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You are here: Home / My Favorite Things / L.A.-LICIOUS

L.A.-LICIOUS

June 23, 2017

ice cream sandwich milk shop los angeles

We just got back from a trip to L.A and it was a bad news/good news kind of vacation.

First the bad news.

I have two Achilles tears (one on each leg, and trust me, it’s not the kind of twin set you actually want) so my mobility is severely limited right now. I’m not able to drive and even walking with a toe-to-knee boot is difficult and painful.

So that meant for this trip to my mother-in-law’s condo there was no walking in favorite neighborhoods

Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Home Tour

no long shopping trips and certainly none of this, one of my family’s favorite things to do in Southern California.

Play miniature golf.

miniature golf, los angeles, Sherman Oaks

Okay, that’s the worst of it.

The good news, however, is much sunnier.

And more delicious (like this poke and Kettle potato chip snack enjoyed mid-trip).

poke los angeles

My appetite is stronger than ever.

So may I present to you:

THE TOP FIVE THINGS WE ATE IN L.A.

Five. Little Next Door.

My family and I are shameless steak frites hussies, and we’re always on the hunt for a good steak.

In previous trips, we’ve had this one at A.O.C. (oy! those onion rings!)

Hangar Steak, A.O.C. Los Angeles

and this one at Thanksgiving at L’Assiette.

steak at l'assiette los angeles

On this past week’s trip we hit the French bistro Little Next Door in West Hollywood.

steak frites los angeles

We started with incredible salads (Caesar Salad and a Farmer’s Market Salad with butter lettuce, peppers and capers)

salad from

and then moved onto the main deal.

I’m not even going to pretend that I was there for anything other than that Steak Frites.

steak frites los angeles

The steak was velvetty and the fries crispy, perfectly salted and herby– and the bottle of French Burgundy was a superb. This was a home run all the way around.

Four. Plan Check.

Plan CHeck

There are a couple of these in L.A., and they’re known primarily for their excellent cocktails, fried chicken and burgers.

burger with egg plan check la

Now that’s something I can work with.

That cocktail was called Plan Check Penicillin and do you see that little blossom in the glass?

cocktails from plan check la

It’s called a Buzz Button and the waiter told me that once upon a time they were used for their anaesthetic properties.

I took the advised bite into it and sure enough my lips and mouth started to numb up. Thankfully it was short lived, because the combination of top-shelf mezcal, ginger, lemon, agave and fennel made for an outstanding cocktail.

More goodness awaited us.

plan check la

Chicken and Waffles (check out that bacon butter!),

chicken and waffles la

ribs and surprisingly delicious salads (those turmeric pickled eggs were crazy hued and tasty)

salads from plan check la

and of course the requisite burger topped with a runny egg, hot sauce and a Frico.

Plan Check Burger

That was one fun night out.

Three. Shake Shack.

I love this chain; if you recall we dabbled with it in Brooklyn in March

shake shack dumbo nyc

and our return to Shake Shack‘s Hollywood branch was no less scrumptious.

burgers from shake shacks

Right now Shake Shack is my favorite fast food burger: juicy, great tasting beef with crispy edges, the right amount of cheese and a bun that’s pillowy enough not to be a distraction but durable enough to hold it all together. Supposedly owner Danny Meyer exhaustively researched how to make the perfect burger and I have to say that it shows.

I’m a huge fan of their Smoke Stack with those killer marinated hot peppers and bacon.

shake shack, nyc

Shake Shack, come to Portland! You will be much loved here, too.

Two. Lemonade.

Beverly Hills Lemonade

Regular readers know what a huge fan I am of this Southern California chain.

lemonade los angeles

Sure, their eponymously named drinks in rotating flavors are always a draw (like this Classic, Strawberry-Rhubarb and Blood Orange)

lemonade los angeles

but there’s so much more to Lemonade than that.

Like sandwiches and fantastic soups and short ribs and truffled mac and cheese.

brisket and mac and cheese at lemonade, los angeles

They offer so many different things but most of all it’s the salads that always slay me.

Salads at Lemonade, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills

You can order one salad or as many as you’d like and they’ll serve it up to you on a lovely white porcelain platter.

This time we had the Spicy Pineapple Chicken with green beans and coconut

IMG_4127

and a Tuna Poke with avocado and Satsumas.

lemonade los angeles

Wow.

I envy those with a Lemonade near them; if I had an outpost near me I might never cook again.

Maybe I’ll just have to crack open their cookbook and share some of those recipes with you.

Lemonade Cookbook

And then, finally, drum roll, the most memorable thing we ate on our trip.

Ice Cream Sandwiches at The Milk Shop.

milk los angeles

I’d been seeing the pics on Instagram (you can find my feed by searching portlandsampler) and Pinterest, and when Milk kept popping up as an L.A. must-do, I knew we needed to go. Luckily we had an hour to spare before the flight home and we hustled over there.

Man am I glad we did this. On a sunny day, is there anything better than an ice cream sandwich?

