Snapper Jack's Taco Shack - The Next In-N-Out?

I take an audible bite of my steak taco which I’ve learned to order “crispy,” meaning the flour taco shell is fried a bubbly brown. I unceremoniously dump a cup of pico de gallo mixed with their creamy guacamole-green “Incan salsa” over the top to convince my diet-conscious self that it’s not entirely unhealthy. The salsa drips down to the spicy marinated steak. Delicious.

Snapper Jack’s Taco Shack in Ventura successfully brings back the relaxed, but energetic ambience of 1960s surfer culture-- and amazingly, the restaurant has revived the prices of a bygone era as well. My steak taco dinner was $2.95.

Even at 6:30pm on a Friday night, there is no wait to order, though the place is bustling with trim teenage girls, older couples in Hawaiian shirts and families. Middle aged men in plaid mingle with toe-head blond children in the feeding frenzy at the salsa bar, which boasts far more interesting selections than a Baja Fresh, which Snapper Jack’s vaguely resembles.

Unusually conscientious high school students politely take orders at the counter, above which Endless Summer and other surf footage plays, well, endlessly, on the flat screen TV above. Longboards line the walls with cheerful montages of vintage photographs of sandy-haired surfers and bright advertisements for seaside destinations.

The atmosphere is family-friendly, but with the high energy of a Friday date night. The Taco Bell across the street is deserted, and the only sound coming from the Dominos Pizza store front nextdoor is the wavering buzz of the fluorescent lights illuminating its sterile white interior. It’s no wonder that the ubiquitous chains can’t compete with the happy hubbub of Snapper Jack’s.

In an interview for the Camarillo Acorn, the owner, Jack Plasmyer, said he followed the business model set by In-N-Out by offering a limited menu and using only fresh ingredients. So maybe in a few years time, Snapper Jack’s will branch out from its two current locations in Ventura and Camarillo. I hope so!

Snapper Jack's Taco Shack Locations:
5100 Telegraph Rd. Ventura, CA (805) 642-5111
4350 Verdugo Way Camarillo, CA (805) 384-0334

E-mails from the East

My friends are scattered far and wide across the globe and sometimes I'm treated to some pretty funny emails. Here is an excerpt from my friend in India, who recently had a house lizard dive bomb from the ceiling, landing mere inches away from her head.

She was inspired to check online for a way to rid her room of house lizards, and here is the advice she found:

"To drive away common house lizards it would be handy to try this method.

It's very time consuming to drive away the lizards using peacock feathers,empty egg shells or other repellents, so what i would suggest you is that to deal directly using a vaccum cleaner through which it can hardly elude the sucking pressure.

If you dont have one (vaccum cleaner) ask your servant to drive away those lizards using a broom stick."

If you want Real Food, You Have to Find the Blackmarket

I follow the sweet heavy scent of buttery brioche, thick dark chocolate brownies, and savory focaccia to the farmers market stall of Blackmarket Bakery. The plastic packets of pastries and bread still hold the condensation and heat that denotes freshly baked fare, but what is most addictive about these treats is what I don’t find on the ingredients label: no shortening, no artificial flavors, no preservatives, no crap.

Baker and owner, Rachel Klemek, is adamant about that: “My father-in-law bought a cake from the grocery store recently, and the list of ingredients on that thing was 4 inches long with a .5 font! I’m like ‘what is this stuff and why do we need it?!’ Everything we made in culinary school used real food. I know that’s what I want my kids eating, and it tastes better too.”

Although I love the bakery’s focaccia pockets filled with eggplant and asiago, or crimini mushrooms and cheddar, cakes are Rachel’s bread and butter (pun fully intended). They come in combinations unheard of on supermarket shelves, like toasted hazelnuts, raspberries and dark chocolate ganache, or coconut buttermilk cake with fresh mango, passion fruit syrup and coconut buttercream.

Rachel and her team can artistically sculpt almost anything out of cake and fondant- which she says is the hardest part of the job, but also the most creatively rewarding. She’s not stingy with her expertise either, and teaches small hands-on classes to adults and children which can be tailored to their interests, or structured around a theme like Rustic Fall Desserts or My Grandma’s Southern Sweets.

