The Search Continues

Looking for the perfect taco and the perfect beat.

(Does anyone ever catch my Afrika Bambaataa references or what?)


La Cabanita's curbside taco stand, corner of 7th & Pine.
8pm to 1am. Downtown Long Beach.

We risk our bellies for your culinary reading delights.

Homestyle Hawaiian - San Diego, CA

So when I was down in San Diego shooting Panhead Mike Trussell's bike, we had a couple of hours to kill before he was available that day. I had made sure that I did not eat before my early morning trip down south because when you hang out with The Hater, you know you will end up eating well.

He gave me the scoops on what the deal was with local grindz in the Dago area. After a few calls to see who was open, we were certain that we had to check out Homestyle Hawaiian. Of course I check out yelp.com too; gotta make sure I'm not going to end up at some sort of 'California Teriyaki House' with the same bland sauce those type of places cover everything with. Fuck that.
Soon as I saw the menu, I could tell that this was absolutely NOT an L&L Hawaiian BBQ chain in disguise (which happens a lot in Hawaii and in CA). It's easy to tell though.
The place just opened so we were the first patrons of the day.
Big local guy was working the place all by himself.
So, braddah - wat's GOOD?
The steaks... we actually got some steaks today, we usually run out.
How you guys make the steaks? Seasoned or something?
Yeah, you gotta get try it... trust me, it's good.


So we ordered two steaks and a spam musubi for appetizer. Breakfast of Champions.
Hala! da steaks stey on fire!
Our steaks arrived and it looked fucking good.
To me, this is what a good steak can look like. I just know it's going to be good and it was. It definitely had a little seasoning on it, probably some chunky Hawaiian Salt on it too. Big scoop rice and a scoop of the Mac Daddy (AKA mac salad). I'm stoked I took his advice.
I have proof of how good it all was:
Homestyle Hawaiian
7524 Mesa College Drive
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 571-5828

Spring Ragout Over Potato Gnocchi

Dinner:


Potato gnocchi, asparagus, fava beans, parmesan cheese and thick creamy goodness.

And the appetizer was baked egg with spinach and cream. Fresh eggs from our chickens and spinach from the farmer's market.

went to visit T-Rod...

...this morning at Illusion Cycle. He had a smoker for me! It was taking up too much space in his patio, so of course I wanted it to go to a good home.
But I could only have it on one condition, he said. I had to arm wrestle Rusty for it.
Check my game face. Check the booster under my elbow!
Rusty is 6'8", 280lbs with 20" guns. I'm half that but he's got nothing on me! and of course I won! Can't wait to get my smoker home!

some quiet time with short ribs

...and got to hang out with just my ol'lady (that's biker talk bro). We had 4.5lbs of short ribs marinating for 2 days in one of my favorite Hawaiian Style Korean BBQ (Kalbi) sauces and they were ready to be grilled. Gonzalez Northgate Market has a rad meat section with butchers ready to cut you slabs of whatever you want; you may remember it from a previous post.
What's the rectangular pieces? Spam. Threw some left over pieces in there and let them marinate too. Soo good. Spam has been my biggest trick for all my 'mainland' friends.
Whatever concoction I bring it in to parties or pot lucks, I always get a "you brought what?" Funny thing is, it's the first thing to disappear every single time. Fancy pants L.A parties to backyard barbecues. There's a right way to make it though.
But this post isn't about Spam. This is about my glorious kalbi short ribs. Oh, I added 6 minced cloves of garlic to the 2-day marinade too.

Beef Brains

When I was a little kid growing up in Hawaii, I had heard a rumor that you could get tacos made up of cow brains in Mexico. Years later I found out that the brains are called Sesos.
I had talked to many taco-eaters since I've lived here in Southern CA and they all say "I don't eat that shit, holmes." I don't know a single person who's actually ever tried it. I seen it on the menu at Taco Loco #3 down the street from me. Every time I went there, they never had any. I kept asking and one day they had it. So guess what? Of course I got it.
I hate to say it tasted like chicken but fuck, it did. It tasted like chicken-flavored tofu actually. It wasn't that good... I probably wouldn't order it again. But I ate that whole taco though. Insane in the membrane - insane in the brain!

Casa Sanchez #4 - Long Beach, CA

Back on the road with CantStayJose - just looking for the perfect beat and the perfect taco. I had heard from Brawny that Casa Sanchez #4, close to the corner of South and Cherry, had the most delightful chicharrones tacos ever. The story had me spellbound so I got my compadre and we had to investigate.
When we got to the door, Jose was all sketched out. "I dunno holmes, this place is eeemmmpty..." I said fuck it, let's check it out anyway.
We had called Brawny when we were on our way but it was kinda late and he was already done for the night. He works a lot so we didn't give him shit. We know he's tired.




