Don Peppe

November 27, 2016 in Food

I'm not going to lie, the only reason I know of Don Peppe is because of Entourage. The number of times Turtle raved about the linguine with white clam sauce got me drooling out of control. Finally, I decided to make the effort all the way deep into Queens. Living in Manhattan, this isn't exactly the stroll down the street. You definitely need to make a significant effort. But if you like good Italian food, adventures, and Entourage, I definitely recommend it.

Ambiance / Decor / Service

Let's just say the lighting here is extremely bright (good for photos though) and invasive. The space is large, crowded and busy. It can be a bit overwhelming. If you got a sinus infection or a splitting headache, the ambiance may not be the most accommodating. But I liked it, it was warm, welcoming and got that old school Queens feel.

Food

I actually really enjoyed the food. It was solid homey Italian food. They only have one menu hanging on the back wall. Everything is family style.

1) The baked clams were solid, but not my favorite. I felt there were too much breading and not enough clams. However, the seasoning and flavors were nice.

2) Linguine with white clam sauce was my favorite, it was so well made in my opinion. Simple, flavorful and delicious. The pasta was perfectly cooked and drenched in warm buttery clam sauce.

3) Chicken marsala. At first glance, it looked kind of lame. At first bite, I wasn't too impressed. It is a very light dish. But after getting deeper into the dish, I realized it was pretty well made. The chicken was tender and the sauce was not overwhelming. I found myself craving it the next day.

4) Red wine. Oddly, the house red wine was served cold. I guess it's just something they do? For a house wine, it actually was legit, despite the cool temperature.

5) Dessert. The cannoli and pistachio Tartufo were so good. Such simple Italian desserts well made.

Reservation

They do not take reservations. I went there around 7pm on a Saturday and the wait was about 30-45min. It wasn't too bad and they have a pretty fast turnover.

Price

I'd say about $40-50 per person including tip and tax.

Fall Casual

October 26, 2016 in Fashion

Photography by Lawrence Cortez

Outfit Details

Sunglasses: Prada

Choker: Dannijo

Jacket: Sandro

Purse: Chanel

Shoes: Adidas

Summer in LA

September 25, 2016 in Travel

It's been almost six years since I was last in LA. Living in New York for the past few years, I was never LA's biggest advocate. Maybe I'm older now or getting slightly tired of the New York hustle. But, this time, I loved LA. It was so chill and relaxing. Granted it is one of the most inconvenient cities I've ever been to, that said, Uber was surprisingly very reasonably priced. You could live off of Ubers and never get a car.

My favorite meals included dinner at Angelini Osteria, literally, everything was amazing. The duck ragu was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I was most impressed by the lamb chops—good lamb chops are very difficult to make and they did a great job. Even the chopped salad was delicious with hints of pistachio and avocado. The service was excellent. Overall a very authentic and homey little Italian joint.

Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica was also very good. The Godmother sandwich along with its endless sides you can choose from were all so delicious. Definitely some of the best sandwiches I've had!

ACTIVITIES / PLACES

Griffith Park Trails

Venice Canals

Malibu Wine Safaris

Malibu Beaches

Downtown LA

FOOD

Angelini Osteria

7313 Beverly Blvd

Bay Cities Italian Deli

1517 Lincoln Blvd

The Polo Lounge

9641 Sunset Blvd

More photos...

Storm Art Center

August 21, 2016

Storm Art Center is a beautiful campus of enormous sculptures by various contemporary artists. It's located about 1.5 hours outside of New York City by train. The space is unreal and the greenery is endless. You can spend all day here, roll around in the endless scenery and even have a picnic. It's a great way to escape the city heat and enjoy the freshness of real nature. I recommend spending all day here as well as watching the sunset.

Zz's Clam Bar

August 08, 2016 in Food

ZZ's Clam Bar is hands down one of my favorite spots in the city. I've been here a handful (10+) times and the food and drinks make me happy every time.

Ambiance / Decor

If you've read my previous reviews of Major Food Group restaurants, you'll know that I've said this countless times before but I always love the setting and ambiance of their restaurants. I usually go to ZZ's on Fridays or Saturdays (because I have a boring corporate job) and they are always playing Latin/Salsa music, momentarily taking you to another setting. It's a small intimate joint with good food, drinks, and music.

The space is very intimate with ~14 seats total and ~9 for dining, but yet it feels spacious. It's got that quirky yet very classy decor where details matter and are appreciated. I absolutely love the crystal chandelier, clean-cut marble tables, and Seafood display by the bar filled with fruits and tropical plants. It's a rare establishment where they got all three right, by all three I'm referring to food, decor/ambiance, and service.

Food

The food is great. Really unique flavors and excellent presentation. They take seafood to another level. It's like designer seafood.

1) Uni toast—Each order comes with two small pieces, but so worth it. Fresh uni served on a buttery soft pretzel toast with chives. It's mouthwatering. I absolutely recommend.

2) Scottish Salmon—The salmon paired with honey mustard is also really good. It's much more simple and goes well together with toast.

3) Chanina Beef Carpaccio, Uni, Lobster and Caviar—I don't know why, but this odd combination just works. It's fresh, heavy (in a good way), and tasty with pieces of lightly buttered toast. Just get it and don't look back.

4) Oysters—You can't go wrong with oysters. They are fresh and delicious!

Drinks

The drinks are absolutely some of the best in the city. I think for $20 it's worth it because you can go to some shitty bar/club/lounge and pay about the same for a shitty drink. I'd rather come here for some hand-crafted drinks where the aesthetics are on point and get a nice Instagram photo. The drinks are also very strong, relative to their peers. For example, you go to some subpar club/lounge/bar and you order a shitty vodka soda, that'll cost you $15-20 and won't even get you buzzed. I'm light weight but I'm not THAT light weight, after 1.5 drinks at ZZ's I'm feeling pretty good.

1) Pistachio—This is my absolute favorite drink! It tastes like dessert with pistachio bits here and there. It is not too sweet and strong enough to get your heart pumping.

2) Cilantro—If you are in the mood for something spicy, then this is the drink for you. It has a nice kick if you aren't afraid of spices. It's served literally in a long pepper where the insides are used in the drink.

3) Coconut—An aesthetically pleasing drink. What's not to like about drinking out of a smoking coconut? It's super fun and picturesque!

4) Carcao—If you are in the mood for something super fruity and tropical yet strong. This is the perfect drink. It tastes really light, refreshing and fruity but is strong and effective. It's also served in vintage Star Wars cups.

Price

No doubt it's pricey for the average person. But, nonetheless, definitely worth it. It's one of those places you come to on a quarterly basis. I would estimate at least ~$150 per person for a full meal and a drink or two.

Reservation

I think one or two weeks in advance will suffice. They only accept reservations 2 weeks in advance I believe.