Irie Palace

Imagine my shock,

"Joe, let's go out for Jamaican food!"

We have a Jamaican restaurant?

Well, I knew we did have a Jamaican restaurant. What seems like eons ago, occupying the old Gaslight restaurant on the corner of 60th and North Ave., now is the formidable Mekong Café, was Spice Island Jamaican restaurant. I never had the pleasure of going there, and I don't think many others did, either, as it closed not long after it opened. That Milwaukee was home to any other Jamaican restaurants was new to me, but it shouldn't have been...

Just a few blocks from my Maternal homestead, smack dab in the middle of 76th Street, Appleton Ave., and Capitol Dr., right next door to my favorite Asian Grocery in Milwaukee, Chu Hai, is Irie Palace; incognito, almost invisible in a block of former offices-turned-startups, save for the bright, clean marquee and windows bedecked with palm trees...

Inside, Irie Palace is a taffy-colored delight for the eyes: the walls fluorescing with a potent yellow, fishing nets filled with petrified starfish, structural columns wrapped in brown and crowned with fake palm fronds, paintings and murals of bright tempera abound. I had to smile.

You see, I like it when a business which can't afford really fancy décor makes their best effort in the ways they know how to convey a sense of place. At no point does any of this seem forced or fake, but rather a genuine gesture of authenticity: you can tell that everything in Irie Palace was selected with care: from the paint to the wood lattice around the booths. 

Of course, the dining room was filled with Reggae, but this, too, never got on our nerves: the songs were specific, picked for that time, that place... this was not the "Sounds of Reggae" station on Sirius, this was someone's playlist on their iPod. I like that.

We started things out with a frosty beverage: noting that the menu had under its Soft Drinks heading, "D&G Sodas," I was curious what exactly we had to pick from, but I didn't want to sound like a complete schmuck, so I asked what our server recommended. "Ting," he replied without any extra thought or time. Okay, so Ting it was... Ting all around!

Wait, what the hell is Ting? I had no idea. Did he say "Thing?" Or "Sing?" His light and slightly lilting Jamaican accent made the word just fuzzy enough for me to question what it was we were going to be drinking. But, I put my faith in the fates, and waited expectantly for our Ting. God, what on Earth is Ting?

Ting, as it turns out, is essentially the Jamaican version of Fresca. Served ice-cold, it's a grapefruit soda, but almost a sort of spritzer, as it is at its core sparkling water, grapefruit juice, and sugar. 

It is absolutely, positively delightful. Not overly carbonated, not cloyingly sweet, but refreshing, and just a little bitter with grapefruit flavor. Now I'm hooked on Ting.

The menu at Irie Palace is brief. Like, less than a half a page brief. But, I held out the hope this was an example of "Do one thing, and do it well." There are a number of recognizably classic Jamaican dishes, from Jerk Chicken and Shrimp, to Escovitch fish, Curry Chicken / Goat, and Brown Stew Chicken. We all started with a hearty cup (or, in Andy's case, a large trough) of Jamaican chicken soup:

This soup is out of this world. Days later, as I'm writing this, I instinctively start salivating at the thought. The broth is thick, richly flavored with thyme and allspice, and almost creamy. There are big, tender chunks of potato, carrot, and chicken -- not dry, flavorless breast meat, but hunks of bird with bones still in, making you work a little bit for your dinner. Andy and Lauren got a sort of long, sausagelike dumpling in their soup, I did not (for whatever reason), but I can honestly say I didn't miss it one bit. The soup was pleasantly hot, with the sort of trailing edge of heat that I so enjoy. At no point did I take a spoonful and immediately feel the chili explode on my tongue; the heat was subtle, slow and methodical. 

I can see how it would be easy to make a meal off of the soup alone, and I feel no shame in putting this on the "must-eat" list.

As for the entrées, well, we stayed a little pedestrian, I admit. But since we were testing this waters on this one, and none of us is exactly a Jamaican food expert, I'm okay with that. The rundown is as follows:

Andy got French Fried Chicken:

Lauren ordered Brown Stew Chicken:

While I ordered the Irie Sampler Platter, with two meats (I chose Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken):

All of our dinners came with a side of Fried Plantain and Steamed Cabbage. You can stop your groaning right now, mister...

As well as a bowl of beans and rice:

Let's start with the sides, shall we?

First, I know what you're thinking. The steamed cabbage must be cringeworthy, right?

