Studio City Archives - AJ Feuerman

Brunch at Hyperion Public in Studio City

October 7, 2016 By AJ 1 Comment

Brunch at Hyperion Public in Studio City is a welcome addition to the Eastside of the San Fernando Valley!

The building at 12969 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City has seen a few “rebirths” over the last few years. When I worked down the street from it, many years ago, it was kind of the place you went for business lunches with passable eats. Later, it was a pub with passable pub fare and loudness.

I am glad that something classy has finally turned the space around and I hope Hyperion Public stays in the hood for a long time! The brunch I had was wonderful.

Brunch at Hyperion Public in Studio City

Photo co. of Acuna-Hansen

We happened to be there for “Pancake Mayhem” which was both good and bad. Good because, well, DELICIOUS. Bad because, well, DECISIONS.

But you’d better believe that “Camp Counselor” made it’s way to our table. And even though I had to skip the nutella (allergies, y’all), it really ranked right up there as some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. No joke. The pancakes themselves were soft and delicious but a little crispy around the edges, which was a nice touch that added texture. And while the toppings were obviously decadent, they weren’t piled on the dish in massive heaps so I never felt like I was heading to sugar coma-land, and that was much appreciated because I had more food to try!

Not too much chocolate, not too much anything — everything as it should be and perfect.

My friend and I shared the pancakes but we also wanted to sample some egg dishes. So we had the savory Chilaquiles — over easy eggs, black bean puree, pickled vegetables, queso fresco, sour cream and, of course, fresh corn tortilla chips. And also the rich Croque Madame — grilled rustic bread with dijon aioli, swiss cheese, black forest ham, thyme-pecorino mornay and two sunny-side up eggs.

If those photos make you wanna lick the screen, I wouldn’t blame you. I took them with my friend’s new iPhone 7. That camera is a food blogger’s best friend, I tell you. Of course, it helps that the food actually was that good.

Hot tip: Hyperion Public’s special sauce is worth the ask, daytime or nighttime. Get the “OMG Sauce.” Try subbing out your breakfast potatoes for fries and dip ’em. I’m also a big, big fan of their pretzel and dip appetizer. They make a GOOD pretzel, y’all.

The valley definitely has some good Brunch spots within it’s boundaries but the east end has been lacking in superstars lately. Hyperion Public is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and i look forward to returning many more times. Perhaps the next trip will be with a group as they have a great setup for that (something else also hard to find)!

Photo co. of Acuna-Hansen

Oh hey, did I mention a GREAT Bloody Mary and BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS?

So? Who’s coming with me?

Disclosure: This meal was hosted. The opinions are hosted in my own noggin’, though. You’re welcome.

Southern Brunch at Barrel and Ashes Studio City

May 16, 2016 By AJ 1 Comment

I named Barrel and Ashes, Studio City, one of my favorite brunch spots after my first visit to the BBQ joint. The BBQ there is good, mind you, but not the best I’ve ever had and it’s really their brunch I prefer. And why not? Tim Hollingsworth, the chef there, brings the cred, having previously spent a dozen years working for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry and among many other credits, also has three Michelin stars to his name.

The space used to be a somewhat fancy restaurant (which I liked very much, for the record) with dim lighting and white linen tablecloths but now has been stripped down and redesigned to radiate Southern charm.

You can order their BBQ at brunch and there are a bevvy of hand crafted cocktails — they make a decent Bloody Mary — and you’ll even find traditional sweet tea there. But it’s really all about the unique food menu items.

Today someone said to me “Whatever, I can make Frito Pie at home.” And I replied “But you don’t and I certainly can’t.” It is delicious trailer-trash cuisine. Chili, cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, peppers served in the finest of vessels….

There is also a list of biscuit sandwiches on the menu. The simplest with just jam or the more decadent with sausage and gravy. There is also a pork biscuit but my money’s on the fried chicken and honey butter.

I’m also a humongous fan of their pork benedict and smoked salmon benedict (IT’S SO GOOD). Their Huevos Rancheors ranks up there because I love anything with Cotija cheese on it.

I’ve saved the best for last, though. There are four kinds of HOE CAKES on their brunch menu. One with bananas and chocolate and caramel that is either meant for dessert or the indulgent (no judgement from me) and two that are breakfasty with eggs, bacon and the like involved. All good choices, I say, but you’ll be just fine with the basis hoe cake. Of course, there’s nothing basic about it and I recommend ordering one to share with the whole table. One would satisfy three to four people and you can always order another.

What is hoe cake? Imagine a cornbread patty in sizzling butter, topped with green onions, served bubbling in a hot, hot skillet. They’re not proprietary about it — the LA Times even has the recipe — but I don’t think anyone can touch it.

