652: How to Party Like Dan Pelosi

27:58You know, I really do think, I mean, my background is in marketing. My background is in marketing and design. And I was a creative director for years, like leading teams, building other people's brands, creating events, creating everything, experiences. And so I do really come from that background. And so much of that background is in what I do and what I create. And I do feel like I am the creative director of Grossi Pelosi or Dan Pelosi. and I don't think that there's separation because the success of what I do, I hear all the time is that I am just like a person online who's living my life.

28:34And so I share so much. I do think that there is sort of like a boundary or a limit to what I share. I, you know, my visibility, the sort of like people found me at the like literally day one of the pandemic and the pandemic was such a tough time for everyone and the world continues to be sort of a tough place up to this day obviously like there's so much happening and so I try you know I edit out sort of like anything where I'm just like being an asshole which like everyone's capable of being an asshole I try to like express joy and positivity without avoiding what's really happening in the world but just really like you know making my account like a joyful place and I'm not like if I go to a restaurant and I don't like the food I'm not like posting this food sucks you know what I mean I just am like not not posting it so there's just like I just try and keep it like there's you know you log on to the internet or Instagram and you're just bombarded with like all these things that are happening I'm like if I could just like be a joyful place for people.

29:43So like, you know, if I'm having a bad day, I might sort of allude to it. But I kind of just try to be like, okay, like, let's like, laugh, live, laugh, love as much as responsibly possible. Does that make sense? Yeah, no, I think it makes a lot of sense. And I think it seems, at least from my side of the screen, that there is a lot of intentionality in what you're building, how you interact with people. I saw that you launched the kind of Grossy World membership community earlier this summer. What drove that idea and what does it look like to be a member? Oh my gosh. I'm so glad you asked this.

30:21What drove that is it's been a long time coming. I have been long been trying to figure out how to create a space for all of the incredible people that I DM with all the time who, you know, I'm very lucky because it reinforces that I'm doing something that's legible and clear, but I get a lot of the same questions all day long. And I have a lot of the same conversations. And I've long said, I love talking to all these people one-on-one, but I wish the girls could talk to each other and me in the same place. And I've been trying to figure out how to create an online community that I don't see existing anywhere else.

30:59So I created Grossy World, which is a website that I had built. It's not a sub stack. It's not someone else's platform. And it has chat rooms that have so many topics where the girls are all supporting each other, asking questions, talking about a lot of different things, and really sharing a like-minded mentality, which is really great. And then also classified. So if you're like, I'm a grocery girl and I just moved to Chicago, does anyone need a roommate? Or where should I buy a car? You can help each other, right? It's like mom supporting moms. How are we all supporting each other? what's like the Facebook group version of like my life and how can I get my people there?

31:41And then there's also like, how do we get dinner on the table? Not in like a six to eight person, let's throw a party, but just like, how do you feed your people? How do you feed yourself and like the people in your house just like on a Tuesday night? And so I have this like Sunday dinner, which is called the Sunday dinner because like sort of as an Italian American, Sunday dinner was like very like much like the hyped up meal of the week. And it wasn't anything special. It was just like getting your regular food on the table. So I have like a menu that I release every month, which is like a combo of new recipes and existing recipes and just sort of like a similar strategy to what's in the book.

32:16Like what can you make ahead? Like what are swaps and subs? Like how do we make this really easy, but also seasonal and fun. And then I also have an archive of my newsletter. So like you can search my newsletter and my newsletter is a, is a screenshot of my week. So I basically journal my week on Instagram stories because I do a lot of Instagram stories and I drive a lot of questions. This is a long explanation. Like you're going to cut this whole thing. But that's pretty much it. And then my boyfriend also has a little corner called Gus's Corner. But like there's a lot there. I mean, there's a lot going on, you know.

32:52Yeah, there's a lot happening. People are leaving social media. I'm trying to create a space where we can all hang that feels good. And I'm doing it. And we're going to see. It's like there's no right, you know, I'm just kind of learning and growing and figuring it out. So, yeah, people are in there. I think like I've been watching a lot of not a lot, but I've been seeing some like membership communities, online spaces being formed. And I just find it really interesting because I think it is as what you're saying, people that maybe don't feel good with social media as it currently stands, but also see the value in being connected to people online, sometimes people that you don't have kind of locational proximity to.

