Food

May072019

Dumpling Monster (WeHo, Los Angeles)

Head over to Dumpling Monster while you still can; soon there will be lines out the door and prices will increase! Years and years ago, we wrote one of the first reviews for Sunny Blue. Even though we don’t (and shouldn’t) take any credit for their success, when we first started going there, there weren’t any lines whatsoever. Once it got popular, there’d often be a thirty minute wait and eventually the quality even dipped a bit. The two founders opened another location in Culver City and were rarely at the Main Street Santa Monica location ever. We were thrilled for their success, but it lost the magic it once had.

Something similar might happen with Dumpling Monster. The prices are great and the food is both fresh and flavorful. Most dumpling spots are either dirty hole in the walls or really high-end spots with long waits, like the two in Century City Mall. This is the perfect middle ground. It is clean, well organized and easy to access. It isn’t very busy because the shop is hiding behind a pet boarding facility on Santa Monica Blvd, but once people discover this spot it will be busy.

We first tried it for delivery and were thrilled with the price and quality of the food. We decided to go into their physical location and found the overall experience equally exceptional. My only issue was that the crispy beef roll was served with a side of sriracha. Since their other dumpling dipping sauces are complex flavor profiles, this was disappointing. Fortunately, the roll itself was so good that it didn’t need sauce.

It is only a matter of time before their delivery wait times increase, their small seating area is packed and their prices go up. It is hard to predict if the quality goes up or down, but you should definitely try it sooner than later. Being on top of the game, or in front of the pack, helps you stay hungry and fit.

They travel really well! We recommend delivery for those lazy nights.

And make sure to ask for extra dipping sauce. I usually run out halfway through an order.

Apr222019

Milford’s On Third (Baton Rouge, LA)

When we were recently house hunting in Louisiana, we drove through the state capital of Baton Rouge. With a population of 1/4 million and the home to LSU’s ~30,000 students, you’d imagine the food between New Orleans and Lafayette (the heart of Cajun country) would be pretty good. It is. Unfortunately, there are a lot of very popular and extremely busy seafood restaurants and when you’re traveling, you don’t have time to wait for an hour or two. We didn’t even have enough time to find parking for those spots. After checking Yelp, we headed to the more historic downtown area, easily found a free parking spot in front of a beautiful church and walked in Milford’s on Third.

Apr152019

Why We Eat A Lot of Fish!

The most consumed primary protein source in our home is probably seafood. We eat a lot of tuna. Salmon is also one of our go-to meals. Canned mackerel, sardines and even anchovies are staples in our pantry. You might even find a variety of frozen, wild caught fish in our freezer… in case of emergencies. (For anyone wondering, Morningstar, Tofurkey, Beyond Meat and other “fake meat” products are our second most common primary protein source.) We eat fish because it is, in our opinions, more humane and sustainable than consuming other animals such as cows, pigs and chickens. It can also be healthier, if done properly. Even though I am not a vegetarian, I was a pescatarian for nearly a year when we lived in Boulder. If you manage your macronutrient and overall caloric intake properly, and supplement micronutrients such as vitamins/minerals properly, you can most likely live a healthy lifestyle without certain sources of protein.

Mar232019

Leftover Magic: BBQ Brisket

If you’re anything like us, you usually make WAY too much food for important events, holidays and family get-togethers. If you went to our wedding, you’d know this. No one had any room in their stomachs left by the time first dessert was served. Second and third desserts weren’t even touched. I don’t think people even looked at them. For St. Patrick’s Day, we always make far too many corned beefs, and in some cases, we buy so many of them that we don’t even cook some. Either way, whether you have cooked ones sitting in the fridge or uncooked ones, we found a fun way to repurpose them… by making BBQ!

Mar192019

Lunetta All Day (Santa Monica, CA)

I don’t know why I keep calling this place La Lunetta, but it sure sounds better than Lunetta All Day. Is that really its name? Do they serve food all day? Well, I’ll stop giving this quaint yet busy spot on Pico such a hard time because it wasn’t bad at all!

Mar162019

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage

This really should read how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, at home. We don’t need to tell you how to find a local Irish pub to down some Guinness and eat some traditional fare… that’s pretty easy, depending on where you live. It is, however, very fun to celebrate at home with your family. Growing up, my mother made a big deal out of this holiday. She was one of nine kids, in a family that was raised in a very Catholic Irish-American household, even though they had lots of other ethnicities in them as well. They didn’t grow up with a whole lot of money, and like them, many other large Irish American families that came over to the New York City area were large and suffering, so they decided to make this very cheap and relatively easy meal as the base for the celebration.

Mar152019

Celebrating Pi Day with the Best Pie Ever

March 14th aka 3/14 aka 3.14 aka Pi! There are so many new national days. National Pancake Day was earlier this week, although it feels as though we have a few of those every single year. Pi Day is one of those amazing “holidays” that you don’t get off work, but you still can celebrate by justifying the consumption of tons of pie. Pies are underrated and grossly under-appreciated. We typically, especially here in the United States, think of Apple Pie because it is All-American, but is apple pie even close to the best pie?

Mar092019

Whole-Wheat Banana Bread

Our typical uses of bananas include oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and in peanut butter sandwiches. However, sometimes things come up or other meals fulfill us, and we are left with browning bananas. Do we throw them out? Absolutely not! How dare you suggest such blasphemy. There is so much you can do with bananas: you can make cookies, muffins, or…bread! You can still keep it healthy, even though you’re baking. This whole-wheat banana bread recipe is simple, quick, and delicious. The prep time is basically nothing, but you do have to wait in front of the oven like a starving kitten.

Feb102019

The Best Food on Hollywood Blvd: Dubai Sauce

Last April, a friend suggested we visit Dubai Sauce for lunch. Even though it is right down the block from where we live, we had never been. Why? We don’t eat food on Hollywood Blvd, at least near the Walk of Fame. Why? Because the food is generally awful. You can read about that first experience HERE. I decided to bring Fit last Friday and see if they’ve made any improvements; they have.

Jan312019

The Secret to Making Tacos at Home

Tacos are one of the greatest foods of all time. Fight me. They can be done in any manner of ways, but if you get the essentials right, they are little pockets of joy. Price ranges for tacos can vary—especially in Los Angeles. You can go to your local taco truck and get three tacos for $4 or you can go to a fancy trendy restaurant and pay $6 for one taco.