Steak Frites, Prime Rib & Liver Mousse at Freddy Smalls Bar & Kitchen: Sign Me Up

I was lured to Freddy Smalls Bar & Kitchen by its dineLA menu first that featured steak frites. I couldn't wait until dineLA and was devastated to learn it doesn't normally serve steak frites. The night's special was prime rib roast with mashed potatoes. I was hesitant because I don't usually like prime rib or mashed potatoes. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I returned for the dineLA menu a few days later and actually liked the steak less than the prime rib, primarily because the meat wasn't as tender and served cold (not to mention skimpy portions -- six lousy slices?! Come on!). The smoked fingerling potato fries, however, were excellent if not a bit on the over-salted side. I loved that they came out piping hot and it was a nice take on traditional frites. The dipping sauce for the potatoes that tasted of horseradish was amazing. The stellar sauce drizzled over the sliced meat pieces was similar to the one over the prime rib, a mix of green onions and butter. The menu said it was bordelaise sauce from classic French cooking. The rustic presentation didn't hurt either -- check out the cool wooden cutting board used as the serving plate.

Twice in a row, I had the chicken liver mousse goodness spread on crusty bread with a caper berry marmalade that wasn't too sweet and overpowering and topped with fresh frisee and razor-thin sliced radishes. I absolutely loved this appetizer. It went well with the glass of house red wine. I tried the house Pinot on the second visit and despite its nearly double price tag, I liked the $6 house red better. Note to self: stick to the house red next time.

I tried the deviled eggs on my second visit that while on the creamy side, they didn't disappoint either. They were, deviled eggs, after all, so I should expect them to be creamy, right? They looked so dainty and beautiful we couldn't get ourselves to eat them but eventually managed. The nice surprise was the crispy chicken skin that gave the eggs such a great crunchiness and punch of fried chicken flavor that it over-rode all the side trimmings like fresh celery leaves, hot sauce dotted around the plate and the blue cheese mixed into the egg yolks that made it so creamy. Thumbs up!

This image of the majestic prime rib roast over a bed of the creamiest mashed potatoes doesn't begin to do this fantastic piece of meat justice. Like I said, I usually prefer browned and seared meat with a bloody red inside but this prime rib was so incredibly tender. Yes, it was fatty and that's what made it so tender and juicy but we didn't care. We totaled the entire piece without any problem. As for the mashed potatoes, I guess I was expecting some kind of mush without much flavor and again, I was pleasantly surprised to instead find a creamy, garlicky mound of deliciousness that complemented the meat perfectly. Made me want to sign up for their e-updates so I know to return whenever they have this prime rib special again.

Let's talk dessert. The so-called Rocky Road Namelaka was, in a word, ridiculous. Namelaka means 'creamy' in Japanese and creamy it was. It starts with a layer of creamy chocolate mousse in the bottom of the cutest jar container, followed by some almond praline pieces and topped by the fluffiest toasted meringue, all sprinkled with some special fancy salt. I liked this dessert because the mousse wasn't too sweet and while its chocolate flavor could have been more intense, it paired well with the crunch from the praline and the savory layer from the salt, all brought together with the creamy meringue with a hint of smokiness from the nicely browned tops.

I don't love the cramped space, uncomfortable chairs and flat screen over the bar. But I will still be returning to this bar restaurant that serves good food.

Serbian Food at Aroma Cafe: Introducing Savory Pastry Burek and Better than Cream Cheese Kajmak

I ventured into Aroma Cafe mostly out of curiosity as to what Serbian food would be like and the fact that they had a version of the burger (ie., meat patty-filled bread sandwich). The beef patty was highly disappointing. There were some gems, however. The potatoes were nicely grilled if not a tad bland. They came with shredded cheese that I didn't think added a whole lot to the flavor or texture.

A savory pastry called burek was flaky and delicious like puff pastry filled with a cream cheese-like cheese called kajmak and/or spinach. I had tried the cheese-only filled burek courtesy of a Slovenian friend VT that I really liked, so I tried the spinach one that was served warm and crispy, just the way I like it. Thumbs up.

Now for the pljeskavica, the meat patty. The sandwich came with a side of roasted pepper spread (ajvar sauce) and kajmak to be spread on the bread. The patty was topped with diced raw onions. I learned the patty could also be served solo with a side of beans or fries. I thought the patty was far too dry and without much flavor. As much as I like ajvar and kajmak, they couldn't salvage the dryness or lack of flavor of the patty.

In fact, I liked the kajmak so much I bought a small container and am still enjoying it. As for ajvar, I always have a jar of it in my fridge. It makes the best spread for sandwiches or I add a dollop of it in omelettes.

The aroma chicken, which was grilled chicken breast with grilled vegetables was a pleasant surprise. More than anything, the zucchini, bell peppers, red onions and broccoli were beautifully grilled to perfection seasoned with a squirt of lemon, garlic and parsley. The chicken was moist and tender.

I'm not a big fan of baklava because it's too sweet so I only had a bite or two. If you have a sweet tooth and love baklava, it wasn't a bad one.

The vibe of this joint is cute. It also doubles as a mini market where one could buy a tub of kajmak, some prosciutto or whatever your soul craves for from home. There are old timers who hang out there for hours in this virtual community center.

I may return to try the kebabs or order a giant cheese burek like my friend did for a potluck.

800 Degress Pizzeria: Is the Wait Worth It? Yes, and the Line Moves Fast

I had always been deterred from going to 800 Degrees by the perpetual long lines outside and the bad parking. I'm glad I finally went and it's true that the line does move fast. Is it better than Mozza or Olio? Not sure if I'd be able to tell from a blind test but in my bias, I liked Mozza's better. It's definitely on par with Olio, though, if not better.

We had the Margherita and Capricciosa. The basic Margherita was as it should be -- simple and light, with a thin, perfectly charred, blistery crust bubbles straight out of the giant oven. The basil leaves were fresh and the tomato sauce was seasoned right. The Capricciosa had artichokes, mushrooms, olives and ham. I usually hate meat on pizzas but this ham worked. If I venture away from a Margherita, my fave toppings are artichokes and mushrooms. The squash blossom pie I had at Mozza also comes to mind. The Capricciosa was a good mix of salty with different textures. But what made it truly glorious was our opting for a fried egg on top. That just brought the whole pie together. I could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The gooey egg just added a ton of goodness to the whole dish. Combined with the ham, it was indeed like having breakfast, only better. I loved that it had Lambrusco among its wines -- bubbly red was perfect for a hot day. The interior was roomier than I thought, with many tables so one wouldn't have to fight for a table with the next person. I'll definitely 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.