I have an odd relationship with cabbage. Despite the fact that I know I should probably hate it for its flaccid, mundane texture, its watery, bland flavor, and even purely on reputation, I can't. I love steamed cabbage. I love boiled cabbage. I love fried cabbage. I love sour kraut. I can't get enough of cabbage. Blame that on my Pomeranian roots.

But! Irie Palace's steamed cabbage packs a one-two punch. First, there's the element of texture: slightly firm, with a sort of toothiness that is pleasant without being either mushy or crunchy. Second, there's the element of flavor: salty, savory, herb-y, and infused with that belle of the ball, the Scotch Bonnet chili. You would never know this cabbage is steamed, and even Lauren, an avowed enemy of cabbages everywhere stated, "If I ate cabbage, this is the cabbage I would eat." Such a resounding vote of confidence!

The fried plantain was a fun change of pace for a starch: tart like plantains are, but fried so that the sugars began to caramelize and break down -- it was tangy, slightly sweet, and even a bit crunchy in places.

The beans and rice was nice, if not a bit bland. There was the slightest hint of coconut flavor... perhaps a bit of coconut water in the cooking liquid? This is meant top sop up juice, not to stand alone as a dish unto itself, so blandness is completely forgiven here.

Andy's "French-Fried" Chicken was pleasantly spiced, well seasoned, and had a decent all-around crunch factor. This crunch factor may easily have been the bones that were still in the carcass, though, and this is an important matter to take note of: most (if not all) chicken dishes are bone-in. Learn to chew lightly.

The fried chicken was served with a sweet, allspice tinged dipping sauce, which was the slightly milder analog of the nose-hair scorchingly hot sauce that was served with my Jerk Chicken.

Lauren's Brown Stew Chicken was deep, dark, rich and highly spiced. I immediately thought back to my luncheons with my mother as a young, impressionable foodie at Shah Jee downtown: the gravy was so strong, so intense with spices (but never too spicy), you can't help but love it. Showing Jamaican cuisine's varied influences, Irie's Brown Stew Chicken is a little Indian, a little French, a little indigenous... all delicious.

My half and half Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken was a mixed bag. One one hand, the Jerk Chicken was absolute seasoned to perfection. Hot, but never painful or unpleasant, salty, but not briny, with garlic and allspice and everything I love about jerk seasonings. On the other hand, despite what looked like a huge portion, I was dodging bones and gristle left and right. The meat was a hair overdone, and was a bit too dry. I understand that Jerk Chicken is grilled, and that grilling lends itself to overcooking and dryness very easily, so I know why it was dry, but I wasn't thrilled that it was.

The Curry Chicken, in a complete about-face from the Jerk, was fall-off-the-bone tender, in a bright luminescent curry sauce with veggies. If you're looking for an Indian-style curry, you might as well take a trip over to Tandoor, 'cause Jamaican curry is a whole different animal. The spicing is subtle, almost bland, and while there was no truly offensive flavor to the dish, it wasn't exceptionally flavorful. 


I'm splitting hairs, and I know this. The Jerk Chicken is very tasty indeed, and I would certainly love to order it again (and I wouldn't fear doing so), yet I can't help but wonder if it will be consistently dry, or if this was just a one-time event.

All in all, I have to say, I really did enjoy our visit to Irie Palace, and with the menu as foreign to me as it is, I would relish the opportunity to try some less pedestrian flavors next time we go -- and to be sure, we will be going again. As the sun was setting on our dinner, the warm orange glow filtered through the windows, cut up by the painted palm trees, and splashed across the yellows of the walls, and for a second... just a second, I wasn't in Milwaukee anymore. And isn't that the fun of a good dinner? Even if the chicken is a little dry, isn't it all better escaping the drone of Rust-Belt city life for a while?

Report Card:

Atmosphere: A-

Bright colors, island music, and friendly faces. It's not expensive décor, but it sure brightened my crappy mood when I walked in!

Prices: B

Price-to-portion is good, but for the money I would like to see a slightly higher amount of meat-to-bone. Most dinners are between $10-$15

Service: A-

Quick, friendly, helpful, and un-intrusive. 

The Food: B+

Tasty and different, including a long list of surprises (the Chicken Soup, steamed cabbage, Brown Stew Chicken), a few valiant efforts (the Jerk Chicken), and a bummer (at least in my book) in the curry chicken. All in all, tasty enough for me to recommend it, but mysterious enough for me to want to come back for more. 

