Plan Check on Sawtelle: Decent Burger with "Ketchup Leather" and Soso Fries

I had a lot of good dishes at Plan Check, but I'm mostly reviewing the burger -- because that's what I mostly care about. The Plan Check Burger was a thumbs up.

It was overcooked the first time around so had to send it back but the second time around, the burger was cooked just medium rare. It came with "Americanized dashi cheese" although in the hodge podge of the works, I couldn't tell it apart. I did, however, notice the interesting texture of the "ketchup leather" which was essentially ketchup dehydrated into a thin sheet and used here almost as a slice of cheese. The schmaltz onions were good but again, I couldn't taste the rendered fat. I liked the pickles that weren't too salty or briny. The bun was fresh, warm and held up to the meaty burger. The patty was flavorful enough and the consistency of the ground meat was above average but not quite right.

Overall above average but still no contest to Houston's or even Pono Burger. One other disappointment was that the fries weren't all that. They were served hot but not the super crispy and double fried fries I'd expect at a place like this. They were more like burger shack or diner fries and not in a good way. Passable but the fries game should be upped.

The fried chicken was also very crispy and moist. The massive donut dessert was just ok. Service was good despite it being extremely busy. The stool seats weren't as comfortable but they don't have tables for large parties so I probably wouldn't go in a large group if I were to return.

Gottsui on Sawtelle: Decent Light Broth Kobe Beef Ramen and Yakisoba but Avoid Okonomiyaki

I first read about Gottsui on Sawtelle for its ramen and quickly discovered that ramen isn't its main staple. The items to have here are okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Still, I actually enjoyed the ramen the most. It was no tonkotsu broth ramen a-la Tatsu but I liked its lightness and use of braised kobe beef chunks, an alternative to chashu, tender slices of slow cooked pork usually found in these delightfully heavy bowls. It only serves its ramen in small portions as an appetizer. I also loved the hard boiled egg that was cooked just right -- with the egg yolk ever so slightly underdone and mois. The noodles were nice and hard. It came with a motherload of chopped scallions and pickled ginger. The nifty bowl it was served in was a bonus.

I liked the yakisoba, stir fried noodles with a bunch of stuff like cabbage, a protein and other veggies, topped with bonito flakes and pickled ginger. We had the Kobe Beef (one of nine variations) that was uber tender. The noodles were a tad overdone but otherwise, the flavors of the cabbage, garlic and beef melded well. This was also topped with shaved bonito flakes and pickled ginger. The animated bonito flakes that melt with the heat certainly made for a nice presentation.

The Gottsui okonomiyaki (one of 13 variations) that included squid, shrimp and pork belly all mixed up with egg, potatoes and cabbage, also topped with shaved bonito flakes wasn't as successful. I didn't like having the egg in a separate layer of omelet, as opposed to being incorporated into the batter like the ones I remember having in the heart of Shibuya in Tokyo -- where the batter of the pancake is poured before you onto a griddle table side and you witness it cooking all the way through. The anticipation is often irresistible but we were always rewarded with a nice, crunchy and slightly sweet concoction. Despite it being a Japanese chain, Gottsui's version didn't taste like the real deal to me.

The gyoza looked promising with its crusty edges but alas, they disappointed. The filling was too mushy (like they had been over ground in a food processor or something) and didn't have too much flavor.

Service was pretty bad. Had to ask for the water to refilled multiple times. It's also A/C-challenged. No air or at least it didn't feel like it indoors. The outdoor seating is no good because there are flies galore. They definitely need to do something about the air, especially in this heat wave. Ok, I'm a spoiled Angeleno who can't deal with temperatures above 80.

The desserts were completely forgettable. The roasted banana with vanilla ice cream was only edible because of the banana pieces. The ice cream tasted like it had been in the freezer for far too long. It wasn't even creamy, like it was melted and then frozen again. Bad.

The ice cream scoop atop a red bean cake was equally bad because they used the same ice cream. They need to seriously do something about that ice cream.

I hate valet parking with a passion so never park at the mini mall the restaurant is in (I sorely miss its pre-valet days). If you're willing to walk a bit, there is plenty of parking in the residential areas nearby.

Tatsu Ramen on Sawtelle: Salty But Solid Tonkotsu Broth Made Better with Black Garlic Oil

I always feel like I'm missing out on one of my favorite noodle dishes of all time because there seem to be so many new ramen joints popping up around South Bay and Sawtelle that I can't ever keep up with. I almost accidentally found myself in Sawtelle on one recent weekday so I figured, this is it. This is the time to try all those ramen shops diligently jotted down in your phone. So I whipped out my list and lo and behold, I found Tatsu Ramen within walking distance of where I was. So in I went. It's all very young and hip: walk in and there are three iPads hanging on the right side of the wall. Those are the ordering machines. You pay there too and sit down at the bar, communal tables or outside. Then they bring your ramen to you. Pretty cool system.

Now for the taste. They are known for infusing black garlic oil into their tonkotsu (pork bone-based) broth and deliver they did. I got the standard Soul Ramen with no additions. The default bowl came with ground beef and chashu (you have a choice of chicken or tofu here -- but why bother, seriously), wood-ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots and green onions.

The broth, which I consider the most important component of ramen, was solid, if not on the salty side. I understand salty somewhat comes with the territory but it was a bit too much. However, I forgave them for the sodium overload because the broth was hearty and had the requisite strong, good porky taste. It held its own. It was no crouch like some I had a while back in South Bay. The chasu pork slice was good. I wasn't into the ground beef as much. Didn't hate but didn't think it added too much value. We're talking pork here! What is beef doing where it's uninvited?!

The black garlic oil was good. I don't know that it transformed the ramen broth into this magical concoction but I like garlic so it worked. I can't tell the difference in taste between regular and black garlic but anything garlic is my friend. All the other accouterments were standard and solid, including the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and green onions.

You can customize each bowl with more or less of each topping. I wish I could customize it a-la-Shinsengumi as I'm used to asking for hard noodles, normal broth and light oil. I care more about these fundamentals than the toppings, if you ask me. The whole vegetarian option thing just seems inauthentic to me. Don't mean to be a veggie hater but let me break it to you: it just ain't going to taste as good as the real deal. But I commend the joint for giving non-pork eaters the opportunity to enjoy a black garlicky bowl of goodness. I will return. I'm glad I found a good one after many duds along the way. If it weren't for the saltiness, this one may give my fave Shinsengumi's a run for its money. It's like the flashier, hipper cousin to the more tradition-respecting Shinsengumi.