Blackmarket Bakery appeals to my rebellious side, at least if rebellion is defined as eating well despite trends to the contrary. After she attended the Culinary Institute of America (also known as “the CIA,” though Rachel denies that she is a ninja-spy-baker) and landed a few jobs, she decided to open her own bakery—just as the Atkins diet hit.

“The whole country was like ‘bread is going to kill you, let’s eat bacon,” she recalls. Instead of letting that deter her, Rachel let the fad diet and the punk rock music she was listening to become the inspiration for her bakery’s name and logo. She set up shop in an industrial park in Irvine, CA, and hauled her breads, cakes, cookies and focaccia to Farmers markets around Orange County and built up a cult following of people who appreciate real food.

As I approach the table eyeing the brioche, I overhear the large rugged man next to me cheerfully admit to Rachel that he “can’t go a week” without something from her bakery. I’ve heard that secret handshakes denote members of some underground societies—but for us Blackmarket Bakery disciples, it’s the pastry crumbs down the front of our shirts that give us away.

For information on cakes and classes, call Blackmarket Bakery at 949.852.4609. Check out their site to find their Farmer’s Market locations: www.blackmarketbakery.com

Downtown Dining, Cheap Eats Edition

Yogurt Land in Little Tokyo boasts around 30 flavors of frozen yogurt, which can leave a gluttonous patron with one heck-of-a brain freeze. The instinct to try everything, combine flavors, and create a small sculpture in your cup is irresistible since you serve yourself and can pile on the fruit toppings (raspberry, strawberry, mango), “dry” toppings (peanut butter cups, mochi, sprinkles), or “cold” toppings (cookie dough, brownie bits, cheesecake bits). Yogurt flavors range from classic to exotic, with taro, mango, pumpkin and green tea right next to pistachio and espresso. My artistic creation of peanut butter, chocolate, cheesecake and cookies n’ cream yogurts with Oreos, white chocolate chips, brownie bits and chocolate sauce came to just $3.75—you pay by weight. 130 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles.

George’s Greek Café: someone tell the cooks in back that it’s spelled GREECE, not GREASE! But when they get it right, and they often do, it’s very good. Brave the long lunch line which moves surprisingly quickly, and try the Spanakopita (flaky phyllo filled with spinach, feta and spices) with a dollop of tzantiziki, a yogurt, garlic, mint and cucumber sauce ($8.25), or play it safe with a lamb Gyro ($6.49). Don’t forget the vegetarian Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves, $3.94) and the equally unpronounceable Keftethes--ask the waiter for the “meatball things,” he hears that all the time ($3.94). 7th and Figueroa, in the downstairs food court.

Super Torta is one of those great Los Angeles hole-in-the-wall joints that City workers know so well—and the place is packed with them. For readers who derive their knowledge of Mexican food from the drive-through menu at Taco Bell (like myself), a torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a fluffy variation of a baguette, called a bolillo, with guacamole, meat, tomatoes, onions and peppers. The bolillo is the secret to this sandwich’s success- the pillowy middle absorbs the meat juices and sauce almost like a French dip from Philippe’s, but is saved from sogginess by a toasty outer edge. Don’t let the spicy pickled carrot appetizer scare you, it’s actually pretty good. Bring a friend fluent in Spanish to order, or just point and smile like I do—the waitresses are very understanding. Prices are around $6. 360 S Alvarado.

Anglophile Packing Light

With American Airlines now charging $15 for even one checked bag (plus the constant risk of airlines losing your luggage), packing light has become a necessary skill. The LA Times interviewed fashion experts to find out how they pack light, as they brag that they can fit a WHOLE WEEK’S worth of clothing into a carry on.

Hah.

You’re reading the blog of a woman who went to London for a MONTH with nothing but a carry-on and a large purse. I’m planning another trip to England in October for a week and a half—and not only am I taking a carry-on, I plan to leave room in it to bring home antique books from the Charing Cross road bookstores, and anything I fancy from Portobello and Camden markets.

