Who does not like french fries? What's not to love about the perfect salty snack that can be enjoyed anytime!? There are steak fries, shoestring fries, curly fries, crinkle fries and so many other shapes and sizes. Fries can be salted or spiced. They can be served as a side dish or poutin. Fries can be dipped in ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, truffle aioli, vineagar and more. I thought I had seen it all until I enjoyed a french fry smorgasbord that was pure french fry madness. And where was this? At Fry Madness in downtown Los Angeles.
It is fair to assume that Fry Madness is a fast casual restaurant where you might order at the counter and take a seat. But, Fry Madness, a small restaurant with approximately 20 seats, is a full-service restaurant. Take a seat and the server will give a menu and then take your orders. The only catch is that every single thing on the menu is french fries!
If there is one cuisine that is synonymous with California, it is Mexican food. But, one thing you usually don't hear is healthy Mexican food. That is, until you eat at Tocaya Organica.
I have been passing different Tocaya Organica locations a lot lately. I see them everywhere, which makes sense as they have grown to twelve locations across Los Angeles and into San Diego and Arizona since starting in Venice in 2016. I finally ventured inside the Santa Monica location and was greeted by the welcoming signature fresh, bright, modern decor with teal and gold touches and lots of greenery on the walls and hanging from the ceiling.
Tocaya Organica is a fast-casual concept serving up "modern organic Mexican" food. The menu features locally sourced produce as part of their commitment to serve natural and sustainable ingredients. All meats and fish served are fresh and 100% free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics. Using the highest quality ingredients, Tocaya Organica serves flavorful dishes rooted in traditional Mexican recipes, such as tacos and burritos. And, no matter your dietary restrictions, Tocaya Organica has something for you as many of the dishes are vegan, vegetarian and/or gluten-free.
With all of the restaurants to chose from in Los Angeles, sometimes it is easy to forget about those that have been around for awhile. So, when I was invited to visit Killer Shrimp in Marina del Rey, I was looking forward to re-visiting it.
Killer Shrimp is a big bowl of shrimp with a spicy broth. It is a recipe that was created by rock musician Lee Michaels more than 30 years ago. His son Kevin, who is the CEO of the company today, was a young surfer at the time and called his dad's special home recipe "killer" shrimp. After testing it around town, they started a pop-up in Venice and then opened up their first spot in Marina del Rey, following by Studio City and later other locations. Growing up in Studio City, I would drive by Killer Shrimp regularly but was afraid to try the spicy "killer shrimp" as I did not handle spicy food well. And, at that time, the menu only included Killer Shrimp, served in the spicy broth with bread or poured over angel hair pasta or steamed white rice.
Here we are a couple decades later, the weather is cold and I have built up a tolerance for medium spice. I headed to the single Killer Shrimp location, looking forward to warming up.
Killer Shrimp is located in Marina del Rey in a huge space with fabulous waterfront views. There is an outdoor patio, a full bar and private event space. And, the menu has grown beyond the Killer Shrimp. As per the name, and the location on the water, the menu is seafood and fish driven with appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees, as well as the original Killer Shrimp menu.