Owners Bryce Rademan and Robert Wicklund said they wanted the space to looke like you "just stumbled into an old warehouse," so that's what you have---a large, colorful, funky space with a bar area, outdoor seating, odd industrial-looking art sculptures hanging from the ceiling.
"Raw bacon strips are put in an egg wash, dredged in a heavily peppered flour and then deep fried in vegetable oil"
Two Boots Pizzeria invades Echo Park | Los Angeles Times:"The popular funkified New York City pizza parlor chain is moving into the space directly next door to the Echo in Echo Park. The economy may be tanking, but the owners of Two Boots can rest assured that a weak dollar will not keep the skinny-jeaned crustache set from late-night pizza binging."
Dear Only Person who Reads our Blog,
Quick note: Went to Spitz the other night and signed up for their email list for the Grand Opening party of their new Little Tokyo location in the Hikari Apartment on 2nd Street. According to Eater LA, the new location will be a lounge by night w/ DJ and light booze. That's what I like to hear...especially considering I ate my pita strips to Foreigner's "I've been waiting for a girl like you"
At long last we review the restaurant that pretty much started us on our culinary critique fest. Spitz was started up by two Occidental grads after enjoying the many donor kebab shops scattered throughout Madrid. The guys brought over the slow-roasting vertical roasters and stack up the delicious paper thin meats (lamb, beef and/or chicken) on a panini toasted foccacia along side lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, peppers, hummus, tzatiki sauce or chili sauce. You can now also get the meal in a lavash wrap form. Personally I'm a huge fan of the Chicken Donor sandwich...I have that about 90% of the time I visit Spitz (which is about once every week or two). Definitely opt for the Combo deal which includes your choice of a side: Side Salad, Sweet Potato Fries, Thin Cut Seasoned Fries or...the greatest side in the world...the lightly fried Pita Strips with Hummus. I would easily go to Spitz just for the pita strips. And remember, they are LIGHTLY fried, so that's gotta be healthy right? Just like the Korean fried chicken places that lightly fry their chicken...twice! (review coming soon!) I think lightly fried anything is gaining equal footing with my other favorite food descriptor: "bacon-wrapped..." - that's all it takes to get me to try it.
The Burnt Mac likes el gelato
Quick Tuesday Tip: If you are a fan of FISH TACOS, I'm sure you have tried out Rubio's. Yeah its a chain but that doesn't stop it from putting together some good eats. And on Tuesday's from 2:30pm till closing, good eats becomes even gooder eats when fish tacos are only $1.25 each. Cripsy beer-battered fish, crunchy shredded cabbage and the tangy white sauce with salsa...and all for 5 quarters. I say make Tuesdays 'Quarter Day'...grab a roll of the big coins, do your laundry, go get some fish tacos and then hit the arcade.
Ah Glenoaks Blvd. I have to say it rivals Brand Blvd. as the Rodeo Dr. of Glendale. Seriously though, at the very least, it is the Rodeo Dr. of fast food restaurants. One could do a gastro (pub) crawl and hit every single fast food restaurant within about 2 miles. (If its fast food...is it still a crawl?) Morgan Spurlock should definitely film Super Size Me II: The Variety Pack along said Blvd. Yet amidst the KFCs, the Carl's Jr's/Green Buritto combos and the Water Stores (aka fronts for Eurasian crime syndicates), you find Cafe Bravo, the jewel of the Jewel City.
Eric Jan (Jan = Armenian term of endearment and is totally platonic) was spot on with his description of Glenoaks and of said Cafe Bravo. I stumbled upon this locale during on of my mini-quests to find the best kebab sandwich in Los Angeles. Most people don't realize that the Glendale/Burbank/North Hollywood/Little Armenia region is the American capital of the kebabs. Whether you like the standard Persian kind, the quintessential Armenian kind (with pork - most Middle Eastern countries shun this delicious variety because of religious practice) or lamb, or if you like the smaller Greek/Lebanese chunks (like Souvlaki), you are sure to find it in one of the aforementioned areas.
But enough of the Kebab lesson of the day. My salad was above average. The meat was excellent but the lettuce tomato cucumber mix left me wanting something more. Thank goodness for the corn/bean salad because it was just what my belly was craving. I've had the sandwiches here before and they are excellent. I wanted to live on the edge and order the salad. Lesson learned here - next time I'm sticking with the sandwich (with a side of corn-bean salad).
The beef kebab was tender, juicy (not raw) and full of flavor. I would put this cut of meat up against any 20 dollar and up steak dinner out there. If you like beef then you have to try their beef skewers. The key to a great kebab is its stand alone taste. These beef chunks are good enough to eat without the warm soft pita bread they come with. That's saying a lot.
And before you start criticizing and giving your own suggestions for best kebab sandwich in L.A., I just want to tell you that a) our quest for the BEST kebab sandwich continues so email us your suggestions and b) you are an ignorant slut for questioning our knowledge of kebabs! You hear me? Go back to Whore Island!
I'm out.
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