The LA Times article asks, “is it even possible to stow a week's worth of wardrobe in a space the size of a breadbox without looking as stale as day-old bread?”

I’m just going to leave their “experts” holding their Dolce and Gabbana totes, and answer this myself.

~ Every piece of clothing you bring should be stylish, in colors and fabrics that will mix and match, that can do double duty as day and evening wear. In London, I lived in black lacey tank tops that looked great with jeans on a hot summer day, and served as a shell under a more colorful and formal over-shirt or jacket for evenings at the theater. Another plus, is that black cotton can be easily hand-washed in the hotel sink and air-dried overnight (along with black underwear and black socks). Black is timeless—and stainless, making it perfect for travel.
~ Bring one pair of casual pants (jeans or khakis), one pair of light weight pants that can double for semi-formal (or skirt), and one pair of dressy pants. Pants are easiest on the road, because cold windy days can hit anytime, anywhere north of the equator.
~ Bring 2 pairs of shoes. 3, if you need sandals. Bring one good pair of walking shoes (not tennis shoes) that can do double duty as semi-dressy or casual (I like Mephisto), and one pair of dressy shoes that you can walk in. Blisters on a vacation really suck the fun out of the experience, so do not sacrifice comfort for looks. Wear the bulkiest shoes on the plane
~ Bring a good jacket that- again- does double duty as semi-dressy and casual. I got a pink trench coat in London that I wore everywhere. For men, it’s even easier, because wearing a sports coat over a t-shirt, or shirt and tie, looks equally hip.
~ Wear your bulkiest clothing on the plane- it’s cold in those cabins anyways. Use sweatshirts and jackets as neck pillows and blankets.

So, when it comes to looking good: choose classic pieces that you can dress up or down with accessories like jewelry or scarves. Scarves double as wraps for the evening. Draw attention to your upper body so fashionistas won't notice your comfortable shoes. If you’re a woman, take the time to learn how to put your hair up in a French Twist—once you get the hang of it, it’s the fastest way to look chic without hauling hair tools.

DO NOT BRING
~ White clothes! With limited clothing options, you don’t want one piece out of commission due to dripping gelato, or a spurting jelly donut.
~ Your entire makeup kit. Choose a couple neutral shades that make you look fantastic. Don’t worry about matching your eye-shadow to your shirt, match it to the color of your eyes instead.
~ Clothes that wrinkle easily. Cotton/polyester blends are your friends, as are tank tops and t-shirts. Most hotels provide you with irons anyways. This way you don’t have to worry about perfectly packing and professionally folding every article in your wardrobe.

To end my rant, I’d like to quote that LA Times Article one last time with a question the writer asked the knowledgeable stylists:

“You both live in New York. If you had to fly to Los Angeles with just a carry-on, how long a trip could you take?

MM: Five days -- no, I could probably go a week.

FM: Two days, maybe three.”

LV: One month at least!

Downtown Dining 3rd Edition

Little Tokyo and Literary Libations

The Curry House
The Little Tokyo Plaza is a three story building stacked with Japanese restaurants. On the first story, Marukai Market has unsweetened jasmine and green teas, and yummy chocolate éclairs in the refrigerated section. Vegan-friendly Shojin, on the third story was recently featured in the Los Angeles Downtown News. But my personal favorite restaurant is The Curry House. You won’t find sushi here; this restaurant features newer models of Japanese cooking. Try the pork “katsu”, which is fried breaded pork smothered in spicy brown gravy-like curry sauce, served over white rice. Their curry ingredients read like an inventory of a grocery store’s spice section. If you haven’t had “Calpico” water, give it a try (it’s sort of like soda, but not carbonated). The sweetened iced green tea is another treat on a hot day. As odd as it sounds, they also have Japanese spaghetti, ranging from normal seafood marinara spaghetti, to Tarako & Ika Spaghetti (cod roe and squid). Lunch menu prices are from $7-$15, leaving you enough cash to get some…