33:32So I was just kind of personally curious with the rundown of all of it. And I guess, you know, you're talking about grossy girls as like members of the community. Like, what do you think the unifying traits or interests are with these people? Besides loving you and your content? Well, I mean, I think like, you know, loving me, like, sure, like everyone's very lovely. But I think they're like, they're the girls who are, who are, you know, it's a lot of moms. It's a lot of caretakers. It's a lot of nurturers. It's a lot of people who are either close with family members and celebrate family and community.

34:10Or frankly, I get a lot of people who don't have family and community who yearn for it and they're able to find it in within my community. Right. So it's like, people are like, I just, you know, it's hard to make friends as an adult. And so I've watched over the, you know, the past couple book tours or cookie parties that I've thrown like friendships form in line for my events. And people are like, oh my God, I met this person at your Chicago book talk. And it's like, wow, like, okay, this is really cool. So it's a way I think community right now for everyone is just really important. And I think if you know that by following Grossi, there's a level of security or safety there for you because you kind of know what that looks like and what kind of person follows me, then that is a great entry point to create community.

35:01Does that make sense? Yeah, it does. And I think this idea about caretakers or people that are looking to care and be cared for, like that really does resonate as a through line for me. Even looking through your book, you have photos of your 101-year-old grandpa like chowing down. 104 he's 104 yeah he's 104 and he we brought him onto set and he refuses hair and makeup and he like literally is just like so funny he picked up that fucking pie and just started eating it with his hands and we were all just like this is the best thing ever you know does he like accredit anything to his long life um he loves and again i know this is it all just like lines up, but I promise you, like, this is just it.

35:47Like, he just loves to sit around and eat and tell jokes. Like, that man loves, his jokes range from very PG to, like, extremely problematic. And he's 104, so you just kind of let him say what he needs to. But he is just a good time guy, you know? And he enjoys his people, he enjoys his food. His basement kitchen is where I learned how to cook like he has turned out you know I'd call him when I was like in college and I'd be like bimp what are you doing today he's like oh I made 100 meatballs threw him in the freezer you know what I mean like he's just like that's just what he does and it's so good and my grandmother was the same and she passed away a while back and he's just funny and loves people and loves to cook and loves the grocery store and just like is a sweetie so well I love to hear it it means that we all have hope to be a 104 year old legend like that one day.

36:41Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's, it's wild. I just want to, I want to ask him like so many questions, but I try to like keep it, you know, positive. It's like, I'm like, what's really going on? 104 years. I joke in the book, or maybe it's not a joke, but I'm like, I say he's got like a hundred years worth of gossip, which is why he's the perfect guest at Girls Night In which is like where the chocolate green pie is because he does have, the man has stories. Like, you know what I mean? He's always like, oh yeah, that was Jimmy with a limp. And you're like, Jimmy with a limp, like what's that?

37:17Like, who's that? You know, it's like, he just, it's so funny. I love that. I always say like my favorite kind of gossip doesn't involve anyone that I know, but is really juicy. So he sounds like a good person for that. He would, you would be in heaven And he has kept many people at tables for so, so long. When my grandmother passed away, it was a really tough time. My mom had just left my dad. My dad was a mess. I was about to leave to move across country. And my grandmother passed away. And we all came to my house that I grew up in. Bippy sat at the table, the dining room table, for like three days while everyone came and visited and brought meat trays and lasagnas.

37:58And he spent the entire time just like talking and entertaining people and making sure that everyone was laughing and happy and feeling okay and telling family stories. And just it was the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed. And that to me is like just the epitome of like what he does and his magic. So, yeah, that's really beautiful. You spoke a little bit about the friendships that have formed on previous book tours. I'm curious if you have anything planned for the Let's Party book tour that you would want to share. Yeah. So I really, well, I'm really excited because like I moved up to this house upstate two years ago in my favorite area and my favorite farmer's market, which I love.

