California Dreaming
An ice cream filled trip to the Golden State
Hi friends,
Welcome back to This Needs Hot Sauce, a weekly newsletter by Abigail Koffler about cooking, dining out, and making the most of it. We also host monthly events, the next one will be August 22nd and double as a birthday celebration. Save the date!
I got back late last night from California, where I ate really well and spent time with some of my favorite people. Dale and I spent time in LA, Orange County and San Francisco and I can’t wait to give you the recap. As with my Paris guide, feel free to scroll down for all the regular stuff (recipes/New York spots/good reads).
Now, let’s dive in:
My dad grew up in California and I’ve visited at least once a year for my whole life. It’s always a balance between trying new places and hanging out at old favorites. We always eat a lot of ice cream, and this trip was no exception (date someone who suggests ice cream, whether at 11 a.m. or 9 p.m.)
Top LA Bites:
Ice cream at Salt and Straw: It’s from Portland, but all over LA and so good. The Arts District location had no line and their summer flavors were amazing, especially the lemon blackberry. Order a small split to try two flavors for only 50 cents extra. (side note on ice cream: Cherry Bombe is doing a #coneonly challenge this summer to cut down on single use paper and plastic. If you like cones, give it a shot).
Dinner at Little Dom’s: Nicole, Anjali, Dale and I got dinner and saw a Riverdale cast member. The arancini are so good and the atmosphere is really fun. The pastas are huge so definitely share. Book a table on Resy to avoid a wait.
Lunch at Rose Cafe: This was our first stop and it just feels so LA. You sit outside, there are five types of alternative milks (can you guess them all? email me!), and the people watching is next level. The standout dish was the corn agnolotti flavored like elote. So good.
Lunch at Gjusta: Sitting in the backyard at Gjusta is a Venice must. Go on a weekday if you can, grab a pastry or two (it’s a separate line for those), and put on your sunglasses. I got some of their special salads, but their sandwiches and breakfast dishes are also great and they sell fancy jams and honey if you need gifts.
Mexican food from Benny’s: It was really an honor to see my baby cousin Beckett (age 2.5) try guacamole for the first time. He loved it (duh) and we did too. This was a great dinner with the fam.
Breakfasts at Sweet Salt and Panini Cafe: Sweet Salt in Toluca Lake does a great breakfast. Dale loved the breakfast burrito and I got a delicious scramble with spinach and cheese. Check the specials if you go, there was a super refreshing ginger-strawberry-mint lemonade.
In Santa Monica, we grabbed breakfast at Panini Cafe, a local chain of Mediterranean restaurants. We had the place to ourselves in the morning and loved the diner vibe (coffee refills, huge plates). And the side of fruit was berries not weird melons. Big fan.
Welcome to the O.C.:
Spending time with my grandparents in Newport was the best. They’ve lived in the same house since 1964 and I loved showing Dale around.
Lunch at 501 Park on Balboa Island: The salads were great and the coffee looked really good. You can sit outside and then take the ferry to the Peninsula (it’s a block from the dock).
(We didn’t make it this time, but Taco Mesa and Taco Rosa, which have the same owners, are two of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the world).
Frozen Bananas at Dad’s: If you’ve seen Arrested Development, you might be familiar with frozen bananas. They’re dipped in chocolate and rolled in toppings and they are perfect. Two nearly identical shops sell them, but my family has always gone to Dad’s, so that’s where I go. Order a medium with everything.
Dinner at Zinque in Lido Village: This whole shopping area is gorgeous, right on the water. The people watching is insane too as there are literal yachts parked everywhere.
San Francisco
Dinner at Nopalito: A dream dinner crew (Isa, Noah, Claire, and Dale) went to Nopalito and split basically everything. Definitely order the melon salad, the huitlachoche huaraches, the totopos, and a quesadilla or two. All the masa was so good and the margaritas weren’t too sweet. I’ve heard great things about the Nopalito cookbook, so it was fun to try it in person.
Morning at Tartine: This legendary bakery opened a new location in Isa and Noah’s neighborhood (Inner Sunset) just weeks before our visit. #blessed. We went for breakfast and loved every bite. The morning bun is perfect, their yogurt and granola was unlike any I’ve had with a tart apricot compote and a barely sweet yogurt, and Dale’s breakfast sandwich looked epic. Plus, they sell bagged cookies, which make great gifts.
If you have a pal who works at Dropbox, try and snag an invite to their Friday happy hour. They pull out all the stops and the food selection is great.