Aside from the setting and food, two more key elements about B&A I must mention. They are open for brunch at 9:30 on Saturdays and Sundays. This is smart in a town that loves brunch but where most places don’t open til 11:00. And they also take reservations. Which is great because I’m a snob and I hate going to restaurants that don’t take reservations. Yup, I said that out loud.

P.S. (Sit in Clay’s section!)

A New Favorite Brunch – Girasol in Studio City

November 30, 2015 By AJ 1 Comment

Before I moved in the Fall of 2014, I lived just a few blocks away from 11334 Moorpark St., a restaurant space rather famous in our neighborhood for nothing lasting in it very long. Something would go in and we’d all start placing bets on how long the new dining establishment would last. And sure enough, it would be gone in a hurry — onto the next. Rinse. Repeat.

But I started to see Top Chef fan-favorite (and one of my Top Chef favorites!) CJ Jacobson around the neighborhood. I walked by him on the street once, I saw him in my local coffee shop… And I wondered if perhaps he was going to be next up in the seemingly doomed space and felt optimistic about it. Three years later, we still have Girasol in that no-longer-doomed space and I recently paid a visit to try their brunch menu.

CJ’s craft is best described as “rustic-refined” and revolves around a profound respect for the hyper-seasonal, local ingredients he brings into his kitchen at Girasol, which he conceptually collaborated on with Jorge Pultera, former manager at The Ivy, Koi and Red O. From the moment you walk into the restaurant, you know you’re in for something special because CJ and Jorge took the ambiance seriously. The entire space is really beautiful.

In fact, everything about Girasol is really beautiful — from the kind staff to the cocktails to the food. Everything is art there. Each day you can order from their craft cocktails or wine menu, or you can try whatever the bartender has customized for the day. We were treated to a minty, crisp, refreshing cocktail that I could perhaps relate to you by saying it’s like a moscow mule but better. And I wanted to try something non-alcoholic as well so I landed on a prickly pear (which is cactus)”soda.” It wasn’t as sweet as I thought it would be but still very good and refreshing. And again – artful in presentation. It almost glowed.

When it was time to eat we were more than happy to begin with their homemade bread, herb butter and jams. Absolutely delicious and could very well be a meal in of itself if you allow it…. But don’t. It’s delicious but save room for your meal. Trust me.

The unanimous staff recommendation seemed to mandate we also tried the Octopus Gazpacho starter. I’ve actually had octopus before — it’s quite good though I still can’t bring myself to eat the really squigly tentacle pieces. They served it up with cucumber, avocado, some mixed greens and tomatillo. Again, I could have had this as a meal. Apparently the dish was inspired by a salad on their regular menu — which I now need to return to try.

Look how green and fresh it looks! It tastes that good, too.

Instead of each having our own main courses, we shared two. I think if we asked they would have brought us everything on the menu but I selected two stand-outs. The Bread Pudding French Toast was basically dessert. I’ve never had French toast like that. And I don’t know what they do with the syrup but it’s the best damned syrup I ever had, I tell you. The Maine Lobster Benedict just blew my mind, though. Once I took a bite of that I was making proclamations of love and lust and declaring Girasol my new favorite brunch spot in all the land.

Here’s the thing I quickly realized as well. Despite all that we ate, we didn’t feel sick or stuffed. There wasn’t any of that heaviness that usually comes with eating really rich food. Everything we ate certainly seemed rich and decadent but I only felt satisfied and happy at the conclusion of the meal. I think that comes with all the wonderful, fresh, organic ingredients Girasol prides themselves on. Clearly everything we dined on was of the absolute best quality.

And I stand by my statement – it really is my new favorite brunch spot and I urge you all to try it. I hope it lasts years and years and years in that formerly-doomed building on Moorpark. When I drive or walk by there now, I certainly won’t think of it as doomed anymore. Much more likely I’ll have lobster benedict fantasies.

Brunch Doesn’t Need to be Fancy to be Delicious

September 8, 2015 By AJ 1 Comment

Delicious brunch need not be fancy, nor need it be expensive. Hear me out. Just because I am the Queen of Brunch does not mean I assign a price minimum or dress code requirement to the activity. Truth be told, I love me a good greasy spoon or diner. So here are a few I highly recommend.

NAT’S EARLY BITE – SHERMAN OAKS [website]

Set in a rather slummy strip mall on the edge of Sherman Oaks, Nat’s Early Bite (pictured above) offers nothing in decor but more than makes up for it with a huge menu, charming staff who’s probably treated like family by the owners, and great prices.

