den with The Common Denominators

Aside from the smorgasbord of delights I get to taste (which make me oh so happy), the best part of this gig is that I get to meet so many interesting people whose common denominator is a love for food. I like to call them ‘The Common Denominators’. They’re your family members, your co-workers, neighbors, and maybe even you. They are lawyers, teachers, grocers, techies, and more. They come in all shapers, sizes, and walks of life. And fortunately for  me, I have met about a million of them here in LA. (For this I thank Twitter.)

Two of my favorite Denominators are Vixen and Amber. Vixen runs the Vixen’s LA Happy Hour site and is always on the prowl for a …


Checkers Downtown Eclectic Wine Series

by josie on June 16, 2010 Share

Checkers Downtown Eclectic Wine Series

I don’t have Mayoral status on Foursquare, but I may be the biggest Thursday patron at Checkers Four. Their dishes/drinks are always thoughtful and well-executed. I’ve worked in kitchens before and there are ’special’ kitchens where the work seems like simple manual labor, but the work is actually very profound. The caliber of quality is noticeable and the staff attentiveness is spot on. Checkers in one of those special places at the moment for me. This is a photo recap of last week’s FOUR happy hour. It was delicious. Tomorrow’s menu will have foie gras – btw. Foie gras for $4?! Ummm… Yeah, I’ll have to stop by.

Additionally, below is the info for the Eclectic Wine Series at Checkers …


The Viceroy: SaMo

by josie on June 14, 2010 Share

The Viceroy: SaMo

Some of the most beautiful moments often occur when seemingly disparate ideas come together. I came to this perspective about time and space last week while dining alone at the Viceroy in Santa Monica.
Alone, and in a quiet corner, I ordered two things from their happy hour menu:
Grilled Cheese with a shot of Tomato Soup
Beef Sliders with Arugula and Parmesan Cheese Waffer
As a self-proclaimed grilled cheese snob, I have to say, I really enjoyed the asparagus surprise in my sandwich. It looked great and tasted even better. The accompanying soup was forgettable but it played a nice balance against the colorful sandwich.
The sliders were tender to the taste and the salty melted parmesan waffer was a nice counter balance against …