Sapp Coffee Shop (Take 2)

I usually drive straight home after work, but last week I indulged in a solo dinner at Sapp Coffee Shop, a spot I've written about before . This time, I ordered some different stuff.


Thai iced tea: The best I've had maybe ever. I think this was only $2, but came in a generous-sized mug! Gotta love that value.


Duck noodle soup: I added hot sauce and vinegared chiles, which upped the delicious level of the broth even further. I could've used a bit more duck meat, but it's so darn cheap, I can deal with it!


I was given this tasty sauce, which was tart and spicy (could be pureed vinegared chiles?).


Papaya salad: I wasn't crazy about their version because it was salty without the zing of lime. And I need the zing!

Sapp Coffee Shop is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to stop and unwind for some Thai comfort food; they've got great noodle soups, very affordable prices (my meal was under $15) and an attentive staff. I was surprised that there was only one other table occupied during dinner time. Maybe I stopped in before the boat-noodles-demanding masses descended for the evening?

Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-1035
Cash only

Saigon Flavor

I happen to like pho a lot, but rarely eat it because of the 17 mile drive to San Gabriel (and surrounding areas). But, on this lazy Sunday, I woke up with the hankering for something cheap, satisfying and authentic. We looked around on Yelp and came up with Saigon Flavor, a small and bustling restaurant which is apparently owned by the Golden Deli folks.


Cha gio (egg rolls): I love Vietnamese egg rolls. They are on another level entirely from the kind you might be used to with Chinese takeout. Should have gotten an inside shot; it's packed with pork and veggies. They've got a really good version.


My camera chose to focus on the plant being reflected than my pho! Oh well. The broth was flavorful with thin slices of beef and tendon, which I might have confused with another cut of beef because it was more gelatinous than I expected.


Charles ordered a shrimp noodle soup, which was called Mi Tom on the menu. A very good broth with a bright cilantro flavor and a fair amount of shrimp.

All together, the bill was only $14.49! A feel good way to celebrate the last day of the long holiday weekend. I plan on making it over to Golden Deli at some point, but I was pleased enough with Saigon Flavor that it seems a more appealing, less hectic option for me. We did have to put our name on a list, but only waited about 10 minutes. I can't wait to come back and try some of their rice plates because I was definitely eying what the other patrons ordered!

Saigon Flavor
208 E. Valley Blvd, #B
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 572-6036

Clementine

The latest edition of Coffee'N'Cobb with my friend Mike involved neither items, but was still lovely! We met at Clementine, a small cheery restaurant with many a baked good as well as sandwiches, soups, salads and breakfast.


Mike's limeade: "weird, but I like it."


Mike's chicken sandwich. For some reason, his bread was grilled and mine was not (yes, we ordered the same sandwich).


I got the combo, which included half a sandwich, a cup of soup (sweet corn chowder) and a cookie (peanut butter). Loved the watercress and the tangy remoulade in the sandwich, but the best part was the bread! I enjoy eating bread, but I don't go out of my mind for it, so it's remarkable that it struck a chord with me. The sweet corn chowder was rustic and with a good amount of potatoes.


The peanut butter element was on full blast here. Delish.

Clementine is a bit pricey for weekly visits (my combo was right under $10), but I am definitely going to return in the future as they've got so many delicious things to try. Thanks to Mike for picking Clementine!

Clementine
1751 Ensley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 552-1080

Germantown Commissary

BBQ joints are a dime a dozen in Memphis, which naturally means they cannot be all good. But, I find that BBQ preferences are so subjective that you just have to figure out which establishment makes your heart sing. Now, I haven't done an exhaustive search of the most notable spots in Memphis, but I know there are quite a few who vie for locals' favorites (my sister's number 1, Central BBQ, the Neelys of Food Network fame, Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ (he is Pat Neely's uncle) and on and on).

My go-to supplier of bbq deliciousness has been Germantown Commissary, a small shack located near railroad tracks (and yes, trains will pass by while you're eating and in Memphis, having to wait for a train to pass is a regular occurrence when driving). According to their website, the Commissary used to be a country store (I'm guessing like a general store) for over 90 years before it was purchased in 1981. So, that's a lot of history and the restaurant looks like it was frozen in time, which is one of its many charms.


