Jer-ne: The Ritz Carlton, Marina Del Rey

It was my mother's birthday on Sunday so I took the family out for Jer-ne's Sunday Champagne Brunch. We got to the hotel/restaurant early so I started snapping photos of family as well as the decor of The Ritz and Jer-ne. I snapped two test-shots (checking exposure settings) of Jer-ne before the manager came over to introduce herself. Apparently she needed to get me permission from PR to take photos of Jer-ne. She even asked me if I was here with anybody. I'm like...dude. It's my mother's birthday. She then assured me that pictures of people are fine.

Brunch started promptly at 11am and every station was ready to go. My legs gave out when I walked past the dessert station, but I pressed on and moved towards the seafood. Selections at Jer-ne are pretty impressive.
Featured seafood included:
1) a really good smoked salmon, shrimp, crab claws
2) this delectable flaky pastry of salmon/spinach/?/dried apricots
3) awesome seared ahi-tuna (w/ a seaweed salad tossed with sesame seeds n oil) that would make any restaurant proud
4) shrimp ceviche comparable to what I had at Bluefin.
5) well seasoned trout
6) slices of (poached?) salmon topped with two different types of caviar. Looks pretty, but I've never liked caviar.
I forgot to mention a few, but you get the idea. Every item was well prepared. My mother and I both especially enjoyed the light pastry, where flavors were very well balanced. My brother, who always makes it a point to order seared ahi tuna if a restaurant offers it, went a little loco with the ahi tuna. He gave it a thumbs-up. I was pleasantly surprised by the crab claws, which were flavorful and didn't have that mushy texture like the ones found in Vegas buffets.

If you're wondering why this post has no pictures, it's because the manager never did go talk to PR and politely asked me to stop taking pictures two times. A grandpa with a D200 near my table was in a similar bind as well. Surprisingly, the manager didn't even react to the Asian touristy looking man with a point and shoot snapping shots left and right. Seriously, what gives? This feels like Disneyland all over again where I made a real scene with security guards concerning photography. Yeah you Facebook friends remember that story. ;) Anyway, prepare yourself for a long picture-less post if you decide to press on...*

I skipped the omelet and eggs benedict stations in favor of more interesting fare. My brother did get the omelet, however, and said it was "alright". It looked good, but we make some pretty crazy omelets at home. What? Like its hard? My only complaint would be the lack of ingredients available at the omelet station, though the basic items are all covered. Las Brisas in Laguna Beach (family favorite before it sold out) tops Jer-ne in this regard.

Sushi is available next to the omelet station, but it was really nothing to write home about. Featured rolls were the usual California, spicy tuna, and some shrimp rolls. I was able to see the "itamae's" stores of ingredients and I was pretty impressed. Nothing but fresh sushi-grade fish and shrimp. I didn't expect them to serve sketchy fish like at Todai and other seafood buffets, but it's always nice to check.

Pastries, hot breakfast items, omelet/waffle/sushi stations.

Every item was great until now, but biggest disappointment was the waffles. I don't understand how Jer-ne could screw this up. The batter was just too thick and the resulting waffle ends up like a gridded pancake. I saw several plates of unfinished waffles as I made my rounds. They tasted perfectly fine, but it was just the texture that was off. A pat of butter, mixed berries, whipped cream, and The Ritz's packaged maple syrup totally redeemed it though. I just pretended I was eating a stack of crispy pancakes. By the way, the maple syrup is top notch, so don't be shy to bring home a few bottles. I took three. It's that good!

Other hot breakfast foods included hearty thick-sliced maple bacon, sausage, and another kind of sausage(apple/pork?) tossed with 'taters and bell peppers. All three were amazing. It always brings a smile of wonder to my face when people are able to elevate simple/basic dishes to this caliber. I also had a big serving of biscuits and country sausage gravy. Holy crap that was good. The biscuits could have given Red Lobster a run for their money and the gravy was so thick and rich with bits of sausage floating around. I swear I could of eaten it like a chowder.

The coolest thing ever at this brunch was the caviar station, Jer-ne opens up three different cans of caviar: black sturgeon, salmon (yawn), and a golden caviar (whitefish?). Toasted bread and garnishes are available, of course. My mother's a big fan of fish roe, so naturally she was drawn to this station. I think I counted three visits. I only made one, and decided for the 100th time that caviar just isn't my thing.

Complementary champagne flowed freely throughout the course of brunch, but I also asked for coffee. Lemme tell ya, Jer-ne serves quite a good brew. I haven't had such good coffee in a long time. You can also order smoothies if ya want.