The Details:

Irie Palace Jamaican Restaurant

7506 W. Appleton Ave. 

Milwaukee, WI 53216

(414) 461-8203

Ashley's Bar-B-Que: Much Ado About Meat

It's funny, as reactions to the Speed Queen review were certainly polarized: one side, I had folks railing against me for not claiming the shoulder as the second coming of Christ. On the other side, I had the dismissive scoffs of barbecue aficionados who regard Speed Queen as one incremental step above Famous Dave's. I guess you can't please everybody, and in the case of the Speed Queen review, I shouldn't even bother trying to please anybody. Even my own mother.

So, I approached our meal at Ashley's with a bit of caution: with all of the perceived hype surrounding Speed Queen, the last thing I wanted to do was build Ashley's up into a gigantic thunderhead of deliciousness, only to stand corrected by the huddled barbecue masses yearning to chop my head off.

I will not launch into a long soliloquy regarding racial segregation, class differences, and neighborhood issues in Milwaukee, please see previous reviews for that. However, it does merit a mention that Ashley's is not in Fox Point, nor Franklin, nor River Hills: this is a neighborhood fixture serving one of Milwaukee's most impoverished areas, and while certainly not Calcutta, a trip to Ashley's for many of Eating Milwaukee's readers should put things in perspective: poverty, racial segregation, and rough times are still very much part of the fabric of Milwaukee's inner city.

The building itself is a bit homely: what looks as though it may have started life as a garage, or maybe a car lot. It is, however, authentic, and has the look and feel that always tells me the food is more important than the image. A stack on the roof of the squat building was spewing fragrant smoke as we arrived, and I could smell the sweet nectar of fried goodies from within the door.

The lobby itself is very spartan, with a curved counter for ordering, a few plastic chairs, and some very retro video games. One wall is dominated with the menu board, which is fairly straightforward:

The menu is generous, and I can't imagine you'd want for much with as many items as Ashley's offers. The usual suspects are all there, with one sad, glaring omission: no Mac & Cheese!

This is, of course, perfectly fine, as we had downloaded Ashley's menu beforehand, and Lauren had decided to make some at home. Being Eating Milwaukee, we couldn't just do some nuclear-orange Mac & Cheese from a box, and even the usual homemade baked Macaroni w/ Sauce Mornay still didn't quite cut it: we had the Pioneer Woman's Spicy Mac & Cheese.

We had a near-record attendance of six (count 'em, SIX) EM staff members present, and we tried our best to cover the entire menu. And, even though Ashley's very graciously offers delivery for orders over $20, we went in person to check out the digs, and get a feel for the operation. Boy, am I glad we did!

We stopped in on July 3rd, and there was plenty of traffic to be found, even on a traditional barbecue-in-your-own-yard weekend. Lots of folks walking in off the street, lots of cars in and out of the lot. This is the sign of a good meal: it being a holiday weekend, the place was nevertheless jumping.

The lobby itself is a bit claustrophobic, and on that day, was ghastly hot, so I spent a fair bit of time outside on the lot while we were waiting for our food (a wait, which I might add, was negligible, at worst, considering we didn't phone or fax our order in ahead of time). Having a huge Nikon hanging from my neck can be a curse, sometimes a blessing: in this case, it was the latter. I was afforded a few really fun conversations from folks asking if I was a photographer, to which I replied a resounding "Yes," despite the fact that I believe that title is reserved for actual professionals. They'd ask who I worked for, what I was shooting, and why. We talked about the weather, about the food, and about other restaurants in the area we shouldn't miss. It's this kind of social interaction I believe we so often miss in the TGI Friday's and Applebees of the world: not sitting at a bar, boozed up and verbose, or secretly wishing the people at the table behind you wouldn't talk quite so loud. Here we were, complete strangers, on a hot July day, on 15th and Center, exchanging tips on the best Soul Food in Milwaukee.

While waiting, we were lucky enough to meet Ashley's owner, whose genuine kindness and generosity took me aback a bit. I very timidly asked if he'd be so kind as to show us his pit, akin to asking an artist to see their studio, and amazingly, he agreed.

Inside that hallowed chamber of smoke and fire was a menagerie of meats: chicken, ribs, pork shoulder... all proudly and neatly laid out, slowly becoming that delicious concoction we know as barbecue.

Yes, it's down and dirty. No, that's not all grease from the meat: mostly resins from the wood burning to create the smoke. Yes, it's a complete and utter honor that we were allowed to take a camera inside of the kitchen. And I will say, for the record, what I saw of the kitchen was immaculate: clean, well lit, and nary a dirty utensil in sight.

