LA Delicious

Things have fallen off track here at Meatballs and Dumplings. We were off to a strong(-ish) start, but then a number of consecutive 80-100 work weeks got between the writing staff and free time to fatten up.

Half the team just got back from a few relaxing days in LA. Included on the tour of deliciousness was a burger at Father’s Office, a lamb sausage pizza and burrata-olive tapenade toast at Gjelina, and homemade pasta with “hedgehogs” at the Tasting Kitchen.

Maybe it’s too much work and not enough New York exploration, but the restaurants in LA do a better job of serving affordable, fresh-ingredient based food than those in NYC.

The burger at Father's Office

Pizza at Gjelina

Yum. I am no fan of blue cheese, which is included in the cheese mix on the burger at Father’s Office, but substitutions are strictly not allowed. Even when you fib that you have a allergy to mold.

Also, hedehogs, for the unsophisticated food lovers like me, are apparently delicious mushrooms.

The final stop on the LA food tour was the mahi-mahi taco special at James Beach (in “I love you, Man”), the only disappointing meal. As far as fish tacos go — in LA of all places — they were totally mediocre.