DineLA: Abigaile

It’s that time of year again where I fork over wheelbarrows full of money so I can get a glimpse of LA’s best restaurants. Yep, it is DineLA. DineLA this time around is in July for two weeks (July 14-27), right smack dab in the middle of summer. I had no idea that DineLA happens twice a year and occurs only a few months between each other, so I definitely didn’t prepare to take such a hit on my wallet. Since I was so unprepared on all accounts, I definitely had NO IDEA where to go. Mix that with my indecisiveness and that is a recipe for disaster with frustration over a place to eat (those decisions are really important, okay). Anyways, thank goodness for best friend number 2, aka Eater LA, for already doing most of the brunt work by recommending what they thought was the 20 Best Picks for DineLA July. So, what did I do? What every indecisive yet fastidious foodie would do… heavily research the restaurants on the list and pick one from there, duh.

Eater LA really does know how to compile a solid list (click above link for proof), so I trust their judgement in that regard. There were a few repeat winners, such as The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Craft, and Gordon Ramsay, but there were other ones that were obscure but seemed promising. Being as adventurous as I am when it comes to food, I went for the path less taken and went for obscure yet promising – I ended up choosing Abigaile located in Hermosa Beach. I have never heard of Abigaile nor have I ever been to Hermosa Beach so I was excited to make this DineLA experience into a foodie excursion. Of course I couldn’t go on this adventure alone so I took my foodie friend, Vinh, as he also is down to try just about any kind of cuisine/restaurant.

My first impression of Hermosa Beach was that it reminded me a lot of Del Mar combined with La Jolla in San Diego. Hermosa Beach is a quaint and cute little beach town that has tall streets like San Francisco but has the serenity of San Diego beach cities – two places  that I hold near and dear to my heart. Needless to say, I instantly fell in love with the place. It is quite unfortunate that I live about 45 min to 1 hour away from there. The restaurant had a very rustic feel – lots of dark woods, metal chairs and sheets, and a chalk wall. The back of the restaurant had large glass windows that has views of the ocean and the pier, which is only 1 block away – it was stunning. Abigaile is cozy enough to take a someone to on a date but was also open and spacious enough to fit a fair-sized party – very versatile, if you ask me.

Okay, now on to the food. I already knew what I wanted before I got there because I like to know exactly what I am getting into (although sometimes I surprise myself and select things on a whim). Abigaile is described as New American style food, it is like America food with a bit of a twist from cuisines around the world (Asian, Brazilian, Canadian, etc). Their menu was extensive, with plenty of choices that can statisfy the picky and the open-minded eater. Abigaile’s DineLA dinner was priced at $45, a bit on the pricier side, but it was worth every penny – let me tell you why. First of all, you get a 5 course meal. Second, Abigaile does NOT skimp on the quality and definitely not the quantity, so you will not leave full. And third, the service was impeccable. Finding a restaurant that participates in DineLA that has all of that criteria is near impossible. I think Abigaile achieved what very few restaurants achieve when participating in DineLA, that is to retain customers and to get them coming back. You can say that I will definitely be back soon. See, this is why you go with the obscure yet promising ones, you tend to find hidden gems that way. Did I mention that Abigaile also brews their own beer – and good beer might I add! I am not a beer drinker, but their beer was good enough to convert me into one (I still love my wine though). Their Cacophony IPA had a lychee taste to it – and I am not mad at that.

Abigale’s DineLA Menu

Beer Flight

Starter: Pao de Queijo – Cheesy gooey balls of doughy goodness.

 

Foraged Wild Mushroom with Creamy Polenta and Truffle Oil. Heavenly.

 

Tuna Tartare with Lotus Chips

Salmon BLT with chips

Fried Chicken with Kale Slaw

Braised Lamb Belly Poutine topped with a Fried Egg

Homemade Snickers for Dessert

I felt really full and guilty eating the Snickers. But I finished every last bite.

When in New York, Eat Like a New Yorker – Bagel Edition

Whenever I get a chance to travel, I always follow the “when in Rome” mantra, especially when it comes to dining. Now that I am visiting New York, of course I want to eat like a New Yorker. What is it that New Yorkers eat that 1) seem to be a staple and 2) isn’t as good if you get it any place else but New York? Bagels and Pizza. I think most people know about the deliciousness of Pizza in NY, but I don’t think people really understand how unrivaled these NY bagels are – so I will elaborate. Now, I normally don’t eat heavy gluten-filled carbs, especially for breakfast, but I wanted to immerse myself in the New Yorker hustle bustle, on-the-go lifestyle. And that is exactly what I did during this trip.

Life in the fast-lane is a serious notion in New York, everyone is trying to get somewhere and fast. This theme also resonates with the food industry here as well (with the exception of fine dining). I encountered a gentleman who was getting upset because the lady at the register took a few minutes to ring up the person ahead of him. Anyways, I am glad that New York caters to this kind of lifestyle because I had to grab something quick before I ran into my all-day meetings (yikes!). I Yelp’d the nearest bagel shop which happened to be a block and a half away and stumbled upon Ess A Bagel.

When I arrived, I instantly fell in love with the place. From the outside, the wood facade and large windows made the shop look rustic and very mom and pop-y. When I walked inside there were a bunch of two-top marble tables and metal chairs with the accountant sitting at one of them doing the books. Ess A Bagel had a huge display of bagels with an even larger display of fixings that you could smear onto your bagel, ranging from peanut butter to white fish spread and, of course, a cornucopia of cream cheeses (even of the tofu variety for the lactose-intolerant!). They also had a large variety of bagels from the standard onion to the unconventional pumpernickel. Their bagels are slightly different in that they coat the bottom of the bagel rather than the top which is ingenious because then there is an even coating. All in all, Ess A Bagel had a pretty stellar selection of all sorts.

I was feeling like getting breakfast so I ordered the Everything bagel with egg, cheese, and sausage. It took about 3-5 minutes to get that bagel and it cost $4.95. I realized that I forgot to tell the man to toast my bagel, but when I opened the wax paper wrapping, split the bagel in half, and took my first bite, the bagel was so perfect that it didn’t even need it. The cheese was oozing from the sides and the middle, the egg was generous and covered the entire span of the 5 inch diameter bagel, the sausage was greasy, and the bagel had an amazing crunch from the everything crust. Not only did the bagel look good, it tasted amazing. I don’t know what it is about the gluten foods that I have had whilst in New York but it never ceases to amaze me after every single bite. This place was so good that I made sure to have enough time before my meetings on the next day to go again and grab THE SAME EXACT THING (yes, it was really that good, guys). The man at the counter even commented on how they must have been doing something right for me to come 2 times in 2 days. You can call me a regular at that point – and I totally would be if I lived in the Big Apple. I’m convinced, there is something in the water in New York – and I like it.

Ess A Bagel Storefront

The bagels… there are so many kinds!!

The cream cheeses. Only 1 out of the 3 displays of spreads.

Egg, cheese, and sausage sandwich on an everything bagel. Sheer perfection!

Look at that everything crust and how big the bagel is. Needless to say, I finished the whole thing.