Learning our lesson from our Speed Queen debacle, we checked all of our items thoroughly before we left: the staff of Ashley's had gotten all five of our very complicated orders perfect -- indeed, there was no reason for us to be concerned with accuracy here.

Upon arriving home, the fun really began: doling out the smoky goodness. What follows is a very quick overview of what we ordered:

Here we have a combo dinner with Tips and Outside, along with some deep-fried Okra.

Some ribs and shoulder (underneath the ribs, of course), along with a generous helping of greens and the ubiquitous white bread.

Shoulder and battered mushrooms.

Ribs, outside, and -- get this -- Ashley Fries. French fries absolutely smothered in nacho cheese, Ashley's BBQ sauce, and pork shoulder. If you weren't thinking about preplanning your funeral before, you might want to now...

Everything here, of course, was complimented by Lauren's superb Mac & Cheese.

I will start the description of the food with a simple truth: everyone at the table agreed that Ashley's was better than Speed Queen, in nearly every way.

I noticed right off that my portions were bigger than when I ordered the exact same dinner at Speed Queen. Not only that, but my tips were far meatier, and less gristly. The pork shoulder outside was spot-on, with all of the smokiness you look for in the outer layers of the shoulder (you could see a very distinct pink smoke ring along the outer edge), but with none of the bitter creosote flavor I detected from Speed Queen. The outside had a fantastic crunchy, chewy crust, but still had some wonderfully tender meat just underneath: the combination of textures was really something to behold. Where Speed Queen's outside had been tough, and almost leathery in places, Ashley's had an even mix: some chewy, some tender.

The okra was tasty, if not your standard fare from Anchor Foods. Well, okay, Anchor Foods doesn't actually make breaded okra. But This Company does.

The Ashley Fries were decadent -- insanely decadent. Like, kind of not even sure what the point is -decadent. By the time you actually work your way down to the fries, they're incredibly soggy, but frankly, I think they're there purely as decoration. Some may like the combo, I can't say I was a big fan, but I can see what they were going for. For some reason, the mix of barbecue sauce and nacho cheese just kind of makes me a little green behind the gills -- it's like the mix of cheese sauce and Arby's sauce on an Arby's Beef & Cheddar sandwich... sickly sweet and vinegary meets dairy product. Yelch.

The breaded mushrooms were pretty standard fare -- tasty, but basic. I'm more convinced the barbecue is the real winner at Ashley's: hitting all the points Speed Queen was lacking on, and then some. I was elated to find the smoke flavor was in perfect balance with meatiness, never overpowering, never too little. The sauce-to-meat ratio was different, too: while Speed Queen was at times oversauced, Ashley's seemed to have a perfect harmony of sauce and meat. 

Ashley's sauce is an entirely different animal: a deeper red than orange, stronger, richer, and sweeter in flavor, it had a consistency that I've come to expect of barbecue sauce. Where Speed Queen had a sort of gel consistency, Ashley's flowed, but was still viscous. Imagine the texture of lotion versus the texture of pancake syrup, and you start to understand why I preferred Ashley's.

One of the shockers of the evening was Ashley's greens: rich, rich, rich! Tender, cooked to perfection, and with a deep flavor not so much of smoke, but meatiness, maybe a little garlic, a little onion, and an acid finish that may have been half lemon, half vinegar; still not completely sure. I would, in all honesty, go back to Ashley's strictly for the greens, as I would go back to Speed Queen just for the Red Beans & Rice. Even if you're not a fan of greens, when you go to Ashley's (which you will), get the greens. Say it with me: GET THE GREENS!

Ashley's was one of the best kind of surprises: when you're expecting good food, and are met with not only excellent food, but also warm smiles, and great experience. Taking the food to go isn't always my idea of a great time, but gathered around the table, in a shady backyard only a few blocks from the lake, all of us shoveling pig into our mouths like there's no tomorrow -- reminds me of the summers I love: family and friends, good food, the sun just starting to set. Milwaukee may not have a wealth of barbecue options, but I count Ashley's at the very top of the list as a don't-miss for the true barbecue fan. 

Report Card:

Atmosphere: B-

Frankly, there really should be no score here at all, since there really isn't much to grade on, at least in the traditional sense. But the tiny parking lot, residential setting, and close-knit relationships between the staff and the neighbors reveal there's something to be said for the purely social aspects of a restaurant. In this way, I think Ashley's deserves to at least place. 