Kinda love this horse artwork.


A full rack of ribs with charred bits. Very good.


Charles ordered the half rack ribs plate and really loved the baked beans.


My pulled pork plate. Pork was tender, fantastic and got a good dose of BBQ sauce (regular and hot, which are kept on the table). Their deviled eggs and coleslaw were spot-on.

The pork is life-affirming, the servers are warm and friendly, and the sweet tea comes in plastic cups with the saying "BBQ So Good Yull Slap Yo Mama." So, yeah, I love this place. And that's it for the Memphis posts! Back to your regular LA programming.

Germantown Commissary
2290 Germantown Rd S
Germantown, TN 38138
(901) 754-5540

Blue Plate Cafe

Blue Plate Cafe is one of my family's go-to spots for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant is located inside a converted house and I adore its down-home atmosphere with sunny yellow decor and vintage blue plates on the walls. I usually go for fried chicken with a waffle, but Charles and I actually made it here early enough that breakfast was the only option, which was fine by me.


Wondrous sweet tea with lemon.


Charles had scrambled eggs and a strawberry waffle. Fresh berries are so delightful, I don't know why I ever go the IHOP Rooty Fruity route. Charles had no complaints, so I guess it was solid (maybe I should ask him more about what he thinks about his food).


I got chicken fried steak with eggs and grits (the breading was crisp and well-seasoned, loved it). Charles had never eaten grits before, so though I generally do not order them, I had to give him the full Southern breakfast experience! After I doctored them up with butter and a good dose of salt, we were in biz with the grits.

If you're looking for a bonafide Southern experience for breakfast, Blue Plate Cafe is where it's at. They've also got a bunch of options for meat and two or three (sides) for lunch and dinner; you can't go wrong no matter the time of day. Long live Blue Plate!

Blue Plate Cafe
5469 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901) 761-9696

Memphis Pizza Cafe

I'm from a family that loves to eat. Many of my fondest memories are associated with really good meals (some homemade, some at restaurants), so it should come as no surprise that during our visit, we were perpetually dealing with food hangovers (we also drank but not as much as we ate!). I didn't snap photos of all the food we ate while Charles and I were in Memphis because it was a vacation and I was in maximum relaxation mode (plus my camera's memory could not hang with the amount of food we ate).

First up is Memphis Pizza Cafe, which holds a dear place in my heart. My sister and I usually eat here while I'm home; this was the first time I ate at the Overton Square location (there are a handful of locations scattered throughout the city).


Greek salad. Love the tangy dressing and pepperoni + pepperoncini = love.


Half Cajun chicken, half BBQ chicken. I am not a pizza purist and I don't care. This stuff was damn good and made me happy.

Notable: Charles had his first sweet tea at this meal! I really liked their version, although our first glasses were pretty sugary (our refills were less wickedly sweet).

Just writing this post makes me want to book it back to Memphis immediately. More to come!


Memphis Pizza Cafe
2087 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
901-726-5343

Daikokuya

At long last, I ate at the glorious establishment that is Daikokuya, ramen mecca of pork broth lovers. And baby, it was damn good.



I ordered the signature ramen "kotteri" style, which means extra fatty pork broth (I may start calling it "with extra love"). Daikokuya is known for its put-your-name-on-the-list waits, but I lucked out because after a couple minutes, I was directed towards a single seat at the end of the counter (to those of you who do not go out to eat solo: you get seated quickly most of the time, one of the many reasons I like being a lone diner!).

When my ramen arrived, I zoned out into dazed-and-delicious mode. The broth: amazingly rich and comforting. The icing on the cake: slices of falling apart pork, a "soaked-in-a-special-sauce"* hard-boiled egg and a mess of green onions (the crowning glory of any bowl of ramen). In short: a life-altering substance for under $10!

I've officially seen the Daikokuya light. Its reputation is absolutely well-deserved, so if you haven't been yet, don't put it off any longer!

Daikokuya
327 E. 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-1680

*according to their website where you can see their menu items and locations.