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 :)

Italian Dining with a view...

Date: April 4, 2009
Location: A very hip Downtown LA Loft (a.k.a. Bert and Diana’s home)

This past Saturday I had the true joy of cooking dinner for not one, but two very fabulous individuals…. Diana, whom I’ve known and been friends with since our high school days, and her wonderful significant other, Bert. The intention was to spend a comfy night at home and catch up…. And that we did. Of course, in this case "home" is a very sexy, contemporary Downtown LA Highrise condo... so the ambiance was undeniably fantastic!

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

We started with great conversation and threw in a couple rounds of my Basil Lychee Martinis…. (SOOOO GOOOD! They are quickly becoming my favorite!!)

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

I planned the menu with D beforehand, and we had agreed on a Tuscan Italian 4 course meal. Fortunately for me, I have already made this dinner a few times in the past… and has always been a winner… so given the ease of the meal, I thought it would be perfect so that we could do an interactive dinner of sorts… and I was right…

We started with some Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms. I had pre-made the stuffing at home so that we could just throw the mushrooms in the oven quickly. The mix is pretty much an equal mix of green olives, grated Pecorino Romano, roasted red peppers, shallots and scallions… a little olive oil… The recipe calls for jarred red peppers, but because I’m huge on freshness (and a bit of an overachiever…LOL) I roasted my own! The stuffing goes into crimini mushrooms and in the oven for 20 mins…. Place on serving plate and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil… your guests will love them, guaranteed!

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

The second course was Wheat Fettucine with Shrimp, Arugula and Lemon Oil. A friend of mine who is an amazing cook, made this recipe for me a few months ago, and I was taken aback! There is a true freshness about this dish, though it is a pasta, (I stick with wheat pastas to try to keep it healthier), it is light and simple, but when cooked al dente, hardly ordinary. The lemon infused oil creates a light sauce on the pasta and this helps to create an extraordinary dish!

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

The third course was another favorite of mine… I like this so much that I make meal size portions for lunch on occasion, it is easy to prepare, but exceptionally delicious! This dish is the now infamous Tuscan White Bean/Tuna salad on Arugula. You mix a can of cannellini beans (rinsed) into a can of Yellowfin tuna (packed in olive oil), mix in some Red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. I drizzle some Extra Virgin Olive oil and toss into the Arugula, then serve the tuna on a bed of arugula. This may sound unusual, but it is always a hit! It compliments the pasta dish, as the arugula ties them in together.

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

A white wine is best paired with this meal, as it is light and complements the seafood well. We had a William-Hill Chardonnay (2005 reserve)… and though when it comes to a white wine, I tend to enjoy a Sauvignon Blanc, or my favorite, a Pinot Grigio… I must say this particular wine is amazing! Lighter than most Chardonnays, I will definitely be enjoying this one again in the very near future!

Great conversation was a huge part of this evening. Diana and Bert shared projects they had going on, as I shared my plans for culinary school in 2010. I must make special mention that Bert has a particularly wonderful project going on. Having survived cancer at a young age, he has chosen to give back to the world on a very positive note. He is the co-creator of a pilot for a show called “THE FEEL GOOD SHOW”… but because it is still in the beginning stages, I am very limited to the details I can divulge, however, I will keep you posted in future blogs about details on the show and the premise of the project… I do promise, you’ll love the concept, I did!

After chatting up a storm and sharing great conversation… dessert was ready. I decided to go with another favorite, Berry Strata, which in essence is an Italian bread pudding. The beauty of this dish, is that you are required to prepare ahead, as the bread has to “marry” (or marinate, if you will), with the custard; so this makes it easy to pop into the oven so that it bakes as dinner is being enjoyed; frees the host/hostess to be a part of the dinner and conversation! The custard in this recipe is infused with orange and the berries are lightly mixed in over the mixture before you bake. We served “a la mode” with Vanilla ice cream… (as per Bert's request!) what a treat! I have managed to tweak this recipe over the last few times that I have made it, but it never disappoints! Always a crowd pleaser... and the leftovers... need I say?? :)

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

On a side note...I will have to mention that all these recipes are available on Food Network.com. The original chef/creator was Giada de Laurentiis, of whom I am a huge fan. I have managed to put my own touch on every one of these, but with any recipe, a great cook will create their version from time to time. I do encourage you to visit this website and try some of these; all downloadable and user friendly!
(Except for the recipe for the fabulous martini... that was a creation of my own! So not giving Giada the credit for that one! LOL)

From Dinner w Bert and Diane (4-4)

Anyway, back to my evening! I must say that all in all the night was a huge hit! An evening with like-minded friends whose company you love, great drinks, amazing wine and a simply delicious dinner! MMMMM! Truly priceless! :)

Thanks Bert and Diana for being such gracious hosts and for the lovely company and overall memorable evening!! Looking forward to doing it again soon! :)