Eggs Benedict? $9.95. Two eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast? $9.25. And we’re talkin’ those good, O.G. hash browns. Not potatoes, not “home fries,” HASH BROWNS. French toast with eggs and bacon? $9.50.

Stop by and don’t let the outside scare you. It’s clean, it’s delicious, and it opens at 6 AM. Tell your brunch buddies you’ve found a real gem set aside from all the celebrity chefs trying to outdo one another with gluten-free Tahitian vanilla waffles with a light berry compote or housemade apple sausage over fennel with a lump crab egg whites scramble (and I did not make those dishes up, guys). Sometimes, dammit, you just want bacon and eggs and refillable coffee.

BEABEA’s – BURBANK [website]

Brace yourself. It’s pretty hard to go to BeaBea’s without waiting for a table. But you might try your luck at an “off hour” and see where that gets you. Regardless, it’s worth it because HOLY CRAP PANCAKES.

On the pancakes menu:

Apple Cobbler: Baked apples & almonds on buttermilk pancakes
Chocolate Tuxedo: Chocolate chips & brownie pieces topped with mascarpone cream, whipped cream & powdered sugar
S’mores Pancakes: Graham crackers, marshmallows & chocolate chip pancakes
House signature, golden pumpkin pancakes
Matcha green tea pancakes, green tea mascarpone, white chocolate chips & whipped cream

I’m just giving you a thorough tour but I promise you can’t go wrong here with just a plain stack of buttermilk pancakes. Nor can you go wrong with their french toast – just as many crazy choices here – or simply eggs, bacon, etc. Not quite the greasy spoon you’re looking at with Nat’s; it’s a little more well-kempt, but you’re not in Beverly Hills either – there is not an ounce of pretension in the place.

Pro-tip: Like I said, you’ll wait for a table and there’s not really anywhere to wait except outside, which trickles into the parking lot. If it’s hot, this could suck. Dress accordingly, bring sunscreen and sunglasses. I’m not even joking! I came home from BeaBea’s with a sunburn the first time I went. Of course, I’m also a pasty white broad who burns faster than toast. Also, if you don’t care where you sit (i.e. the makeshift outdoor seating or the counter), you’ll get seated a lot faster.

JINKY’S STUDIO CAFE – STUDIO CITY [website]

I’m not really sure what the history is here. Originally named just “Studio Cafe” but owned by the rather famous Jinky’s Cafe guys, maybe they were trying to establish a new brand? But I don’t think the place ever really drew a crowd til they threw “Jinky’s” up on the sign, changed the umbrellas and then BOOM.

You’ll wait here as well and what’s more, be warned that parking BLOWS. Find a street spot in the nearby neighborhoods and walk there. Thank me later.

So you’re basically getting a BeaBea’s redux here — lots of crazy pancake dishes to choose from, including the amazing, decadent red velvet pancakes that lead Jinky’s to breakfast fame — but with some added bonuses. For starters, TATER TOTS. And if you prefer, sweet potato tater tots. (I’m the only person in Los Angeles that hates sweet potatoes but I know that’s weird.)

Studio Cafe also has a proper patio. And even though you’re on a busy corner, it manages to be kind of private, intimate and quiet. They also discourage cell phone use, which I kinda dig, even though it gives me the shakes. But nothing cures the shakes more than a good mimosa, and of all the places mentioned here, Studio Cafe is the only one with a FULL BAR, so that’s a terrific perk! They also have TVs in case there’s a major sporting event you don’t want to miss and they’re open late (10 PM, 11 PM Thursday – Sunday) in case you get a late night breakfast craving, because it’s served all day and night!

(Note: They do post signs discouraging cell phones but I also found out they offer free WiFi so your guess is as good as mine, kids.)

SO WHAT’S MISSING?

I kept this list to my neighborhood but there are plenty of other, similar spots across town like Cici’s in Tarzana or even Du-par’s, which has a few locations – even one in Las Vegas (they’re only ok but they’re open 24 hours which probably serves them well in a town where very little else is). If you’ve got a great diner in mind that I should add to my bookmarks, please share it in the comments! I love to expand my brunch database!

River Rock in Studio City Serves Disappointment

August 24, 2015 By AJ Leave a Comment

In their defense, I saw the reviews on Yelp, and I went anyway…

I guess that’s on me but there are definitely some favorable reviews in there too, and I wanted to give River Rock at The Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City the benefit of the doubt. But I’m afraid they served up nothing but disappointment from the moment I walked through the door.