Gelato! Just outside of the Little Tokyo shopping center is the Piccomolo Italian Ice Cream shop, with around 33 flavors of gelato. You get to pick two per cup or cone (I recommend chocolate banana and Peanut butter cup). Not only are they delicious, but the gelato is made fresh in-store daily, using only natural ingredients with no preservatives or chemicals. It’s lower in fat, calories and sugar than either Baskin Robbins or Coldstone with a softer creamier texture since its served at a higher temperature than American-style ice cream. If you really want a guilt-free treat, try the fat free fruit gelatos, but for me, I’ll take the rich Roasted Almond, Tiramisu and Hazelnut milk gelatos. 2 scoops for $3.25.

Friday night at The Standard Rooftop Bar is quite an experience. The swinging 60s retro design, the sun setting just beyond their long pool, and the scantily clad servers bringing pricey drinks and mini-burgers to you while you attempt to gracefully lounge on your waterbed in a dress without flashing the middle-aged men ogling you… well, it’s a rite of passage. The service is good, the view is fantastic, and the big TV behind the bar playing classic films like How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying won me over despite the wind gusts, the leak in the waterbed, and one drenched dress as a result. There's no cover charge before 7pm, and with a small group of friends out for novelty and nightlife, you could do worse—but you could also do better at…

The Library Bar, just around the corner from the L.A. Public Library (6th and Hope) is like an English pub or (an alcoholic) gentleman’s study. If you order food, it comes from Wolfgang Puck’s L.A. Bistro next door, which serves a passable pizza (not quite Pitfire’s) and excellent herbed garlic fries. The Library Bar is known for carefully selected beers (try Brasserie Dupont Saison, and the chocolaty Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter), but also serves fun martinis like the Willy Wonka and the Sun Also Rises. Happy hour is from 3-7pm, M-F.

Anglophile in Downtown L.A.

Downtown Dining Part 2: Farmers’ Markets

Tables laden with plump tomatoes and lush greens, bright orange carrots poking through mounds of cilantro, and… Peruvian samosas? Farmers’ Markets in Downtown are as diverse and surprising as L.A. itself, but one thing you can count on is that farmers’ market vendors place a premium on the health, taste and quality of their products in a way that no supermarket produce section can.

On Wednesdays, I take a nice walk down 7th St., make a left on Flower St., and stop when I hit the smell of Hawaiian BBQ chicken and crepes wafting along the sidewalk of 5th St. This is the L.A. Library Farmer’s Market. One of the busiest and most varied of downtown Markets, they have handmade tabouli, hummus, and greek pita bread (no additives or preservatives) by Baba Food, purple potatoes, perfectly ripe artichokes, and of course, giant tomatoes. Lunch costs around $5-$8 from one of the many vendors who serve food from around the world—France, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Asia are all represented.

On Thursdays, I have my choice of two markets. One is a very short walk down to 7th and Fig Plaza, but the offerings are limited. There they have basic Farmers’ Market staples, like kettle corn, nuts, candies, and fresh flowers, but a unique find is the Corn Maiden Euro-Mex Tamale stand with unusual creations like the BBQ chicken and smoked gouda tamale, or one with wild mushrooms, cabernet sauvignon, garlic and thyme. “Yummy You Love” crepes have vegetarian options, seafood crepes bragging omega-3 oils and high fiber, a “fitness style” crepe with lean ground beef, a “healthy choice” crepe that’s low in carbs and calories, and less healthy dessert crepes, all from $4-$8 dollars. George’s Greek Café, one of the plaza’s restaurants, also has a stand out in the courtyard with free samples of Greek meatballs (keftethes), hummus, and kalamata olive spread.

Also on Thursdays is the City Hall Farmer’s Market—just a quick A-Dash ride away-- which focuses more on organic produce, and has organic free range eggs and goat cheese (try the lemon and lavender cheese). Last week I sipped iced green tea while dipping bread cubes into $15 olive oils (the sun dried tomato and basil oil might actually be worth the price) and flirted with the two young Italian men behind the counter trying to talk me into buying the balsamic vinegar as well. One stall I never miss is The Sweet Spot, where you can try the pecan and chocolate tarts of Pasadena baker Rickey Smith. He prepares his treats with “conscious, organic, fresh and natural ingredients,” but more importantly, he was featured on Martha Stewart.

