Busy day here at work, and will be a busy and long evening for me.
First up...
Wine, Jazz and Moonlight
"Every Tuesday, June 3 - August 26 from 7 to 9pm
Join Hollywood & Highland Center and KJAZZ 88.1 FM for the 5th annual Wine, Jazz and Moonlight series presented by Shell Vacations
all summer long beginning June 3rd. Enjoy free concerts by some of the
country's top jazz performers every Tuesday from 7 to 9pm in the
central courtyard of Hollywood and Highland Center during the months of
June, July and August. The event is FREE to the public and a wine
tasting donation with wine provided by Wente Vineyards benefits Project Angel Food.
Come early, grab some dinner at one of the restaurants and enjoy VIP
discounts at stores using your Hollywood and Highland Center VIP Elephant Card."
Barbara Morrison is opening it up today. I don't know much about jazz, and haven't had enough exposure to say whether or not I'm a fan, but a friend loves Barbara Morrison and I've decided to check her out tonight before I go to Tuesday Night Live.
Tuesday Night Live
11pm - 2am
Two Tuesdays a month, Koji's restaurant and bar showcases a handful of local musical acts. From rock bands to acoustic sets, there's always something interesting to discover at Tuesday Night Live. I've already found 3 acts I really like (Jenni Alpert, Kris Bradley, and Madame Hooligan) that I would have never known about otherwise. Plus, the great people and cheap drinks don't hurt either. ;-)
Both events are at the Hollywood & Highland center, with the Wine and Jazz taking place in the main courtyard.
Koji's Sushi & Shabu Shabu
6801 Hollywood Blvd, 4th Floor
Hollywood, CA 90028
I pulled an all-nighter on Saturday and watch the entire first season of the new Battlestar Galatica. A couple coworkers are really into it and encouraged me to watch it, promising that I'd love it. That's not much of a stretch considering that I'm a big fan of sci-fi, especially Star Trek The Next Generation.
So what's the verdict? Well, let's put it this way: I am dying to watch the next 2.5 seasons so I can catch up with it now in its 4th and final season. The show is great! Plus, Captain Lee "Apollo" Amada (Jamie Bamber) is so mmm.... sookie sookie:
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I eat out so much over the weekend, much more than I should. Went to the Hollywood Mongolian Grill in the Highland & Highland complex. It is the absolute best go-to food after a night of drinking. For about $8, I load a bowl with slices of raw meat (I choose pork and beef; chicken and turkey are also available) and my choice of cut vegetables (I usually go for cabbage, cilantro, and tons of broccoli). They pile on fresh noodles on top, scoops of minced garlic and chilies, and then it all goes to the "Grill Master" who expertly grills it all on a huge, round metal table while pouring on some sauces. After a heavy sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, I almost always devour the entire plate and let it work its magic on my hangover stomach. Mmm. I could go for some right now.
I also went to the California Pizza Kitchen, located in the same complex. Took it a bit easier that day and had the Chinese Chicken Salad, which I really do enjoy especially considering that I'm not a big salad eater. However, I undid all that healthiness by having a late dinner from Chinatown Express. It's pretty much your standard strip mall generic Chinese food place (2 item combo, 3 item combo, etc.), but my goodness, their sweet and sour orange chicken was just perfect. The best I've ever had. The meat was so moist and yet the outside was perfectly light and crisp, just sweet enough but not sugary. I could eat a whole bucket of those.
But with summer heating up and my shorts coming out of the closet, I better not. :-)
Hollywood Mongolian Grill
Hollywood & Highland Complex
6801 Hollywood Blvd, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90028
California Pizza Kitchen
Hollywood & Highland Complex
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Orange Court
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Chinatown Express
6051 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
I mentioned Huston's briefly in the previous post, which was a great injustice towards something that deserves much more attention.
Huston's is a small joint with a western saloon-like theme located on Cahuenga Blvd. They used to stay opened until 2 in the morning, but now with more nightclubs and bars in the area, they close pretty early (around 11 or 10, if memory serves me right). Safety issues, I suppose. It's too bad because I used to stop by Huston's quite often after a night of drinking.
I still go there pretty frequently. Their sandwiches are very satisfying, especially the BBQ pork, but what I usually (if not always) get is an order of the pork ribs. They're so meaty and tender, smothered in a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce. I douse on plenty of the Island Treasure Jamaican hot sauce found on every table and spend the next 20 minutes in a carnivore's paradise.
If you love meat - especially ribs - as much as I do, definitely make it a point to check out Huston's. But be warned, they're closed on Sundays; it's something I'm reminded of at least once a month when I wake up with a hangover stomach and a craving for Huston's.
Huston's Texas Pit BBQ
1620 N Cahuenga Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.464.3972
I spent most of the evening at The Hungry Cat, and my god, was it good.
I was introduced to The Hungry Cat about a year ago. We had some sort of seafood platter (quite expensive, mind you), and I tried a beer called Poppy Fields, a seasonal draught from a local brewery in Pasadena. I remember that the beer was extremely flavorful, hearty yet fruitful, and for the first time ever, I actually enjoyed eating raw oysters - they were delicious.
Tonight, after a heavy dinner of pork ribs at Huston's on Cahuenga, we stopped by The Hungry Cat for drinks. I asked for Poppy Fields, but to my great disappointment, its season was over and they had stopped carrying it just last week! They had another draught from the same brewery called Orange Grove, which I ordered and liked just as much.
Sitting at the bar, I watched as the bartender whipped up a great variety of drinks using fresh and unusual ingredients such as cherries, candied chili peppers, fresh vanilla beans, blood oranges, egg whites, and more. My curiosity was piqued - I had to try their cocktails.
I ordered the Hot Tamale, a margarita-like drink which came with a skewer of candied chili pepper. It was amazing. The drink itself was mixed with fresh chili pepper and imparted a rush of heat with every sip.
Next, I had the Cherry Julius, an experimental drink made by the bartender. I was skeptical at first. In addition to the fresh cherries and whole vanilla bean, it was also made with an egg white. However, my mind was changed with the first sip. It was one of the most tasty cocktails I've ever had, almost like a guilty dessert, and it's one I'll definitely order again.
I also had the Bonne Année, made with an African rum and tasting like a Lemonhead, and the Mia Farrow, which was a refereshing blend of fresh squeeze tangerine, oranges, mint, rosemary and vodka. I have never in my life had cocktails so flavorful, so expertly made, and so satisfying. I was tempted to stay all night and sample everything The Hungry Cat had to offer, but alas, 1. I have work in the morning and 2. at $12 a drink, I really should not have had as much as I did. However, I will say this: I will definitely be going back.
The Hungry Cat
1535 N Vine St
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.462.2155
Website