The dessert station offered passion fruit creme brulee, hot blue berry cobbler, chocolate and fruit tarts, various cakes, chocolates, mini eclairs, chocolate (dark and white) coated strawberries, god..the list goes on and on! I was already stuffed at this point and was unable to fully enjoy the desserts. Regardless, I powered through and was able to try most of them. My family gave me weird looks when I said that the creme brulee was too sweet. See, I'm the sugar lover in the family and usually what's fine for me is too sweet for the rest of them. Weird. So anyway, the tiramisu could use some improvement, while other items were very enjoyable even in my bloated, palate-fatigued state. Damn it! I still have yet to try out the cheeses...

Here's a picture of some of the smaller items I got:

Yeah. I really stuck it to The Man by taking this shot.

All in all, brunch at Jer-ne was pretty successful. There were still plenty of items I didn't get to try, including the hunk of juicy meat sitting at the carving station, potato gnocchi, bouillabaisse, a ton of dessert items, the various cheeses and breads, some seafood, etc. Though there were some shortcomings, the well prepared dishes totally made up for them. My favorite station at Jer-ne? Seafood. Hands down. Though maybe if I wasn't so stuffed by the end of the meal, I'd say Dessert. All the staff members were very professional and efficient. Finished plates were taken away and clean silverware placed without my noticing it. Champagne and coffee pot refills were also done without interrupting conversation. At one point, my mother stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth and asked me: "When did they refill my glass?" Beats me.

I only have two complaints for Jer-ne. First, the pastries (croissants, muffins, danishes, etc) were sub-par. Croissants weren't flaky enough, muffins were under-done, danishes were only so-so. Very disappointing. Second, what is up with that manager? I can understand policies against professional photography, but to shut down recreational photographers like me just doesn't make sense. Furthermore, that manager has one shitty attitude. She never did talk to PR, and when I confronted her (politely), she just brushed me off saying that she's really busy. Throughout the meal, she kept patrolling down the aisle next to my family's table without even giving me a nod or definitive answer about taking photos. The second time she politely told me to stop taking pictures was at my table. Whatever. My family had a good time, the food was great, champagne was plentiful, and the marina view was unbeatable. A run-in with management hardly puts a dent in such a perfect day.



*Sarah of The Delicious Life was able to snap some quick shots during her visit in '06. Check it out!


Jer-ne
4375 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 823-1700

Akasaka

Every neighborhood ought to have a good sushi or Japanese restaurant. Akasaka has been around for quite a long time and they have the pictures to prove it! I love it when family-owned restaurants take pictures with their regulars and put them up as decoration. Shows that they'd care about you on a personal level.

This is my second time at the restaurant, but apparently my family frequently has lunch there. THANKS A LOT YOU GUYS. From what I hear, the sushi bar is top-notch. Comparable to Sushi Go 55 on Alameda (Little Tokyo in Downtown LA). Today though, we sat down for their lunch plates which are a real bargain. I guess most people in the area know Akasaka has a steal of a meal during lunch hours. The place was packed when we arrived.


Albacore:

This huge bowl is offered as an appetizer for $25. My brother made it his lunch instead. Generous chunks of avocado, crisp Japanese cucumbers, and a slather of hot sauce adorn a bed of sliced albacore and julienned radishes. There is also a good amount of sauce at the bottom of the bowl. I've tasted something similar to it before, but sorry I don't know what it's called. I've often seen it drizzled on albacore, though. The taste is savory and mildly tangy. Akasaka is extremely generous when it comes to fish, and this "appetizer" is no exception. We are big eaters in my family and even my brother had a hard time finishing a huge bowl of albacore. The bowl is huge. HUGE. A must-order for albacore lovers.


Lunch Special:
This plate cost a mere $12. Wow! The grilled fish of the day was yellowtail. Last time I was here I had salmon teriyaki and was extremely impressed with both their sauce and grilling technique. The fish today did not disappoint. As for the sashimi, you can clearly see how generous Akasaka is with their portions. And of course, I guess it goes without saying that the sashimi was really fresh. Ya can't stay in business if you don't serve great fish! (Oh wait...Todai, Puente Hills is still in business...)


Rainbow Roll:
In retrospect, the picture would look nicer if I angled the roll, but like I've mentioned before, I take poor pictures when I'm hungry! Hell, I do nothing right when I'm hungry. Anyway, Akasaka is reputed to serve some ginormous rolls, so my mother took the plunge and decided to order the rainbow roll. Holy cow this thing was a beast. True to Akasaka's style, huge chunks of yellowtail and salmon are sandwiched inside the roll along with avocado etc etc. They even managed to sneak in some tempura batter in there somehow to give a delightful crunch with every bite. The contrasting textures of soft fish and that fried batter was quite fun.

I've had quite a few rainbow rolls in San Diego with friends and I have to say: Akasaka makes the best one! To be fair though, the few times I've eaten rolls in San Diego are at mediocre joints with mediocre fish. (That's why I never let those guys & dolls choose restaurants anymore. They have let me down way too many times!) I didn't know rainbow rolls could taste this good until I had it at Akasaka.