38:40It's like my Saturday morning routine. I have a guide to sort of how I shop the farmer's market in the book, which is great. but um over labor day weekend we're actually doing a pre-pub day book event where we're doing a book signing at the market which is so fun so you get the book before it comes out i'll sign it and then you can just like shop the market and enjoy my town and i'm just really excited about it and then all the other events are with um local bookstores and cities and we're having like in conversation um my last tour i only did a few conversations and most of them were just like traditional Like everyone waits in line and I signed a book, which everyone was so lovely and happy to do.

39:19It was so great. But this time I just really have so much to say. Clearly you can see I can't stop talking, but I wanted to have those conversations. Cause again, it's like intimacy. People get to ask me questions. They get to learn things that they may not know about me. So I'm really excited to do that. And I have some really great conversation partners. So it's just going to be really fun. I love that. I'm sure it'll be great. Hi there. It's Matt, co-host of the show. We are currently running a This Is Taste listener survey, and we'd love to hear from you. Do you have a guest request? A restaurant you wish we'd visit to talk about on Three Things?

39:56What about a lesser-known cookbook author who deserves a spot in our studio chair? You can let us know by clicking the link in our show notes to complete the survey. It will only take a couple minutes, I swear, and will help us continue to make the best show possible. That's the This Is Taste listener survey, link in our show notes. From February 20th to March 7th, dive into Canada's biggest culinary festival, Montreal en Lumière, an exclusive partnership with the McCord Stewart Museum and its exhibition, On the Menu Montreal, a restaurant story. The 2026 festival invites food lovers on a flavorful journey through time.

40:37Montreal's top restaurateurs will reimagine 65 years of the city's iconic astronomy, crafting inventive, nostalgia-inspired dishes with a modern twist. Prepare your palate. World-renowned chefs, including several Michelin-starred talents, will team up with over 80 of Montreal's finest local chefs to create unforgettable, one-of-a-kind menus. The full program is available at MontrealOnLumiere.com, presented by Lotto Quebec in collaboration with National Bank. And to close today, I want to play rapid fire question game with you. So I'm going to ask you some questions. You can just tell me your first answer.

41:13Yes. Your favorite cookbook right now that isn't one of your own. I got Samin Nosrat's new book a month ago, and I'm like obsessed with it. It's called Good Things. It's just so the ethos is just so aligned with the way that I cook. And it's so beautiful. And so I think it comes out in October. but it's so amazing. The best store-bought party staple? The best store-bought party staple. Honestly, like, not to get, like, loaves and fishes on us, but, like, having an extra loafer to a bread, like, for, like, to fill people up if you're, like, worried about, like, like, is there enough food on the table?

41:54Like, everyone loves a bread basket, so just, like, buy some bread, have it on hand. You may not need it. I think that's good. Or, grocery store, flowers for the table. You can like, I talked about how to take a bouquet and break it up and all that. So yeah. Your favorite way to eat tomatoes right now? Okay. So it's like peak tomato, sun gold. There's a sunshine pasta in the book, which is like sort of just the best. Oh my God. It's so easy. It's a no cook pasta. You like obviously cook the pasta, but then for the tomatoes, you like cut them in half, you salt them, you put them in the sun, you let them sweat you put them in you know and they create the most juicy delicious sauce there's some thyme and some parmesan in there and you just toss it all with the tomatoes and you serve it cold warm hot however you want but it just embraces like peak peak gorgeous sweet tiny sun gold or any other tiny tomato it's really good so good your go-to ice cream flavor oh this changes every day i mean like if there is a peanut butter vanilla situation i'll probably have to get a scoop of that but i also really love cookies and cream and mint chip those are all so good honestly they are really good really really good your biggest party host pet peeve don't like sort of bring something that is go that like is going to make me have to do work with it right like i all my parties i'm like you're good like i don't need food i'll handle the food so like if i say that don't bring food because then i'm going to feel like i have to put it out and that doesn't like help it throws off my vibe it throws off my planning um so i think it's really like you know listen listen to the host like if they say like i'm all good just bring yourself like bring yourself you know like people know what they need and they they hopefully ask for it so but like if you bring something that's gonna like make me feel like i have to like cook it unwrap it plate it serve it like that's unless you've been asked for it just i don't think it's right to do that.

44:09Also, don't show up too late. I'm not like a come over at seven, we're going to eat at 930 person. I'm like, come over at seven, we're probably going to eat at 715.

