This LA eatery should be on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives!!

To all those foodies in the know and to all fellow Food Network junkies.... here is a place that Guy Fieri needs to visit and film a segment in!! Great quality and fantastic tasting food, great prices... in the most unlikely location! Calling all Angelenos.... a fast lunch (or dinner) never tasted this good!! The place: EL PESCADO MOJADO SEAFOOD GRILL... in this case the Sunset store!

Owned by the wonderful Galvez family... El Pescado Mojado serves up traditional Mexican dishes. It is most definitely a healthier alternative to most "fast food" or family-owned restaurants in the city. A generous menu allows their customers to come back repeatedly, without having the same thing every visit!! More importantly, everything is made to order, raising the standard and level of quality!

On a lazy Sunday evening... this is the perfect "to go" option for a night in with friends if you don't feel like doing dishes... or simply don't have the time!
I did just that... and here are some of the delicious treats we got to sample that evening:

Queso Fundido... (a broiled cheese appetizer)... A must for all you cheese lovers!! Monterey Jack cheese melted.... a cheese brulee, if you will!! Gooey, oooey, cheesy goodness! Try it!

From PescadoMojado

Ceviche... one word... YUM!!! (Is that really a word? LOL).... there were two kinds... shrimp and white fish.... I preferred the white fish; they were both delicious, I just prefer white fish ceviche. Perfectly seasoned... just the right amount of citrus... hard to beat the quality and value of this ceviche!

From PescadoMojado

Pair the ceviche with some super fresh guacamole... (the real kind... not the processed, watery stuff you get at a lot of other places!)... you will bite into the chunks of avocado... and the chips?? Freshly made here!!.... and did I mention the salsa??? This salsa brings most others to shame!!

Skewers... Chicken, Beef and Mahi... oh my! They were all flavorful... my favorite was the Mahi! Served with a delicious seasoned white rice and a side of pinto beans... the perfect meal!

From PescadoMojado

Last but not least.... Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy Devil Shrimp).... I have to confess, I was speechless! This is the kind of dish that real foodies live for... no kidding! Authentic.... as good as mom would make! This dish is five star, in my humble opinion!! Also served with white rice and beans on the side.... not the typical "fast food" order! Guy Fieri... you must come try this!!

From PescadoMojado

The great news about this family-owned business... there are three locations to choose from:

1701 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
610 S. Rampart Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
11530 Telegraph Rd., Santa Fe Springs, CA

For those of you on a wellness kick or on low carb/low fat diets... the options are the same. Most of the food is grilled...stick with those options and skip on the tortilla chips and rice. The seafood is extremely fresh... and a small indulgence with this guacamole is ok... there are no additives, and you still get all the naturally creamy goodness from an avocado! Did I say FRESH??? :)

By the way, there is something to be said about who you know... because you read about it here, Pescado Mojado is offering all ELLE LIVING readers and followers a discount on your next visit!! Click on the coupon link for the special offer, print it out, and bring it into the restaurant. Feel free to forward this to your friends as well!

Pescado Mojado Coupon

Catering is offered at all locations... so for all those holiday parties coming up... catering your party is definitely an option.... PESCADO MOJADO will impress your guests, and relieve you from the stress of the preparation!! E-mail Bert Galvez at bertg1969@aol.com and tell him ELLE LIVING sent you!!

To good eating....

Elle :)

There's a "Latina on the Loose!"

The premise of Elle Living is definitely great food and culinary treasures, but in addition to all that delicious goodness, it's also a lifestyle site... your directory and resource for all things fabulous that allow for extraordinary living! By the way, don't worry that this is going to be a site for only the "well to do"; on the contrary, it's for everyone, not only the "Designer-Clad Set".... Simply those with a taste for good things and decadence! (Which, by the way, could come by way of the simplest things in life... sometimes, that can show up in a Taco Truck! LOL!) I'm at the beginning stages of launching the full site and so I have yet to incorporate the other arts, but I thought that it would be great to start with something that is definitely one of my favorites and probably close to many people's hearts... Theatre!!

First, I must say that if you could call something the "little production that could"... This would be it!! I love all things "live theatre" and when a dear friend of mine insisted that I go see this production being presented in Downtown LA, I was quite taken by her enthusiasm about this "one woman" production... So, of course, I had to go see for myself!

I was not quite sure what to expect, but I know that at the end, I was definitely glad that I made it out to see this production. "Latina on the Loose" is based on the life story of Mina Olivera, her life growing up as a Latina teenager, moving from country to country and all the silliness/happiness/craziness that happens in between such experiences... this would include her coming to America and realizing her dreams. Mina takes you on a true roller coaster ride (the really fun and exhilarating kind) of emotions... She was funny, witty, charming and captivating! You will laugh... (a lot)... you will cry (a little - :)) and feel every emotion in between happy and heartfelt!!

It is pretty amazing when one actress is able to take you through such an experience without a supporting cast... But Mina does exactly that, in a somewhat effortless way! The performance is very well written... in a way that captivates the audience from start to finish!

