Ragin' Cajun

Afternoon, y'all. Its warming up here in Southern California, as I'm sure it is in the rest of the country. The beauty of living where I do is that the weather is generally really great, almost always, especially in the summer. Patio's are buzzing with patrons enjoying the warm breeze and sweet cocktails.

Last night I got the chance to be one of those patio squatters, enjoying a $5 martini and some fries from a place called The Attic in Long Beach. To be honest, the martini special was what lured me in to the ever popular Attic: a home-like restaurant on the corner of a busy intersection. Serving classics like fried chicken and deviled eggs, Attic never misses a beat when it comes to crowds. This place is literally always packed!

I noticed the menu included french fries, which naturally tickled my fancy. I decided to order them, and figured an unplanned review wouldn't hurt. These fries were delicious. Cajun Fries, they were called. They were big and hearty with a great potato-y flavor, complemented by the zesty Cajun seasoning. The skins were left on, which I appreciated. The only drawback I had was that the fries were a bit soggy, lacking the crispiness that I look for in a fry. Great flavor, not so great texture. They did however make up for that with a tangy side-sauce that went well with the fries.

Overall, I would give The Attic a 6 out of 10 for these fries. Not the greatest, but definitely a good munchie with great flavor. Stick around for my next review!

-A

The First Roast

Summertime for me often stands for warm breezes, sweet beer and good food. The feeling of a good sunburn and the smell of barbeque make life a little sweeter. I got a major summer fix during the past couple of weeks what with 4th of July and really spectacular weather, distracting me from my research task at hand.

Amidst all of the festivities, however, I did manage to make one stop in to a small little coffee shop in Long Beach. Makai Coffee is in the Belmont Heights area of LBC, and is a humble contender amongst its fierce competitors. Although they don't have their own roast, they serve a couple local beans, usually including Rose Park Roasters, the decaf on deck for this particular day.

It was a warm, sunny day so I decided to order a decaf iced coffee. After I received my drink, I sat outside and assessed the beverage. I kept in mind 'bourbon....bourbon' however that isn't much of the flavor I tasted. I tasted more of a burnt sugar flavor, the way that a really good caramel tastes when its taken to a dark, rich level, just before burning. I got more sweet notes than savory. Many decaf espressos are bitter and dry, but this roast was very smooth and medium-bodied. It fed my craving generously, giving me the sweet, but not overly, fix that I needed for that warm early-afternoon.

Overall, I would give Makai an 8 out of 10. (I swear not all of my reviews will be 8's). Stop by soon to check out my next review!

-A

#MakaiCoffee #LBC #Coffee #RoseParkRoasters

The First Fry

Last week, on my day off, I finally set out to go on my first research adventure. After a long work-week, I wasn't feeling too adventurous, so I decided on a popular local joint called Simzy's. There are two locations, one in Manhattan Beach, and (the one I went to) Long Beach. This place has no problem filling the house, so I set out to see how their fries stack up.

The place has an extensive draft beer selection, so naturally, that was my first order of business. As soon as our drinks arrived, I put in the order for the fries. Bonus points for offering a mix of sweet potato and regular! With the fries is served a few dipping sauces; ketchup, avocado ranch and a garlic aioli. The fries were shoestring, which were good, however not quite fulfilling. They were crispy on the outside, but didn't have much of a potato-ey center. The flavor was very much on point. Perfectly seasoned, went well with all three sauces, and left me wanting more! The presentation was nice, with a cone-shaped basket to hold the fries upward.

Overall, I was very satisfied with my afternoon snack, and would definitely return for more. For this outing, I'll give Simzy's an 8 out of 10.

Until next time!

-A

French Fries and Decaf

Some things in life tend to go together without question; peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots. We all know how it goes. But other things, not of the like, can bring a simplistic joy that goes without explanation.

About eight months ago, I moved to Los Angeles. Why? That's for another blog, but here I am. A Dallas, TX transplant in the land of some of the most diverse people and places I've ever seen. I am a trained chef, adoring the culinary scene I've experienced here thus far, and eager to taste what the rest of this city has to offer.

Of all of the eye-catching, taste bud-tickling, prepared-with-love dishes I've bellied over the years, one of my favorite snacks still remains the All American french fry. I truly believe that behind every good chef is an inescapable guilty pleasure, sheepishly grinning and checking its nails. No matter the accolades, chefs will always have at least one greasy, heavy, cheesy, or salty secret that's sole purpose is to keep their culinarily innovative feet on the ground. For me, french fries. Something about the salty, crispy yet soft golden deliciousness really makes my day.

And for the explanation of other half of the title, decaf. About four months ago, I stopped drinking caffeine. Crazy, I know. But to be honest, I felt even crazier when I was consuming the stuff. I stopped my at least one cup a day habit cold-turkey, and felt as though I were going through a break-up. I couldn't go to the places I used to go for fear of seeing it there. I had to cut off mutual friends, get some old records back... wait. Not the last one. You get the point. It was difficult because I love coffee-- GOOD coffee. And moving to a place like LA where the coffee scene is so competitive, I didn't see why I couldn't still support local businesses just because of a diet restriction. The problem, however, is that in most shops, so much emphasis is placed on making really great (caffeinated) coffee, that often times the flavor of the decaf is so neglected it tastes more like dirty dish water.

A few weeks ago, I was standing in line at Intelligentsia contemplating what I would order. Decaf cappuccino? Drip? After a few minutes, I started to think, 'What does it matter? I'll have to endure this hipster's sideways look as he makes my sub-par decaf.' Which made me wonder. Why does decaf have to be second rate to its caffeinated cousin? I understand the roasting process makes it more difficult to maintain flavor, but I would rather go out of my way to find and support roasters who are able to achieve a great flavor in something that is not usually sought after.

This brings me to the point of this blog. I'm going on an quest to find the best french fries and decaf in the city. I'll rate them based on my personal opinion, including pictures and descriptions of both. Suggestions are welcome. Stay tuned!

-A