44:24But that's just me. I think those are all fair. Your favorite like occasion restaurant in New York? Oh man, I wish I had like a more interesting or unpredictable answer, but like, it's just always going to be via Corona because I have so many good memories there and it's just always where I've gone to celebrate things. And so it's like, I think I'm just going to keep doing that or a steakhouse. I mean, I talk in the book about like Keen's is really delicious. Um, you know, I love, I love to just like buy a delicious steak and have some cream spinach and oh man. So yeah. if you could be a guest at anyone's dinner party, who would it be?

45:07Oh, I'm also just going to be so predictable and be that gay guy. But like, I just really need to get into Ina's house. Like I just do. Like, I'm sorry. I mean, I'm manifesting it for you. I think it could happen. You know, like there's been like, you know, people were like circling, but I don't know. I think Ina has done it right where she's like, I'm good. Like, I don't need anyone. I was like, I'm fine. Like I know probably doesn't have a person whose house they want to go to for dinner. Like I'm just feel she feels content. So I don't know if I need me as much as I need her. OK,

45:44final question. A fictional food scene like from a book or movie or something made up that you wish you could magically eat in real life. OK, this is my favorite question because psychotically or maybe really sweetly. My mother, when I was a kid, I was like an indoor kid. I was obsessed with like watching TV. I was obsessed with cooking. I had some movies where like I loved the food scene and my mom would cook the food so that I could eat it along with the people in the movie while I watched. Which is like probably tells you a lot about the person that I am. And there was this movie called, I want to say it was called like Summer Camp or something.

46:20But it was about like, I wish I could remember the name of it. I tried to Google it. But it was like these people who were like adults who went back to their summer camp that they would go to as kids. and it was like a reunion. And it was like so magical and they were like all very attractive and you know, and like they went back and all these crazy things ensued and they like, I think got like drunk or high and like broke into like the commissary kitchen in the middle of the night and they started eating like frozen cookie dough and like ice cream and just like raiding the fridge. And I just remember like watching that and thinking it was like the most fun ever.

46:52Meanwhile, I probably have never done that as an adult because I'm always in bed way too early and sleep straight through the night. but um my mom would like bring me like cookies or like ice cream so i could like be like eating with them so i guess so i guess it's that maybe i've already done it that's really cute okay i did like a quick google while you're chatting is it by any chance indian summer indian summer oh my gosh you're so better at google than i am okay the search i put in was summer camp reunion movie 90s. I think I also googled that, but it didn't happen. It was like, it was a lot of like, salute your shorts, which is in a movie.

47:32But anyways, Indian Summer, I haven't watched it in years, but maybe we need to watch. Yeah, I love that your mom went to the length to do that for you. That really is so sweet. And I think like a new standard that's been set. She really did. My parents were so lovely. And I'm so lucky. They just like really embrace my interests. They weren't like, do something else. They were like, okay, this makes you happy. Let's do it. You know, very lucky. I love that. And I feel like that is kind of the grossy Pelosi ethos. So it's a perfect way to end the episode today. You're so sweet. Thank you so much for having me on.

48:08You're such a delight and I love being here. Yeah. It's been so much fun talking with you. I hope you have a great rest of your day. You too. Eliza, we've both spent a lot of time in California recently. Yes, we were in LA at the same time, but we didn't hang out. But that means we have more restaurants to talk about together. You were seeing family. I was doing some interviews for the show. And you know what? Respect the distance. It's okay. I think this is honestly more fun in some ways because now we can regroup and compare notes on what we covered even more ground for you, the listeners of Taste.

48:43How are you feeling in LA? I mean, general thoughts on the city. I always love coming home to LA. I think it's funny because I haven't lived there in, I don't know, probably 15 years at this point. So I always have my old school spots I want to go to, certainly along the list of new places that I want to go to. And then also all of my lovely family that I spend time with. So it's always kind of a puzzle piece to see where do I go eat? What do I have to share? But I had a great trip. Did you have a good time? I had a great time. I think when I'm reading like the national coverage of restaurants, I feel like L.A.