Walking into a new place and seeing the menu for the first time is kinda like coming across a new swap meet vendor or walking into a new bike shop. Gotta stand back and take it all in for a minute.
And well, we took a while. Had to look at everything that was offered on the menu. Couldn't decide on what else to get besides chicharrones. Jose was trying to feel the place out, too.




Like I've mentioned before, all taco spots got a specialty. Most times, not ALL the meats are especially good. If you ask, they'll usually tell you to "everybody gets the carne asada," which is more or less 'steak'. That's the common generic response though.
We started out with drinks. Senor Jose had the Modelo. I treated myself with a nice Sidral Mundet (apple soda).
Have to admit the place creeped us out. It had bad/weird lighting and it was pretty empty... except for the four big Mexican girls sitting in the corner. They kept their eyes on us the whole time. Either they wanted to take our wallets or molest us, we didn't want to know.
Started out with the complimentary chips and salsa roja and pico de gallo, which were pretty good. I mean they were good enough that we needed seconds.
I had two carnitas tacos but had them gringo style with hard shell. Usually the hard shell isn't offered, so when I see it I'll get it once in a while. They were good, yeah, but it was just back up. I was here for something else...
We split a half order of chicken nachos. It was bunk. Couldn't even finish half of it. Don't even know why I said we should get it. Blurted it out. Ah, what the fuck.
Jose had two carnitas tacos too, standard soft shell. He loved them and said that they were done well.
And here's what I came for. Taco de Chicharrones. Oh my god it was good. Absolutely NOT your usual chicharrones, which is just fried fat or fried skin in a chile verde sauce. Noo, no. This was pork belly style chicharrones, with cripsy & crunchy skin, a little fat, and solid little chunks of meat. It was so choice. Maybe even one of the best tacos I've had so far in my life in CA.
Oh, did I mention that the chicharrones taco was good? Fuck. I should've just gotten ALL chicharrones tacos. Next time I will (and I have!).
Satisfied with our new spot, we headed home. It was a school night and it was already past 10pm. Had to get home, tend to our lovely ladies and get some sleep.
We've actually been back to this spot twice already and we'll see Casa Sanchez #4 again soon. Until next time... life's too short for burgers & fries!

Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles

Yes, I would consider this place somewhere you have to eat at when visiting Long Beach. Whether it's your first visit (or every visit), you need to eat at Roscoe's. Snoop Dog, Deebo from Friday, you name it. Everyone in the area eats here. They all just want some god damn fried chicken and the sides ain't bad either.
Our waiter saw my camera and actually insisted he take our photo. Rille of Sinners Sweden was in town, so was our good friend Yorgen. Oh, rare photo of yours truly in there too.
The Hater loves Roscoe's and most people do. But he loves this place so much, he orders a whole chicken PLUS sides. Why? Because he can. I shit you not.
I got one of the combos I've had before. Breast, candied yams, greens and cornbread... that's it? Come on now! I had a thigh coming too, courtesy of our waiter who hooked it up.
Rille went for a Chicken Omelet. He ended up having a piece of chicken on the side too. Those Swedes drank beer like water, any time of the day. Not because they were on vacation - just because they can!
CantStayJose had a waffle plus three wings. Good choice as well. Think he ordered another piece too.
American beer is like water! I think that's what Yorgen said. Fuck, probably so. I don't know, cause I don't drink it. He went deep, too. Yorgen had half a chicken plus waffles.
Dave had a waffle and a breast. When Dave comes to Roscoe's he always gets a waffle and a breast. Did ever I mention that every time he comes here, he gets a waffle and a breast?
Mark had a waffle, breast and a biscuit. I never had the biscuit. I need the biscuit!
Then silence across the table. No more horsing around - must... eat! I can't believe I got up and took this photo.
And this is what happens to the whole chicken that The Hater had. Pile of bones.
Hollywood, Pasadena, Los Angeles or Long Beach, don't miss out on Roscoe's.

The Hot Dog

It was a nice day at the farmers market at Longfellow Elementary in Long Beach. About noon on a Sunday, so I wanted to eat something good.
There's always something good to eat at a farmers market. And according to the sign, this place claimed to have a good hot dog. I love hot dogs. I love them from carts, from stands, off my grill, I just really dig hot dogs.
I went in to investigate.
Bacon wrapped, regular or sausage dog.
I asked her to give me what she thought was the best one. Bacon wrapped hot dog on a tortilla was the lady's suggestion.
Of course I had it with everything on it. Onions, peppers, mayo, mustard, cheese.
It was good. Not sure if it was really the best hot dog in all of downtown L.A, but it sure was good. Maybe on a bun next time.