Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Especially a hot one. Sometimes cereal or a muffin is all I have time for, but those are mere sustenance. They don't make getting out of bed worthwhile. I love breakfast so much, I've cultivated my cooking talents in that direction. I make a mean breakfast burrito, kick-ass chilaquiles and, when I have more time, a frightfully-good frittata. You can keep the pancakes, waffles and French toast. Savory is where it's at.
So it's rare when we actually go out to breakfast in our hometown. Long lines and high costs ($10+ for eggs and $3 for mediocre coffee?) generally keep us at home. Recently though we had the need to be over on the Westside in the AM, so I went on the search for a place that would trump what I could make in my own kitchen. No chains, no fancy brunch, just hearty, interesting food.
I found it at the Hotel Erwin's Barlo Kitchen. What made me choose this unknown establishment over all the others? Well, it was pretty simple – I wanted to try everything on the menu.
Against all odds, not one, but two excellent hotel restaurants have opened in the last few months. First, we had 
I don't know who invented the concept of Happy Hour and I really don't care. I'm sure it isn't necessarily a good thing that it's my favorite time of day, but I just can't think about those two words together without smiling. They conjure up images of meeting friends at the day's end but before the night closes in to share your latest news and perhaps a few troubles over a quick glass of something heady and a few indulgent nibbles. Since I live via my own "Cinderella Theory" – that nothing good happens after Midnight outside the home – I like to start when the night is young and trouble isn't even a glimpse on the horizon. It's also the time when most restaurants are fairly empty and the music is low enough you can actually hear your companions. Plus, you get your drinks and food at half price. A win-win-win.
Since
our very first visit to Pizzeria Mozza (Christmas Eve 2006), Peter and
I have continuously wished for two things: That Mozza would offer a
Pizza-to-go / Delivery service, and that Nancy Silverton would make a
pizza with chicken liver, guanciale and burrata. If you love Mozza’s
Chicken Liver Bruschetta, then you’d understand how amazing this dream
pie 
So, I was like, driveen in the valley ‘n’ stuff? And I like drove
past a shop that said Artisan Cheese Gallery, ‘n’ stuff? And I was like
“wait, did I just, um, this is like the valley, ok? And I think I jist
saw sometheen with the word ‘artisan’ on Ventura Blvd.”. No way,
right? So, I go “maybe I’ll jist turn around and check it out, right?”
So, alls I wanted to do was see if I dint eemagine it? 