49:15always has the restaurants I want to visit for some reason. And I'm just reading great journalism coming out of LA. So that's one thing. But there's just so many cool concepts and ambitious concepts that maybe New York doesn't quite have and that I just want to go to. So I visited a bunch of places. I have three I'm going to mention. But do you want to start? Yeah. And I just will say, like, I don't mean to, like, pit LA or New York against each other. But I would say after this trip, especially, I found myself rooted in the belief that I think that there is better food in Los Angeles. But I think that there are better restaurants in New York, if that makes sense.

49:50It makes perfect sense. It's really, really well articulated because I think I share that opinion with you. I think I come on the show a lot and say LA is the best food. And it's not as nuanced as you just said. I think that you're totally right. New York City has the country's best restaurants, definitely per capita by intensity and by volume. But LA, just the foodways in LA, the culture there, and just like all the expanse and the variety is just, you can't beat that. Yeah. And I do think the places we'll talk about are great restaurants that are also doing great food. So. Agreed. That's great.

50:21You can do it all. Yeah, totally. My favorite meal that I had from this trip was I went to Cuyallord, which is a restaurant that I've been meaning to go to for a couple years now. It started out as like a garage pop-up that then out of the pandemic eventually got their own brick and mortar restaurant. It's pretty small, maybe 20 seats. And when I walked into it, every seat in the restaurant except for four was for a extended family Sunday night dinner that was happening there. So I basically crashed this family dinner. And I think walking in and seeing that a whole extended Filipino family was there having dinner made me feel very confident that it was going to be a good meal because clearly everybody wanted to post up there together.

51:02And it really was so delicious. I think Filipino food just rocks. rocks like there's so much going on that's delicious and they do these kind of like cuya trays basically where you can do a combination of a protein on the menu and then some of like the starchy sides other things going on i think my favorites that we had were the lusa nacho and pork belly which is just like this beautiful crispy fatty like ruffle of pork and also they're doing a blue prawn in garlic crab sauce that's just kind of like you know sticky and and messy in a really good way. But I don't think you could have a bad meal at Cuyulord.

51:37You are making me want to go first back to LA. But second, I want to go to Knox. And Chef Eric's going to be on the show soon. And I agree with you about Filipino food. I just want to eat it all the time. It's some of the best. It was really great. What was your first LA place? Well, my first LA place, I could go in chronological order, I guess. This is definitely the highlight of many highlights was I finally made Tafan Oyster. So I just said oyster. I feel like I can never nail that word oyster. Oyster. Do you want to say the whole thing again? No, I want to keep the take. Well, I haven't been to Found Oyster.

52:09I know everybody likes it. Well, you know, it was mentioned all the time on the show. And friends of mine have always said it's the place to go in East Hollywood or even all of LA. It's across from the Scientology Center, if that's your vibe. You've got this great scene there. I think Safi's is across the street. So there's a little scene happening in East Hollywood. But about the restaurant, it's as advertised. Chef Ari Kolander is doing incredible work. And I saw it right away. You know, he's from South Carolina. And there's this restaurant called 167 Raw in Charleston that I went to about a decade ago longer.

52:43And it's a counter-only oyster bar. And I'm not saying at all that Ari was inspired by this. This is my observation. But I felt right away that we're at a coastal oyster bar, raw bar. And that's hard to do when you're not by the ocean in the same way as the Atlantic. and I think the food's super delivered on that promise. I mean, first off, I have to talk about the servers. It's the kitchen staff. It's one of those where the kitchen staff is coming out and running food and really, really fun service. A little bit of shit talk about the industry, a little bit of goss. It was, they're splashing my friends with some bubbles here and there and just really great service.

53:22And I was there in the afternoon and it was a really fun place to be for a Friday lunch. And I'm sure at dinner, it's a different scene too. But the actual food was some serious highlights. I really, really liked the Bub and Grandma's bread sided by this like trout roe and anchovies, like this like little bit of one-two there. I thought that was a really smart way to do that service. And also the raw scallop tostada with yuzu kosho and apple. It was a complete idea executed. I thought that that's kind of a raw seafood service I want to see in a restaurant. But I really, I think that this restaurant is going to evolve over the years.