I was fortunate enough to see the final production on Sunday October 11 at the Los Angeles Theatre Company, but for those of you who weren’t able to see Mina in LA, don't worry... because against all odds... “the little production that could” is going on the road and being presented in various cities. Wherever you are, I highly recommend you go and experience this lovely, heartwarming tale of a very tenacious Latina! I must say, she makes me proud of my Latin Heritage! I got the feeling that her personality is truly contagious and fun and it came out all over the place in her production. I now know why my friend Stacey was adamant that I go see this work of love!

Here are some selected pics from the production:

And, here's a short clip from the show:

Mina: thank you for sharing yourself so generously with your audience and giving yourself so wholeheartedly to your work! I applaud you and support you (as a fellow Latina)... and can’t wait to see you on Broadway!

You can follow the show and Mina on Facebook on her fan page: Latina on The Loose

Or visit her website for dates and locations!

Abrazos y besos!!

Elle ☺

A Truly Savory Experience in the South!

If you ever find yourself somewhere between the OC (Orange County, CA) and San Diego... Note to self... make it a point to stop over in a small town called Encinitas, CA... for the simple purpose of having a fantastic meal... but not just food... a dining experience... in a very unlikely location. Take a quaint bistro in a strip mall, throw in a very cheerful staff and a Paris trained chef... And VOILA... You have Savory Casual Fare! A delicious little bistro that calls itself casual. It’s adorable, really, but more importantly, in its simplicity, it is just delicious... in sight, sound and taste!

On a beautifully crisp and easy Sunday morning... on our way back to Orange County from a stay over in San Diego, our stopover in Encinitas turned out to be a new favorite way to spend a lazy weekend morning. Brunch at Savory is brunch unlike anything that you have ever experienced, no joke. I have never been a fan of huge buffets for two reasons: first, you overeat small portions of many selections, not really having the opportunity to savor just one or two things... and secondly, serving yourself, in my opinion, takes away from the dining experience and relishing in the company at your table because everyone is too busy going back and forth for more... exhausting, really!! But for all you brunch lovers... I have the perfect antidote... SAVORY!

A simple spread in the bar area is the beginning of your brunch experience. There were some mini croissants and mini puff pastries for the bread portion of the meal. There were the charcuteries (fresh cold cuts/cured meats), cheese plates, fresh fruits, baked fruits (this was a fruit bake), an assortment of green salads, pasta salads, and finally a freshly made egg-white frittata. Take a look at the pictures... The spread was simple, but perfect… simply lovely!!

I must make special mention about the croissants. On many an occasion, I have made a joke about how one can become a Croissant “snob” of sorts after having experienced the croissants in Paris! There is a je ne sais quoi about all Parisian pastries... especially the croissants! Just a quick aside about those Parisian croissants. They disintegrate upon touching your lips... a perfect fusion of butter and flour... unlike any other in existence... (ahh... my mouth is watering just getting present to all things Paris!)... Anyway... I must say what my lips have not uttered before... the croissants smelled and tasted peculiarly like those of Paris... only to find out that the chef at Savory is Paris-trained... and the croissants were freshly baked on the premises that morning... yes, just for brunch!! Wouldn’t you know it!! I would return just for those flaky, buttery croissants!

From Savory San Diego

So that was the beginning of the meal!! You also have the opportunity to order a hot entrée... This is what made this brunch particularly special... you had the opportunity to sample the specialties from the kitchen, but they were made to order and served to you at your table by their warm and friendly servers! There were about eight entrees to choose from, not an easy choice... after much deliberation, our choices were finally a Goat Cheese and Granny Smith Apple quiche and a savory vegetarian crepe which was served with a tomato puree sauce on top.

The quiche was a masterpiece of flavors... perfect texture and flavor... flaky crust... simply delicious! The tartness of the green apples gave this entrée a brightness and splash of flavor! For all quiche lovers... a must try!

From Savory San Diego

The crepe was just amazing... it was filled with kombucha squash, red cabbage, spinach and chanterelle mushrooms... it was topped with Swiss cheese and a tomato puree. I am a huge fan of crepes, all varieties, really... and though from time to time savory crepes are topped with a sauce of sorts, I must say that the tomato puree in this case, was totally unnecessary for my taste. It made the crepe seem like more of an Italian dish, and not being a big fan of thick sauces... I would have preferred the dish sans the sauce. On the other hand, I thought that maybe a cilantro or fresh herb/citrus infused sauce might have brightened up the dish more, it also might have brought out the flavors of the delicious fresh vegetables in the crepe. All in all, the choice of fresh grilled veggies was perfect. I would; however, order it next time with the sauce on the side or no sauce at all.

From Savory San Diego

I highly recommend this perfect little bistro (despite the tomato sauce!)... just a hiccup, really! The quality of the food is amazing and the value ($23.00 p/p for brunch) is deliciously easy on the wallet!

I highly encourage all my OC friends to go for that relaxing drive on Sunday morning and stop over in Encinitas for this fantastic brunch... it's truly a treat! I can’t wait to return and try their dinner menu, which I have heard is wonderful. We were also told by our awesome and adorable server Bobby that they serve a proper tea service complete with sandwiches, scones, the works... all freshly made for you (requires advanced reservations with the restaurant!).

Visit them at: www.savorycasualfare.com

Savory is located at: 267 North El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024

Bon appetite mes amis!!!