Two Foodies Dabble at The Little Door

Little Door

It started with a failed attempt to see the movie “Blue is the Warmest Color.” Alexis and I had made the journey to the theaters only to discover it was sold out.  With France on our mind, we decide to settle for the next best thing- European cuisine.

We journeyed to a restaurant called The Little Door in our Mid-City neighborhood on 3^rd Street. I had always wanted to try this restaurant, but was waiting for the right opportunity.

The Little Door is an elegant, colorful, playful Mediterranean spot with romantic ambiance and fantastic food. A secret garden lingers within the premise and calls for a relaxing meal. There is an element of passion and seduction that lingers in the air as if the food was calling for you to indulge. Alexis and I knew that his meal would be more than satisfactory and we were right.

We started off the evening with two glasses of Malbac, an assorted meat plat, and French onion soup.

The meats were thinly cut and paired with delicious baked bread and sweet pickles. The French Onion soup was fitting for the mood and did not disappoint. Rustic bread was buried under the sweet onion and baked Parmesan. Every bite provided a bit of warm comfort.

We split an entre of Mussels and Fries. The mussels were doused in garlic and melted in every bite. The fries were thin and perfect to dip in the mussel sauce.

Overall, Little Door receives the Two Foodies thumbs up! The meal was 
splendid and presented in the most enchanting atmosphere. This meal was the perfect substitute for out French movie rendezvoused. 

Two Young Foodies Stop By King's Road Cafe

Kings Road Café It was a warm fall day in mid-city Los Angeles, meaning it was low 80s with a slight breeze and warm surrounding glow. Amanda and I decided to stop by Kings Road Café on Beverly Blvd. for a little pizza. Kings Road Café has a variety of foods to choose from whether it be breakfast, pasta/pizza, or even fiesta dishes.  One also can’t forget their amazing coffee selections. We chose the Grilled Summer Squash and Spinach Pizza to split. The pizza was comprised of raclette, caramelized onion, tomato sauce, and fresh oregano. It was simple and delicate, but packed a powerful flavor. It was refreshing and filling. Two Foodies loved Kings Road Café and can’t wait to stop by soon for an awesome Sunday brunch! 8361 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (323) 655-9044

Meet Our Guest Blogger Alexis Howell!

Welcome New Foodie Alexis Howell!

Alexis Howell was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. She grew up eating her grandmother’s homegrown apple- rhubarb pies and “world- famous chili.”  

Since then, she’s explored foods from around the world, like pig intestines while visiting the deep south of America, milk fresh out of the goat in Tanzania, and pan- fried octopus in Australia.  

She enjoys sampling unique pairings of flavors in new dishes, as well as the perfected version of a classic. She hopes to bring Two Foodies readers a voice that is honest and opinionated – she’s not afraid to tell you when the meal is mediocre. However, if the meal was amazing, you will hear about as she shouts praises of her foodgasms.  

Bon apetit!

Guest Blogger Post: Alexis Howell on Bottega Louie

Guest Blogger
 Alexis Howell Post:

On August 28th, I woke up thinking, “Today, I want to be bad. I want to be gluttonous. I want Bottega Louie.” Coming off a 3-week long bout of first-time dining experiences in the city of Los Angeles that could only be described as “meh” or, at best, average, I needed to escape to a restaurant of familiarity, one where I knew I would feeling stuffed to the brim because I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving a drop of food left on my plate. I am no stranger to the rich Italian cuisine and decadent pastry bar that leave Angelenos scrambling for a spot on the wait list (they don’t do reservations), as I have eaten at this establishment numerous times over the last few months. However, I was looking forward to actually writing about my dining experience, looking at the restaurant with fresh eyes and tuning into the savory nuances of their exquisite pizzas, small plates, entrees, and desserts.

Established in Downtown LA in 2009, this grand, all- white space with dramatically high ceilings, marble floors, and a Euro flair feeds 800 hungry mouths a night. Bottega Louie seats around 150 guests in the main dining room and houses a fully- stocked bar, open kitchen, and bakery. While extravagant in décor, the food is moderately priced, with small plates starting at $9 and the majority of entrees around $20.  

Kaitlyn and I were seated after about an hour, though we were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait. In the interim, we sampled a to-die-for chocolate hazlenut benet and Kaitlyn picked up a few macaroons for the road. Since we had to re-approach the hostess and ask about our wait- time, it appeared as a small hiccup in the professionalism of the establishment.  

We ordered a half pour of the 2008 Sangiovese Monsanto Monrosso Chianti, which complimented the perfectly al dente lasagna, layered with a Bolognese beef ragu, béchamel, mozzarella, and Grana parmesan. Despite how full I was after only a few of the heavily- breaded Parmesan portabella fries, this dish had me sneaking bites long after I vowed stopping. My love for the lasagna is strong… I made audible signs of approval after nearly every bite. Needless to say, a food coma ensued in the hours following our meal! We also shared a 14-inch fennel sausage pizza, which was flavorful but forgettable. Despite our wait, our service during the meal was prompt, although be warned, the atmosphere in noisy and feels chaotic during weekend brunch and dinner times.