To find more Farmers Markets in California, go to: http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/search/

Anglophile in Downtown L.A.

Discovering Downtown Dining

Since starting work in the City, I’ve spent many a lunch hour pondering what corner, alley and car lined street to explore in my tireless quest for really good food. My wanderings have taken me as near as the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet at Kyoto in the Wilshire Grand, and as far as Howard’s Famous Bacon Avocado Burgers on the corner of Venice and Dufresne. But out of all the diverse dining options available, these are the three I keep returning to in the heart of Downtown L.A.

Take the A Dash to City Hall, but don’t bask in its art deco grandeur for too long—instead, walk in the opposite direction towards Main and 2nd Street where you’ll find the Pitfire Pizza Company. If you’re looking for an after work dinner spot, the Pitfire Pizza Co. has a special going: $10 for a pint and an individual cheese pizza, or $20 for a pitcher and a large cheese pizza from 3pm until closing. But for lunch, this spot is hard to beat—you can create your own gourmet pizza that features fresh organic vegetables and nitrate, hormone, and antibiotic free meat, or enjoy one of their many seasonal specialties (like winter squash ravioli in a sage butter sauce). Paninis, salads, pastas and soups are also on the menu, often giving classic favorites like Mac & Cheese (with gruyere, mozzarella, gorgonzola and Parmesan) a unique twist. Prices range from $5-$10 for an entrée (but beware the $2.00 bottled water—that’s expensive!).

On the other side of City Hall, venture to 640 North Spring St. for the best Southern barbeque in the West: the Spring Street Smokehouse. Before it was redesigned in the hip trendster-tool-shed style, the Spring Street Smokehouse was known only to intrepid city workers willing to investigate hole-in-the-wall eateries. Now it’s a well known hangout, but you can still grab a spot at a checker-clothed picnic table and munch some sliced bread (an invention surpassed by nearly everything since 1928) while you stare in awe at the carnivore-friendly menu. My favorite is the pulled pork sandwich, which is so full of juicy bbq sauce-flooded pork, topped with cool and creamy coleslaw, that you wouldn’t dare eat it with your hands. The babyback ribs, slow smoked sliced brisket sandwich, and even a deep-fried whole turkey (which must be ordered in advance) keep customers coming back. Someday I hope to save room for their bourbon bread pudding… Prices hover around $5-$8, and you get two “sides” for $2 (hush puppies, French fries, baked beans etc.)

Ciudad, on 5th and Figueroa, is a great place to unwind with a $4 mojito, margarita or sangria after work (paired with $4 tacos). The chefs of Ciudad, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, take their inspiration from South America, Central America, Cuba, Spain, and Portugal, to create unique and flavorful dishes such as their Brazilian Seafood Moqueca with mussels, clams and shrimp in a coconut lime broth. One of the house specialties is the Peruvian Ceviche appetizer—white fish marinated in lime, ginger and aji amarillo chile, which is as healthy as it is delicious. Health is a priority at Ciudad, which uses seasonal, locally grown organic ingredients, sustainable seafood, and hormone and antibiotic free meats—and all menu items are trans fat free. If you’re around on April 12th, sign up for their South American Fiesta Cooking Class, taught by the master chefs themselves! Lunch appetizers are $5-$11, entrees from $12-$18, and dinner entrees are from $16 - $29.

downtown los angeleslos angeleslos angeles restaurantshttp://technorati.com/tag/los+angeles+dining?authority=a4&language=enhttp://technorati.com/tag/los+angeles+ciudad?authority=a4&language=enspring st. smoke house

Picturesque Travel

One of my articles for Peter Greenberg-- "Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Photography Tours"-- was picked out to be made into a Today Show segment! Check it out here:
Today Show Video Link.