Brunch at Starbelly: This is a brunch spot in the Castro with a patio and you can make reservations (request outdoor seating). We brunched with Kaitlin, Hayley and Don and got such good weather. The Italian eggs were really good and their cocktail menu is fun too.
Drinks at Charmaine’s: Kaitlin told us about this rooftop bar and it did not disappoint. The views are great, the decor is cool, and the drinks were good. It’s a splurge, but vacation is the perfect time for an afternoon glass of rosé.
Morning ice cream at the Ferry Building: The Ferry Building has so many food options and it’s right by the water. We wandered through and got ice cream (Dale had Humphrey Slocumbe and I got soft serve from Gotts), then picked up Cowgirl Creamery grilled cheeses for lunch at the airport. Ask for a little container to bring some hot sauce with you and you’ll have the best pre-flight meal.
Late night ice cream at Swensen’s: this SF classic is such a treat. It’s cash only with old school signs (it opened in 1948) and some of the best chocolate chip ice cream I’ve ever had. And they’re open till 11.
Free hotel wine on the daily: we spent a few nights at the historic Andrews Hotel (built in 1905 and booked on Hotel Tonight), where guests get a free glass of wine between 5 and 6 at the attached restaurant. It was a fun ritual each night. The hotel also had continental breakfast on each floor.
We were gone for over a week and I feel so grateful to all the friends and family who hosted us, ate and drank with us, and made the travel/time off more than worth it! I also shared some highlights on Instagram if you’d like to see.
Now, back to normal.
Something to cook:
Making guests snacks or breakfast (or feeding people in general) is the ultimate gesture of hospitality. Whether with fresh fruit, a cheese plate, or a smoothie, we were so welcomed everywhere we went, which felt incredible. I don’t have space to host overnight guests, but I’m recommitting to serving great snacks and drinks when people stop by.
I know I talk about cheese plates a lot, but they’re really so fun to share. It’s also a filling kind of appetizer, which is perfect if you’ve been on the road or are eating a late dinner. My grandma also makes a mean gin and tonic (she uses lots of ice).
We went to an event for Dale’s friend’s girlfriend who is an incredible stylist for artists like Cardi B. His friends catered the event and did such a good job. They had spa water, basil lemonade, a mimosa bar, and chocolate chip pistachio banana bread with strawberry cream cheese. I want to try and replicate it!
Before I left, I tried Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnnochi for the first time. I followed your tips to sauté not steam and served it with a mixture of frozen peas and frozen spinach, plus lots of parm cheese. It was a great lunch especially considering how empty my fridge was.
One more announcement: through an extraordinary stroke of generosity (my family friend upgraded her kitchen), I now own a Kitchen Aid mixer! What should I make first?
Something to order (New York edition):
We celebrated my mom’s birthday at Loring Place in the midst of flash flood warnings. The food is great there, especially the seasonal salads (there was a great tomato stwaberry one) and the pastas.
Ordering a pizza when you’re tired to cook never fails. Julianne, Julia, Amy, Ian, and I used Slice to get some Carmine’s delivery. We ate on the roof and supplemented the meal with homemade extras like garlic bread and a spinach and berry salad.
Frida and I grabbed Superiority Burger after a happy hour in the East Village. We snagged the window booth and had such a great meal. Their burgers are pretty small so you have room for sides, like the burnt broccoli salad and a special beans with cornbread. The ice cream is great too.
And last but not least, I hosted a This Needs Hot Sauce Happy Hour. Linen Hall has a really good happy hour and they were great hosts. We walked over to Van Leeuwen for ice cream (the weather was pretty cold that day, but luckily it didn’t rain). Late night ice cream is always a good move.
Something to read:
How Iranian American Chefs are modernizing Persian cuisine
The tools you need for a perfect cheese plate
The humble beginnings of biscuits and gravy
These quesadillas are on the top of my to-cook list right now.
I’ve ordered kombucha at bars and would love to see it more places
Adding the French Bastards to my list next time I’m in Paris
Jia Tolentino’s Grub Street Diet will inspire you to party
Cheez It is suggesting wine pairings for its crackers…
Why people love tacos so much on dating apps
A Q+A with Molly Baz and a podcast interview with Claire Saffitz
Now that we’re back to regular programming, I’d love to know what you’re doing with tomatoes! It’s finally the season to go hard at the Farmer’s Market and create the salads and sandwiches of our dreams. This is the time we’ll miss in February, so tell me how you’re maximizing tomato season (or summer produce in general).
I’m very jetlagged (excuse any typos) and tired, but I really missed you guys and am happy to be back! Happy eating and thanks for reading.
xo, Abigail