Akasaka totally rocks. It irks me when chefs are stingy with sushi and charge a huge premium. (I'm looking at you, Sushi Ota.) Akasaka serves fish that is just as fresh as any great sushi restaurant and charges a very reasonable price not only for sushi but also for entrees as well. Akasaka is the Sammy Sushi of Hacienda Heights. Kirk of mmm-yoso knows what I'm talking about.


Akasaka

14926 Clark Ave
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
(626) 336-0871

Hong Kong Palace

Western style brunch gets old. On those weekends when it's too late for breakfast but not quite yet time for lunch, why not give dim sum a try? Back in the '80s, Monterey Park used to be the hot spot for Chinese supermarkets, restaurants, and specialty stores. Immigrants and adventurous residents used to make the weekly commute from cities as far as Diamond Bar (maybe further!) for groceries or eating out. There simply was nowhere else to purchase authentic Chinese food.

Circa 1991, the Chinese community in Rowland Heights began rapid commercial development along Colima., thus eliminating the need to frequent Monterey Park. Two supermarkets, countless restaurants, stores, and clinics sprung up so fast that local American establishments recoiled from the sudden loss of Chinese customers. During this brief time period of commercial development, Hong Kong Palace emerged as the best restaurant in the area, followed closely by the revered Sam Woo Seafood Restaurant. Hong Kong Palace served the finest and freshest ingredients in a luxurious dining room, thus putting it ahead of its competitors. Its masterful chefs produced dishes so amazing that during any given meal, it was the norm for each party to wait at least 20 to 25 minutes for a table. On a weekday.

To this day, Hong Kong Palace is still as popular as ever. So popular, in fact, that they have significantly increased their prices. A pound of jumbo shrimp as massive as prawns previously priced at $30 is now $60. Hong Kong Palace has still kept the Buy One Pound Get Another Free deal, however.

Though my family used to be regulars at Hong Kong Palace, we have not dined there in over six years, partly because we have excellent cooks in the family now. Recently, we decided to pay our favorite Chinese restaurant a visit again, this time for dim sum. We arrived at 1:22pm (dim sum goes until 3pm) and were not the least surprised to find 11 parties already waiting before us. The wait wasn't so bad, though--15 minutes. Being no stranger to dim sum, we filled our table with each cart's goodies in no time.

Saying that my family members eat fast is an understatement. As a moderately paced eater who savors every bite, eating "family style" is a real challenge for me. Dishes I like are usually finished by the time I go back for seconds. I'm surprised I even had the time to shoot the following photos, a small portion of our meal that afternoon:


BBQ Pork Pastries:


It's not customary to start off a meal with a sweet item, but I defied tradition and had a plate of these flaky pastries sent to my table. These were simply amazing. Layers and layers of crispy buttery goodness. My only complaint is that there is not enough pork wrapped inside. Then again, I've always complained about the lack of meat at every Asian restaurant.


Chicken Feet:

Yeah, it sounds gross, but keep an open mind and try some. Savory (soy sauce and a blend of spices) and slightly spicy, these chicken feet were very skillfully prepared. The skin and meat were not too soggy like in most dim sum restaurants. As a child, nibbling on chicken feet used to be my highlight when having dim sum. It's a very fun dish to eat and takes newbies a bit of concentration to get all the meat off.

Shumai and Fried Tofu with Shrimp:


Shumai is the bottom dish. It could have been bad luck, but this serving of shumai seemed either overcooked or has circled the room in the hot cart for hours. They were just too soggy. The taste was blander than usual, but I could still discern the taste of ground pork. A mix of mustard and chili sauce really helped improve this shumai, though.


Fried Tofu with Shrimp:


My family is a big fan of fried tofu, and we give this dish our approval. Each tofu is topped with very fresh shrimp before placed in the steamer. Frying anything automatically makes it tastier, and tofu is no exception. Topping it with shrimp and some sort of sauce makes it even better!


Egg Custard Tarts:


Egg Custard Tarts is the favorite of every Chinese kid who's had dim sum. Adults typically do not order this, but I had to feed my inner child. The crust hit the perfect medium of soft and crispy while maintaining its flakiness. Perfect! The egg custard was flavorful and not overly sweet to cover up any shortcomings. (Some establishments cheat like that.) I could polish off nine of these tarts. They are so damn good.


Pork Blood "Tofu":


"Pork Blood 'Tofu'" is not the official name. I do not know the official name, but my designation more or less captures the essence of this unique dish. Pork blood is somehow rendered into the form of tofu and cooked in a pork broth with Daikon radishes. Blood tastes good. Don't ask me how or why and don't feign a shocked look on your face. Somehow, the pork blood "tofu" captures the very essence of pork and then some. There is the meatiness of pork along with the slight sweetness of blood. Quite a unique dish. Adjacent is hot sauce for dipping.