54:03I think there's going to be new changes in the next couple of years. And I just look forward to following it. Yeah, absolutely. What's your next one? Well, I guess in the spirit of restaurants we've wanted to go to in L.A. for a while and finally got to, I got to go to Holbox. Oh, cool. Which I think is widely said to me as the best restaurant in L.A. from people that I know and love, especially who love to eat Mexican food. I had just a really incredible meal there. It does seem to be increasingly popular. There was a line kind of stretching out of the market specifically if you wanted to eat at Holbash.

54:36If you wanted to eat at some of the other great vendors, you could just kind of hop in, which my mom was slightly outraged by because she's never had to wait in the line before. But your mom is not a lines person. She will do it. I think she just was like, there must be a new article or like something has come out because it was, you know, on a weekday pretty early. But the line moved fast. Totally worth it. I think the best thing that I had was this smoked Kenpachi taco. Just like I don't even know how to describe it without saying delicious, which does a disservice to it. But I think the kind of smoked fish in this like blue corn tortilla is just so delicious.

55:12They get all of their tortillas from a place called Komal that just opened their own stand in the same market. And they weren't open when I was there. but I did send some friends there and it seems like they're doing just really delicious, incredible things. And I think like, especially to be on the West coast, like eating great seafood, great Mexican food. It was really special. Well, we have Hilberto the chef on our show soon. So I love that conversation. And also, um, the evolution of that space over the past decade has been incredible to follow. So I'm sure that you had a great meal there.

55:44I'm excited to listen to the episode and hear about how they make it all happen. Cause they're doing a lot and not a very big kitchen. Exactly. It's incredible. It's like a magic trick every time you go there. And he's doing tasting menus as well for dinnertime. And really, he's been in that market for like 20 years, you know, running various businesses. And it's so fun to go down to that market and go to the other stalls too. Yeah, absolutely. What's your next LA spot? Well, my next two LA spots are in Santa Monica proper, which, you know, I never really get to go to and that's your backyard.

56:15So I don't know why I don't go there. I think I have an Eastside bias perhaps or a K-Town bias. LA, I could go to any neighborhood. I really enjoy driving around. But the first place in Santa Monica I went to was Muse, which to me was a really intriguing idea. Admittedly was sent a press release from a really kind person working on their team and I was super unaware of it. And it has a great story. It's on West Channel Road, which is just below the Palisades, really affected by the wildfires. They had to close for several weeks, about six months after opening, and they lost full water and gas.

56:50And they still were able to first serve first responders and second open with literal water tanks outside of their restaurant to do service. This is the restaurant from a really interesting guy who is going to be on the show in the next couple months. His name is Fardad Kayami. He's in his early 20s. He went to USC and he loves food. I mean, it's like you talk to this guy for five minutes and that's all this guy thinks about his food, particularly European Michelin star, really, I would say, polished service style food. And I really like what he's doing here at Muse. I mean, this restaurant is only about a year old And it's starting to really get its sea legs after all this, you know, all this tumult that's in their world.

57:35And I was just happy to be there. A couple of dishes that stood out. There was the saffron risotto with California spot prawns. Amazing. Really, really terrific dish. I really, really enjoyed the pastry too. Vanilla Saint Honoré is from his brother, Nick Dodd. And what they're doing there is really polished dining. And I think given that they're so young and they've gone through so much, I think that I haven't read a big review from them yet, but I think there's probably going to be something coming. It's called Muse. It's in Santa Monica. Yeah, and you had another Santa Monica spot too, right?

58:09Yes, I have a second Santa Monica spot. And it's a spot that is definitely known to many listeners. It's a little restaurant called Rustic Canyon. I have to ask you, growing up there, did you get to go to Rustic Canyon over the years? different chefs. Evan Funke was there for a period and kind of made a name for himself there. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the whole restaurant group, the Rustic Canyon anchors, they have Huckleberry, Milo and Olive. They're all kind of very iconic. Santa Monica, West Side spots. And Evan Funke also was the opening chef at Milo and Olive, which is the pizza place that they were doing before he moved on.

58:44I think, yeah, they do really great kind of classic seasonal all Southern California cooking? I would say the current iteration has a brand new chef de cuisine. His name is Elijah de Leon, and I got to meet him. And Elijah is so talented. I think that when you go to a legendary restaurant like Rustic Canyon, you have a fresh point of view and a fresh chef there. It really can be an interesting dynamic because you have people coming in who have one idea in mind, and then it's like a new chef. So it can be challenging for some, but I think what I experienced was really positive. I have to say a highlight for me was the nectarine salad because we were like right in stone fruit season.