Prices: A-

Portion sizes were slightly larger than Speed Queen, but the quality of the food was leaps and bounds. And let's not forget, Ashley's got our complicated order right: the first time.

Service: B+

Our orders were ready relatively quickly, and I certainly didn't mind a few minutes to poke around, talk with folks, and take some pictures. Everyone we met at Ashley's was extremely friendly.

The Food: A-

Honest, tasty, and without any sort of boasting or chest pounding. The ribs and tips were meaty and tender, the outside was deeply flavorful and a textural wonderland, the sides were all enjoyable (particularly the greens!), and the sauce was strong, thick, and slightly less the shade of a highlighter. We'd gladly go again.

The Details:

Ashley's Bar-B-Que

1501 W. Center St. 

Milwaukee, WI 53206

(414) 372-7666

Website with menu and pricing available here. 

Eating San Diego Travelogue Returns!

When I got back from Southern California in late February, I didn't much feel like rehashing the experience. Despite spending some awesome time in LA with one of my good college friends, Scully, the trip was a mixed bag.

But, with the experience behind me, I feel I owe it to everyone I bothered by constantly snapping pictures to at least post some pics and descriptions of the some of the awesome grub I had while I was on the West Coast.

Corvette Diner

2965 Historic Decatur Rd.

San Deigo, California

(619) 542-1476

Website Here

The "Elvis" milkshake -- peanut butter, bananas, and marshmallow fluff.

It's wacky! It's zany! It's 50's themed! It's cliched! But so what, the food was good. This is about as Disneyworld as they get, folks, but lunch was grease-tastic. I normally get nauseous around this kind of restaurant, and the Corvette Diner is no exception. Lots of 50's sock-hop music, wait staff that look like they needed a few black beauties to get through their shifts, and lots of chrome.

The "Rory" burger: bacon, lettuce, and peanut butter. Yeah, it was pretty darn tasty.

The "Garbage Plate" of appetizers, with sliders, O-rings, potato skins, zucchini strips, chips and salsa, with the Corvette Diner signature dipping sauce, which is essentially mayo, yellow mustard, and pickle relish.

Galco's Soda Pop Stop

5702 York Blvd.

Los Angeles, California 90042

Website Here

Not so much a restaurant, but still deserving a mention, since owner John was so kind to us during our visit. 483 varieties of soda at any given time, and that number is steadily increasing.

One of the seemingly endless aisles of pop

I'm not sure if I have any absolute favorites from Galco's, but I will say I loved the Cucumber (especially with some searing-hot Sichuan take out), the Chocolate Egg Cream, and the Cheerwine. What wasn't so tasty? One word: Moxie.

Annie, who originally hailed from Michigan, shared in my disbelief of the gorgeous SoCal weather compared to the negative-windchills I had left behind in Wisconsin.

Galco's was absolutely awesome, and... let us not forget... they also feature a deli, and a healthy selection of very cool, very rare nostalgia candies. Please, do youself a favor... if you ever have about two hours to kill in LA, take a swing over to Galco's. It's like a candy store for adults.

Ocean Beach Pier Café (AKA WOW [Walking On Water] Café)

5091 Niagra Ave.

San Diego, California 92107

(619) 226-2262

It kinda looks dumpy on the outside. That's okay. It looks dumpy inside, too. Pay no attention to the decor. Look out the windows, that's the view you're there for.

I'm not even sure what this restaurant is actually called. Some say WOW café, some say OB Pier Café, some say Niagra Ave. Pier Café. I don't really care what the name is, the food and the view were both incredible. Keeping in mind it was mid-February, I was sweating my tukis off when I sat down for lunch in the very close dining room which, it needs to be mentioned, is suspended some dozens of feet over the roaring Pacific ocean below.

I ordered an obligatory Lobster Taco:

Which was a little messy, and just a smidge light on the lobster meat, but very, very flavorful, and the "Captain's Plate:"

Which included shrimp, fries, a plank of breaded white fish (Halibut, Cod, Pollock... it was the kitchen's choice, apparently), "Chowder on a Bun," and a home-made Chile Relleno called something like a Ocean Beach Boat Anchor, or an Ocean Beach Bomber, or Ocean Beach Sea-faring Death Squad, or something equally intimidating. The Chowder was FANTASTIC, the fish-fry was nice, flaky and tender, the shrimp was a little iodine-y, but otherwise a fantastic lunch.