These are the only photographs I managed to shoot during the meal. We actually ordered well over ten unique dishes. A real dim sum meal is lengthly, relaxed, and it is not unusual to go through over four pots of tea. You eat a lot of food. Though the dishes my family ordered were pretty good for the most part, we all agreed that something was just off. The dishes weren't as exquisite or carefully prepared as we remembered. Furthermore, the taste, though well above average, is just not as good as it used to be. Regardless, Hong Kong Palace still remains one of the best places in Rowland Heights for Dim Sum.

Sunnin Lebanese Cafe

Small humble restaurants and cafes that serve spectacular food for under $10 are always a treat to find. Not only does it takes a bit of wandering to find these restaurants, it also takes a sharp eye to actually catch them as you drive past. But, most importantly, it requires your willingness to take a chance and give these establishments a shot.

At Sunnin Lebanese Cafe, Chef Em-Toni cranks out juicy kabobs and fries up delightfully crispy falafels in an exhibition kitchen. The menu is a staggering list of savory appetizers and various grilled meats. First-timers may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of available items, all of which sound pretty damn good. The aroma of grilled meat in the air does not make ordering any easier, the smell of kabobs really awakens your hunger and urges you to order half the menu.

The dining area is small, consisting of four tables (each seats five) and roughly seven seats at the bar overlooking the grill, which takes up a third of the room. Expect to rub elbows with the regulars. Take-out is also an option at Sunnin, and many customers opt for it despite the scarcity of nearby parking. Feel free to flash your emergency blinkers and park outside the cafe. After all, a curb painted red is meant for emergencies right? Nothing is more important than satisfying hunger.

Because of limited seating, Sunnin is packed during dining hours any given day of the week. Fortunately, most patrons are courteous enough to not leisurely eat and lounge after their meals. That's not to say you shouldn't comfortably enjoy your meal, but the line of people waiting outside are hungry as well. Hard wooden chairs do help the turn-over rate, however.


On my visit, I went with the basics:
Appetizer- Hummus and Falafels.
Entrees- Kebbeh Bil Sayniyeh,Spicy Kefta, and Shawarma.
Dessert- Understandably none.

My order of Hummus and Falafels arrived with enough pita to serve four. Hummus is a very common side order made with garbonzo bean paste, garlic, tahini, lime, and topped with a nutty olive oil. My appetite was increased two-fold after tasting Sunnin's hummus. It was fresh and skillfully prepared. The falafels were fried perfectly. Though they may seem overcooked, falafels have to be fried a deep golden brown in order for them to be appropriately crunchy. Falafel is a fried vegetarian dish made with a patty of spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is commonly served in a pita with a dash of hummus, which is exactly how I had mine. These appetizers certainly did not disappoint. They even raised my standards for the upcoming entrees.


Kebbeh Bil Sayniyeh

This plate consists of grounded beef and burgul stuffed with minced beef, onions, and pine nuts. On the side are hummus, "Lebanese Salad," and rice. Interestingly enough, the meat tasted almost exactly like a Taiwanese braised meat dish. Unfortunately, I do not know Pinyin, but native speakers should recognize the phonetics "Lu zho fan". Kebbeh Bil Sayniyeh was leaner and heavier on herbs/spices than its Taiwanese tasting counterpart. Also, no soy sauce was used. It is amazing that two completely different cultures at opposite ends of a continent produced such a similar flavor with their own regional ingredients. Kebbeh Bil Sayniyeh was served as ground beef and onions sandwiched between two juicy patties. A taste of Lebanese as well as a taste of home (Taiwan) cooking...I loved it.


Shawarma

Shawarma is marinaded beef cooked on a vertical broiler. Sunnin's broiler was teasing my taste buds the whole time I waited for a table, so I felt compelled to order the Sharwarma. The flavor was amazing, but the texture was a bit too dry. Tahini did help to render each bite easier to chew.


Spicy Kefta

Kefta Kebabs are made with ground beef with chopped onions, parsley, and seasoned with a mix of spices. Pretty good all by itself, but baking the kebab in tomato sauce and herbs makes it Spicy Kefta. The tomato sauce just adds more flavor, but is by no means spicy. Cilantro was used sparingly in the sauce, which to me is a plus. I'm not a fan of cilantro because personally I feel that the taste overwhelms the more important ingredients in a dish. Toni added just the right amount. The kebabs were so tender you would never guess that Toni uses lean beef. These were fluffy like a good meat loaf or burger paddy or any ball of ground beef should be.

With the exception of the beef shawarma, I consider this trip a success. I can see why regulars flock to Sunnin when there are so many other dining options available. Sunnin offers great food and friendly service for a paltry $4.75 per appetizer and $8 per entree. What a steal. I am definitely swinging by next time I'm in the area.