We were rather rushed out to our table on the patio. Probably because inside, it was empty and the buffet wasn’t done being set up yet. But then, the patio wasn’t set up either. The ground was wet, the tables weren’t set with anything except Tabasco and A-1 sauce (interesting sauce choices and hello? napkins, plates, silverware…), and there’s no decor outside anyway so aside from being next to a little lake, it was rather… ordinary.

A series of unfortunate events unfurled once the five of us were seated.

We sat there for a long time before the waiter finally showed up. He was surprised to see us. It was incredibly awkward.
Things came out slowly. First we got waters and then delightful little baskets of mini croissants with chocolate dipping sauce. But the plates, napkins and silverware didn’t arrive til later. So we stared at the delightful little baskets for a while, which was tortuous.
Eventually our drinks came. Eventually sweetener and cream came.
The food came and that was the biggest disaster. Everything was lukewarm or even cold. And one of our orders completely got by the server — he never put it in. He didn’t even seem apologetic about it. He came outside twice to ask my friend what she’d ordered as if she’d misplaced it and he was just trying to help her find it. She asked if he could just bring her a side of eggs and he walked away without acknowledging it leaving us to wonder if they were coming or not.
He was inside doing lord knows what when she finally gave up, went inside, and asked for a side of eggs so she’d at least have something to eat. They came out quickly, actually, but were overcooked and buttery. I give her credit for eating them but I am sure she was famished by then.
My dish came with a side of potatoes and a side of fruit. This is what my plate looked like:

Yeah, that’s a slice of orange and half a strawberry.
And this is what my eggs looked like inside:

We asked for salt and pepper. It never came. One of my friends went inside to get it.
We asked for drink refills that never came. Twice or three times we asked.
We asked for to-go boxes (for the more edible items) that never came.
The check came and we were so grateful to not have to wait for it, we put it all on one card just to expedite getting the eff out of there. I half expected (nay, I completely expected) that my friend’s last-minute eggs would at least be taken care of but no. No discount, no apology, not a word.
Around us, I could see other tables waiting and food getting sent back. The only thing the server consistently seemed to be waiting on were the bottomless mimosas. Those things got refilled ad nauseam. Maybe their policy is that a drunk customer is the customer who doesn’t notice their food taking 35 minutes to show up.

On our way out, I couldn’t let our experience go unnoticed. I slipped inside and asked for the manager and told him our experience had been horrible.

“Like how?” he asked.

So I gave him this list as I’ve given it to you. And frankly, he didn’t seem to care. Or maybe he just wasn’t surprised. I still don’t understand how we got through that whole meal and never heard an apology.

All that said, because we enjoy each others’ company, we had a nice time. And, I guess, now we have a story to tell… and Yelp reviews to write.

National Holistic Institute – A Great Massage No Longer a Secret

February 18, 2015 By AJ Leave a Comment

I’m spilling the beans on a secret kept far too long. Or perhaps I am just the last to know.

The National Holistic Institute (NHI) on Studio City is a massage therapy college. It is not Burke Williams or even a spa at all. But it is a pleasant, clean space where you can get a bangin’ massage for a bargain price. While a rather posh, “five star” spa might require more than $100 for a 50 minute session, you will find at NHI you can enjoy a 50 minute session for a mere $25 and a fabulous 100 minute session for $50.

They don’t even accept tips, relieving you of that additional pressure at the conclusion of your session.

Let me be clear so no one is surprised! The only way I can think to describe the setting is that it’s like a hospital corridor. But I don’t mean that negatively. It’s just that it’s similar as in there are several massage tables in a large room, separated by curtains. Mind you, the curtains close all the way and physically, you have a very private space. It’s just that you are not in a private room with a closing door. You won’t find a spa lobby or locker room or sauna. Instead you will drape your clothes over a chair. (Yes, it’s a co-ed space but I promise, curtains drawn, no one can see you.)

You will be able to hear the other customers around you. More so if you wind up next to a “talker” but once you’re blissed out by the treatment, you’ll pay no mind to it. There’s some gentle music playing and it’s pretty soothing but you won’t even hear that eventually.

The massage I received was AMAZING. The massage therapists are in training, of course, but that never showed. My experience was wonderful and at the end, I had to make sure I got her name so I could keep track of where she ended up at the conclusion of her training.

In any case, what it boils down to is, you’re still getting top notch, five-star quality of service for an unbeatable value. If you find yourself feeling tense and dreaming of a nice, long massage but are always feeling hindered by the potential expense, this is a clear solution for you. And even if you can afford a Beverly Hills five-star spa, why spend the money there when it equates to five visits to NHI?

They have seven locations. Please check their website for additional information and to book an appointment.