Sapporo Sushi

5049 Newport Ave.

San Diego, California 92107

(619) 222-6686

I suspect some scenes from Surf Ninjas was filmed in Sapporo. It has the sort of museum-exhibit feel, where you think nothing of the small, ex-Woolworths glass cooler case filled with fish parts, the cloying, almost comical Koto music, and the kimono-clad waitresses running around in small steps, giggling at bad pronounciation, and slinging sushi like they were truck-stop short order cooks.

The sushi was okay.

I really wish I knew the lyrics to Stuck On You

To be honest, I don't even remember what we ordered. I know, by my pictures, that there was some Octopus action, and I'm fairly sure some Spicy Tuna, Mackerel, and Shrimp Tempura. They were all okay, with none of the fish being particularly fresh, although nothing past its prime. If you're in OB, you have a hankering for sushi, it certainly wasn't the worst you could do. But I guess I wasn't jumping up and down with joy as we left...

Gong! Welcome to Sapporo!

Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe Malibu

28128 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, California 90265

(310) 589-4869

Flash-heavy Website Here

This picture makes it look like a shanty-town, but trust me, this is very much Malibu Barbie.

Lunch, in Malibu. Sounds a bit idyllic, doesn't it? Well, it was. Is. Can be, for you, if you decide to go there. Or, if you're Cher (I know you read this!), in which case you already live there. Whatever. 

The Paradise Cove Café is gorgeous, and just an eensy-weensy bit pretentious, which I love, because once in a while, it's fun to abandon the fact that I'm a total blue-collar plebe (fancy-schmancy, semi-useless Liberal Arts degrees aside...), and live like a movie start.

On this particular outing to Malibu, I played the part of the paparazzo, stalking and thwarting Scully's every move. Scully soaked in the Pacific sun, while I snapped away, much to the entertainment of the guests dining around us...

Scully plays coy, but you have to watch her... she's fox-sly.

Scully got a cheeseburger, which I'm told is phenomenal:

But I needed to do something a little less... pedestrian. I opted for the "Sandwich In Soup," which is a Dungeness crab and shrimp "Melt" on sourdough, arranged around a literal TROUGH of clam chowder. Now, the menu says this one is big, but I had no idea exactly how big their portions really were...

The sandwich was cheese-y, crabb-y decadence, the home-made oyster crackers were actually really taste, but the chowder... omg, the chowder.

It was so buttery, so rich I'm not even sure that it was legal. HUGE slices of fresh, sweet clams, only a few small cubes of potato, and an absolutely stellar stock. It's been months, and I still shiver a little bit when I remember that soup. Paradise Cove Café says their clam chowder is "award-winning." No doubt. Book a flight. Get a hotel. And get a bowl of this soup. Now. I'm waiting.

This was one of my favorite memories from the trip... feet in the sand, awesome company with Scully, a stupendous meal, and the view wasn't terrible:

This is another one of those gotta-go-back kind of places. And not terribly expensive, to boot! Pull up a chair, get a frosty cocktail, and enjoy all of those scantily-clad, bronzed and slightly botoxed Malibu natives as they frolic across the beach in front of you...

Birds Café-Bar

5925 Franklin Ave.

Hollywood, California 90028

(323) 465-0175

Website Here

Finally! A theme restaurant I can get behind! It's all-poultry, all the time! THIS makes sense in my lizard brain. 

I actually laugh every time I think about it. A chicken restaurant. You'll never have to wonder what a dish tastes like, because the obvious answer is...

In all seriousness, Scully knew about this place, as it was just down the road from her chic Hollywood Hills penthouse, and within walking distance. We had been stuffed from our lunching activities in Malibu, so this was the perfect way to end a crazed day. I loved the very pretense-free, almost devil-may-care atmosphere, and the wink-and-nod to Hitchcock. Besides, Scully said she had a very nice conversation with Justin Long here not so long ago, so I was thinking, maybe I could run into Peter Krause? I mean, we're allowed to dream, right? 

I had chicken. Scully had chicken. It was all tasty. 

Of course, we ate outside, and there was no natural light. I mean, none. I had no ceiling to bounce my flash off of, and wanted to start flashing like Tom Cruise likes gay rumors, since some of these folks really do have to worry about paparazzi. So, no pics of the food. But an awesome pic of Scully contemplating when our dinners would arrive:

So, that's about all for the Cali trip, a few months late. It certainly had some rocky points, but I wouldn't trade it. And, a big shout out to Scully, who is so famous I can't actually reveal her identity. But bonus points for figuring it out, and sending me the link to her IMDB page... and yes, she does have one!