Here’s how the place works.

milk shop los angeles

cookies and brownies milk la

You can order ice cream straight up, pick out one of their just-made frozen confections (everything from ice cream bars to macaroon sandwiches and chocolate dipped drumsticks) or you can pick out any cookie there and pair it with an ice cream of your choice for a custom-made cookie.

I nabbed one of the already made Grasshopper Mint Macaroon Sandwiches (mint cookie and ice cream dipped in dark chocolate).

Friends, it was a stunner.

ice cream sandwich milk shop los angeles

Oliver and Charlotte picked out their own concoction.

ice cream sandwich milk shop la

Both kids picked these wonderfully dense triple chocolate cookies, and Charlotte had Cookies and Cream Ice Cream while a Oliver opted for a Red Velvet interior.

Pros that they are, they ate the entire sandwich.

I mean, seriously–just look at these big, fat, juicy honkers.

ice cream sandwich milk los angeles

The ice creams were all terrific but it was the excellence of the cookies that really stood out for me. Not many bakeries are able to produce such an array of outstanding cookies, but Milk nails it.

Having to choose between the cookies (peanut butter chunk! molasses ginger! snickerdoodle! triple chocolate! red velvet and chocolate! and more) was nerve-wracking but rest assured that they all seem to have just enough softness that they act as the ideal ice cream delivery system. Just pick a cookie and a complementary flavored ice cream and you’re golden.

milk ice cream la

And that’s our last trip in a nutshell: Eat. Drive around and look at nice cars.

IMG_4129

Play Scrabble. Relax. Have something tasty to drink and pick up something interesting to nibble on and read.

los angeles wine and kombucha

(Repeat on loop until the ticket agent tells you it’s time for boarding.)

So thanks to Grandma for her generosity, her Scrabble-playing tenacity, and all those wonderful treats, snacks and meals.

Oliver, Charlotte and me in LA

But most of all, Ruth, thanks for loving my babies like I do.

charlotte and grandma

(She’s 93, people.)

As a token of my esteem, I miraculously saved her this as a parting gift — and stuck it in her freezer for later that day.

ice cream sandwich from milk shop

Could there be a better gift?

Filed Under: My Favorite Things, Salads, Vacations

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Comments

  1. Dave K says

    June 23, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    Please bring Milk ice cream sandwiches with you this summer! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 23, 2017 at 11:21 pm

      Ah, if only I could! They were unbelievable!

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Ringquist says

    June 24, 2017 at 2:10 am

    I am also a big fan of Shake Shack, and last year tried this fake shack burger. It was surprisingly accurate!

    https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/05/fake-shack-burger/

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 25, 2017 at 12:05 am

      Hey Rebecca. Wow, what a great tip! I will have to check it out…thanks for sending it along!

      Reply
  3. Chris Tebben says

    June 24, 2017 at 9:08 pm

    Sarah, love this post and have got to make a pilgrimage to The Milk Bar! Also love the photo of you and your mother-in-law. I’ve never seen such a young-looking 98! Clearly good living has agreed with her!

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 25, 2017 at 12:03 am

      Milk is truly amazing and worth the pilgrimage if you’re down there. FYI, there’s Milk Bar (which is Christina Tosi of Momofuku fame) and then there’s the place I went to Milk, or some call it The milk shop. Confusing! Also, MIL is ONLY 93 — but amazing, right? She’s something else! Good to hear from you!

      Reply
  4. Lynn Winslow says

    June 25, 2017 at 2:41 am

    Sarah, you continue to amaze me! The trip sounded fantastic. Your other-in-law looks AMAZING! And honey, those kids are growing up SO fast. I remember holding Oliver when he was a baby! I miss you girlfriend. Stay your wonderful self. Love to you and yours. Lynn

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 25, 2017 at 10:34 pm

      It’s been FOREVER! Thanks so much for chiming in– and let’s talk soon!

      Reply
  5. Hedi says

    June 28, 2017 at 11:59 am

    Another fantastic post, minus the news about your Achilles (ouch!). Thanks for letting me savor your outings vicariously and for allowing me to drool in the privacy of my own home:-)
    Love the last two photos!

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 28, 2017 at 5:37 pm

      Thanks, Hedi– and for sharing your own story via email about what you’re going through. Any advice appreciated. Sending healing thoughts to Concord!

      Reply
  6. Laura Rotbert says

    June 29, 2017 at 4:57 am

    Hi Sarah, Nice post. I enjoyed your LA tips but don’t plan on leaving SF for an LA visit soon. Maybe next NY visit during US Open, I will hit Shake Shack. BTW, just had to say Ruth looks fab at 93 and this weekend we will dine with our 93 yr. old long time friend at Piperade in SF on his BD. What a pleasure! Laura

    PS: there is a Lemonade now open in West Portal. Have walked by but not yet visited. Will do as per your recommendation.

    Reply
    • Sarah Kline says

      June 29, 2017 at 1:26 pm

      Laura, you’re in the Epicenter of good eats so no need to head South! I’m so jealous you have a Lemonade there– be sure to try it and tell me what you think!

      Reply

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