Overall, I would recommend checking out Bottega Louie if you’re in the mood for a well- priced, savory Italian meal in the up-and-coming Downtown Los Angeles neighborhood. The food is well worth the wait.

Your Guest Foodie,

Alexis Howell

Bottega Louie
Los Angeles
700 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 802-1470

TWO YOUNG FOODIES BIRTHDAY POST: MAGNOLIA BAKERY

Monday, August 5, 2013

Kaitlyn Post:

On July 30^th, I welcomed my 22^nd Birthday with a pleasant treat from Magnolia Bakery. Conveniently located on West 3^rd Street in Los Angeles, I sauntered over to the bakery around 11a.m in the morning to purchase a little from-me –to – me present.

Magnolia Bakery is a staple and pioneer in the cupcake industry. Magnolia was founded in New York City in 1996. After becoming a legend in the heart of NYC, the bakery expanded to locations in Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as some locations in cities overseas.

Magnolia Bakery has always held a special place in my heart since I first tried it in NYC for my 16^th Birthday. It only seemed right to celebrate with the same delicious treat six years later!

Being a chocolate lover, I didn’t hesitate to order a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting along with a mocha coffee to wash it down.

The chocolate cupcake was rich, moist, and delicate! It had a smooth velvety texture and potent chocolate flavor. The buttercream frosting was sweet enough to balance the chocolate out while giving it just the right amount of luscious creamy taste to satisfy even the sweetest sweet tooth. The warm mocha coffee provided the right amount of comfort and taste to accompany the magnificent dessert.

Overall, Magnolia gets the Two Foodies stamp of approval! Magnolia Bakery is still one of the best places to get cupcakes in Los Angeles and never seems to disappoint!

Magnolia Bakery

Los Angeles

8389 West 3rd Street at Orlando St.

Los Angeles

Tel.: 323.951.0636

Double Review: The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop and Ulysses Voyage

Double Review: Ulysses Voyage and The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop

Kaitlyn Blog Post:

Hello Foodies! We apologize for our absence these past couple of weeks. Amanda was traveling with her family in Japan and I have been busy moving to WeHo. Fortunately, Amanda and I are back on our foodie grind and we are ready to blog!

                                      (Amanda's present from Tokyo)

I decided to tryout some new places in my neighborhood while Amanda was away. I quickly discovered and fell in love with The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop on 3^rd  Street in WeHo.

The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop is a very cute and quaint spot with soft yellow tones. The staff is very friendly, helpful, and inviting.

I was immediately greeted when I entered the shop and was quickly placed at a table. The waitress presented crayons to me to color on the table with while my food was being prepared. The Simple Things has a modern 50’s feel with their selection of bottled pop and pies. They have a variety of savory potpies and wide variation of sweet dessert pies, which can also be purchased as “mini” bite size morsels. 

I wasn’t too hungry so I decided to order the Avocado Melt and the Roasted Tomato Soup.

The Avocado Melt was made of roasted peppers, fontina, buttermilk bleu, manchego, apricot, chutney, and brioche.

The Melt was absolutely superb! The apricot and buttermilk bleu made the perfect blend of salt and sweet. The avocado was fresh and made the sandwich filling. The tomato soup was perfect for dipping the melt.

The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop gets the Two Foodies Thumbs up! I will bring Amanda here so that we can write another review together!

Once Amanda returned from her travels abroad, we decided to get together for a shopping day at The Grove! While there we stopped at Ulysses Voyage for some Greek grub.

Ulysses is located on the edge of the farmers market. It is a medium sized restaurant with a nice seating patio that is perfect for hot LA summer afternoons. The service was very helpful, attentive, and friendly. Our mouths began to water once we browsed the menu. The meats, potatoes, and gyros all sounded delicious. Amanda ordered the Full Traditional Greek Salad “Horiatiki” and I ordered the Lamb Gyro Combo Plate.

Amanda’s Greek Salad was comprised of cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and house dressing. The Greek Salad was very leafy and crisp. The dressing was not overbearing and the vegetables mixed well together.

My Lamb Gyro Combo Plate encompassed lamb, Tzatziki, hummus, mixed greens, and potatoes.  The lamb was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. The Tazatiki and hummus were placed on the side, which made it easy to add on. The mixed greens were similar to Amanda’s salad- they were nice to eat between bites of lamb and potato. The potatoes were the best part of the meal. They were well seasoned in a rosemary sauce, which made every bite taste like heaven! Overall, Ulysses gets the Two Foodies Thumbs Up for being a nice place to dine at after a long day of shopping.

Two Young Foodies is back in action and we look forward to posting our next entry!!!

Phone: (323) 939-9728

The Simple Things Sandwich and Pie Shop

8310 W. 3rd Street

Los Angeles, CA 90048

Ulysses Voyage

6333 W. 3^rd Street #750

Los Angeles, CA 90036

, Mixed Greens & Potatoes