One of our most enjoyable meals in LA was at The Golden State. I had eaten there during my last trip for the SELA opening party, so I was excited to introduce Lily to what I believed to be an excellent burger.

I love this table.

Amongst a bevy of craft beers, they have Virgil’s Root Beer on tap – that’s hard to beat.

Earlier in our trip, we visited the much-heralded Umami Burger. While I am glad we tried it and could certainly see why people like it, I found their burgers to be too heavy and rich for my enjoyment; I left feeling a bit queasy. I definitely prefer Golden State’s offering and look forward to returning again. The sides are no slouch either; while the regular french fries are solid, I also enjoy the sweet potato wedges or the potato salad.

The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visited Menchanko-Tei with some friends two weeks ago… their hearty bowls of ramen did not disappoint on a windy and rainy day. I opted for the Chige Miso Menchanko, which is their house special in a spicy miso broth, served in a cast iron bowl.

Menchanko-Tei
145 E. 45th Street
New York, NY 10017

As the doomsday clock continues to tick, Lily and I have been eating out more often. The reason for this is twofold: in a matter of weeks we will have much less time on our hands, and secondly we’ve packed away all our pots and pans as we prepare for a move to a larger apartment. On Sunday, Lily took me to The Farm on Adderley in Brooklyn’s Ditmas Park; she had been there previously and figured that I would like it. (She was correct.) As far as decor goes, plenty of restaurants go for the down home rustic vibe these days – reclaimed wood and mismatched chairs are par for the course – but The Farm gets it right. We visited on a rainy day but it looked like there was a decently sized outdoor patio for nicer weather.

And, of course, the food.

The Farm on Adderley sources fresh ingredients from local farms and maintains a great blog that documents their travels and searches for new ingredients, foods, wines and more. This kind of transparency might not mean much to everyone who dines there, but it’s a nice way to feel more connected to what goes into your food. Lily ordered the Farm burger, which comes with homemade fries and pickle:

I was still in brunch mode so I opted for the Red Flannel Hash, a corned beef and red beet hash with eggs, salad and beet mustard.

The Farm On Adderley
1108 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn NY 11218
718.287.3101

Cake photos courtesy of Sidney Lo.

Lily and I threw a baby shower last weekend to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our son. She came up with the idea of a denim/western theme for the party… events like these are usually planned exclusively by the wife and her friends, but I had a lot of fun getting involved with it. We got some good help from friends: Cheryl did the graphic design for our invites, signage and thank you gifts, and Jenny (Cupcakes in Heels) surprised us with an unbelievable cake. Even the cupcakes are indigo colored… we were floored with the amount of detail and work that she put into everything.

Beyond the event, though, we’re definitely thankful for the support from family and close friends. Having a kid is going to change our lives in a major way, but Lily and I are looking forward to the ways that it will shape and teach us. Being married has taught me a little bit about being selfless, but I’m pretty sure that becoming a parent takes that to another level. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Having been continuously open since 1919, Arcade Restaurant enjoys the distinction of being Memphis’ oldest restaurant. Elvis Presley made a particular booth his home since 1953 when he was a truck driver, and continued visiting regularly even after becoming famous. L and I stopped by during our midwest road trip last fall and enjoyed a great breakfast there.

We particularly enjoyed the sweet potato pancakes, but the sausage and biscuits with gravy were spot on as well.

Arcade Restaurant
540 South Main Street
Memphis, TN 38103

Berkshire pork tenderloin katsu with daikon radish and ponzu sauce.

You know a meal is good when you’re a few bites in and already thinking about your next visit. The grated daikon radish mixed in with the ponzu sauce serves as a refreshing alternative to the goopy bbq-like paste they serve with most other katsu dishes. The pork cutlet itself is juicy, flavorful and slightly fatty. Highly recommended.

Katsuhama 55
43-45 W. 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
katsuhama.com

Coffee Foundry Bolivian / Bagels on the Square everything bagel

If we were to ever leave NYC, I think the hand-rolled bagels would be high on the list of things I’d miss most. It’s all in the water.

During our road trip last month, L and I focused on eating at mom and pop restaurants that were representative of the particular city we were visiting. One exception was Waffle House – we had seen so many on the road that we decided to give it a go.

Although it’s a chain restaurant and each interior looks exactly the same, there was still a certain midwestern charm to the place.

The coffee was average.

So were the restaurant’s namesake waffles. But the unexpected star of the show were the hash browns. L astutely observed that they are real hash browns (and not home fries, which are mistakenly called hash browns at times). There are lots of ways to order them – we chose ham and diced onions. They were fantastic.