Pizzeria Sei

Margherita pizza

After recently tasting a margherita pizza at Pizzana's new location in Sherman Oaks and learned that the chef at Pizzeria Sei worked at Pizzana, I was interested in tasting this current food media pizza darling.

The feeling that I got while eating there was it was overhyped and not worth your time going out of your way for as a destination restaurant as I did. I don't live close by and made a special trip for it. This would be a great place if you lived in the Westside.

Very few neopolitan-style pizza places "wow" me.  I always judge pizza by how a place makes a simple margherita pizza. Unfortunately, Pizzeria Sei tasted like any other high quality neopolitan-style pizzeria in LA. We are blessed in LA to have so many options.

I'm very satified staying on my side of the hill with a slice of NY-style pizza from the Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn in Sherman Oaks whenever I crave pizza.

If I want neopolitan-style pizza in the Valley, I am happy to know that I can order from Pizzana's new location in Sherman Oaks, 786 Degrees in Sun Valley, or LBK Pizza in Studio City or drive to De Sano in Hollywood for their Pizzeria "Da Attilio" of Napoli carnevale pizza.

This place is one of the hottest restaurants in LA right now (maybe because of all the food media love) and a glowing review in the New York Times.  It just didn't have the same effect on me.

Kuya Lord

5003 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Pancit Chami with "supplement" of Lechon Kawali

Bibingka

I'm not usually rushing to eat at modern Filipino restaurants such as Kuya Lord, but chef Maynard Llera seems to have captured the attention of the food media exciting them with still "exotic" Filipino cuisine. In its third week of operation, I'm sure the restaurant is still figure things out. 

When I entered the restaurant, I walked in on a photo session with the kitchen team including chef Maynard Llera and chef Ori Menaashe picking up food for "family meal." As you may know, chef Maynard worked with chef Ori during his time at Bestia. 

While looking at the menu, I was searching for something unique (and worth the higher price tag). I'm usually hesitant visiting modern Filipino restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange County as they tend to tone down their flavors to appeal to tastes of non-Filipinos. So would you call this place traditional?  It seems like the chef is cooking regional Filipino cuisine or the food he grew up with through the lens of a chef formerly trained in French and Italian cooking. So maybe expect some finesse in the cooking and presentation compared to a traditional family-style Filipino restaurant or turo-turo joint.

​I've never tasted pancit chami before as its origins is from Quezon province in the Philippines so I don't have any comparison other the pancit I've eaten at home or at traditional Filipino restaurants.  To me the pancit that chef Maynard is making is a bit more wet than your traditional pancit.  I had a brief conversation with chef, and it seems that it's a bit toned down than what you'll find in Quezon where you might find it as pulutan or food eaten with alcohol. He told me that it's usually a bit spicier. I enjoyed the dish despite not being able to compare it with the pancit that I know of. I especially admired the way he prepared his lechon kawali.

While speaking to chef, this restaurant seems to his passion project as he wants to share the food he grew up from Quezon province "the way he would want it prepared."  Chef told me that you can expect to see a rotating menu of dishes so people will be able to try something new with every visit.  The prices are higher here so expect to spend $20+ here which is not much more than what I'm paying for a combo meal at a traditional Filipino turo-turo joint with my last visit costing me about $15.  I understand that most restaurants have been increasing their prices due to the higher cost of ingredients, rent, and labor costs. This is the price you'll pay for eating out these days.

The one thing I don't get is spending $10 on bibingka. It's seems a bit excessive more than pastry you'll find at Tartine or Proof Bakery.  It's presentation is not really aesthically pleasing nor is the taste I was expecting of both style of bibingka I've tasted. If you're not Filipino, you probably won't feel the same or notice the difference. As someone who is finnicky about bibingka and has tasted the very best bibingkas in the Philippines, I will not order their bibingka again.  If you'd like to taste the best bibingka in Los Angeles, you'll have to drive to West Covina at Tony's Barbecue and Bibingkinitan or to Carson at Fiesta and Bibingka.