Tag: los angeles

something about her

since before the sandwich shop even opened, brandi and i were committed to supporting two of our favorite vanderpump rules girlies. ariana and katie. with brandi living in texas, i held out until she could do a trip to california that would be long enough to have both time in the bay and in la. let me tell you – something about her is absolute perfection.

as if the quaint shop wasn’t delightful enough, the customer service provided to us and other patrons by the entire staff, including ms. terri (katie’s mom), was second to none. from the wonderful recommendations to the swift service to the warm welcome for this couple with a dog that had to weigh about 100 pounds, it was clear that something about her was a place where anyone would feel right at home.

i ordered the cameron and when i tell you i still dream about this sandwich, that is no exaggeration. it is the only item on the menu where substitutions aren’t allowed and trust me: you would not want to make any.

the cameron

the cameron comes with salami, capicollo, mortadella, smoked provolone, sun dried tomatoes, banana peppers, red onion, fresh basil, italian spices, pesto aioli and salt & pepper served on focaccia. if i were describing sandwich in a few words, i would say: decadent, fresh and flavor-packed!

the cameron – take two

brandi ordered the voila and when asked to describe it in a few words, she said: savory, perfect crunch, warm (since it’s one of the few warm ones on the menu) and delectable.

the voila

the voila comes with oven roasted turkey, smoked gouda, sun dried tomatoes, shaved cucumbers, red onion, sriracha aioli and salt & pepper grilled on their signature sourdough. 10/10 would recommend!

while the bread is to die for, don’t fret if you are gluten free. they have both gluten free bread options and are happy to make any of the sandwiches into bowls. there are also salads and every dressing is made fresh in house.

we may have initially sought out something about her because of our shared love of vanderpump rules and wanting to support a female owned and operated business, however we will return because it’s the best sandwich spot in la.

xoxo

k. tap

cento

hey! i hope each of you enjoyed your thanksgiving week (if you celebrate) and spent time with those you love most eating something absolutely delightful. thanksgiving looked different for me this year for a variety of reasons but primarily because i have been at the hospital around the clock with my dad, who underwent a stem cell transplant (expect a full rundown in the coming weeks about all of the many layers). one of the limitations is not being able to have any food that is not prepared at the hospital or by me in our hotel suite due to his nonexistent immune system. with him barely having tastebuds and being limited on what sits well on his stomach, there wasn’t the traditional thanksgiving dinner (filled with many of my favorite soul food dishes). maybe it is because i am craving a great meal out, missing my friends and feeling grateful to the many members of my chosen family that offered to have a thanksgiving spread delivered (before they knew about the restrictions), i found myself thinking about this phenomenal italian restaurant alan and i went to last month. let me introduce you to: cento.

alan had been RAVING about cento for months. we had been trying to go together but life was a little too chaotic AND for awhile, they were closed on mondays so we struggled a bit. let me tell you this – the wait was absolutely worth it. there was not a single thing we consumed that i would not give at least a 9.5 out of 10. let me walk you through our dining experience:

hamachi crudo
endive caesar

the hamachi? melted like literal butter. the endive caesar? simple and flavor packed, especially with the hint of tarragon. one of the reasons alan is in my top five favorite people to dine with is because we have such similar palettes. it is an added bonus that the conversation is consistently captivating. that being said, we frequently get to sample more of the menu because we can share various dishes (like the two above). for our main courses, we both committed to pasta dishes.

spicy pomodoro
bolognese

alan couldn’t get enough of his spicy pomodoro. he was surprised i didn’t order it because of my deep love for all things spicy however, i just couldn’t pass up a ricotta gnocchi with a 28-month parmesan and cream. i had zero regrets. because their menu is constantly changing, alan’s pasta above is not currently available however, my bolognese is so run to get your bowl!

we were between a few different options for dessert. one of the only areas where alan and i differ is there is no such thing as too much chocolate for him. that certainly is not the case for me. one that spoke to us both was the date cake and our server highly recommended it.

date cake
a very belated birthday celebration 🤎

the date cake is something i literally dream about. who doesn’t love caramel, pecan and crème fraiche ice cream? alan had been to cento at least a dozen times and had never tried it. from now on, it is a MUST.

with me being a planner, there were bonus points given for being able to make a reservation, valet parking and being seated upon arrival (even though alan hadn’t arrived yet). i am already anxiously awaiting my next visit and cannot speak highly enough about the quality of service, the ambiance (would be a great space for a private event), the attention to detail with every dish and how heavenly the entire meal was from start to finish. if you find yourself in la, make a reservation at cento.

xoxo,

k. tap