59:26It was a few weeks ago. And I just loved that. There was a grilled, wiser Jimmy Nardello peppers on a pork chop, which I thought was really nice as well. And really, this cuisine is definitely anchored in California produce in a new American way. It's not – I think Rustic's previous chef was maybe doing a little more experimentation in the kitchen. I think they're back to, like, those core New American roots. And I think it was a great time to visit L.A. in August. I mean, it's like the produce was amazing. And I was just excited to be at Rustic Kenyon. Yeah, I love that. I have two more kind of quicker bites that I'll mention.

1:00:03I went to Awan, which is a dairy-free ice cream place. You went too, right? I did. I got to go. What did you think? I really enjoyed it. I think the texture was just kind of luscious, delicious. I got the strawberry and also a hojicha flavor. I was kind of trying to do a strawberry matcha, strawberry hojicha inspired ice cream snack. I think coconut is the base for all of their ice cream. And it certainly does have a coconut flavor, but I didn't mind it. I think it added like a nice level of nuance and just the texture of this ice cream was so good. Agree forward. The texture was what got me right away.

1:00:38It's, I think, improved from dairy-based ice creams. I thought it had a silkiness that it's like, this is a new style of ice cream for me. And I had the strawberry and it was like razor sharp towards that strawberry flavor that you want. Didn't feel like there was additives. It didn't feel like it was too much cream in it. It was like, I am tasting strawberries in icy form. And I loved it so much. Yeah, absolutely. And then another kind of quicker place that I enjoyed was I went to Maru Coffee to their Silver Lake location, which I think if you live in LA or you consume social media about LA, like Mario Coffee is definitely one of the very trendy coffee places to go to.

1:01:15They do this kind of cream float style that I think is really popular in Asian cafes and has made its way over to the West Coast. But it's not something that I really see very much here. I think the only cafe off the top of my head that I've been to that does the cream float is this Vietnamese coffee shop called Larry's Cafe. That's quite good. and I got their iced espresso with this kind of salty cream float. I normally drink my coffee black. Like I'm not a huge cream in my coffee person, but okay, it was really good. First off, I'm proud of you for not being a creamier coffee person because that's just the way to drink coffee.

1:01:49Like let's get real. I guess, but I do like a fun little drink and having this kind of like delicious, like thick foam on top of everything. It was really good. And Maru is opening a location here in New York. I think it's going to be on Bond Street. So I wanted to go to an L.A. location to kind of like reset my memory for comparison purposes. I'll just close with a quick mention. It's kind of the reverse of what you're saying. I got to go to the first kettle location in Los Angeles, a New York-based tea company. I had some great hojicha over ice and just had a variety of teas there. But I have to say the August novelties were there.

1:02:28That's Malcolm Livingston II's plant-based ice cream company. And listeners, if you can get your hands on one of these, it's the most incredible ice cream novelty you're going to have. I love that. And they were doing – he was doing a matcha, which I thought was for matcha ice cream or plant-based ice cream. I haven't had anything better than that. It was so good. That's really cool. I know that, like, the kettle here in Greenpoint does matcha soft serve in the summer. And it really does feel caffeinated when you're enjoying it. Oh, yes. Which I'm a big fan of. Me too. I guess while we're just gossiping about beverages and different cities, in addition to Maru Coffee opening their own store here in New York, the coffee that's being served at E Cavallini, the new Four Horsemen restaurant, is Maru Coffee.

1:03:12Oh, wow. So when I saw that on the menu, I thought I was being smart. I was like, are you guys involved with opening the New York location? And they said, no, they're just friends with the Maru Coffee people. But if you are listening and you want to try Maru Coffee, now they're not doing that cream float, but they have the beans that they're roasting. Oh, I love that. And everything. I think I'll end my LA travels there. Yeah, I think I can't wait to go back. I'm going back in October, actually, for the LA Chef Conference. I'm on a panel there. It's going to be a fun afternoon there. I'm sure you're going to be back, too.

1:03:40Yeah, we love LA. Love LA.

1:03:46This is Taste is hosted and produced by Matt Rodbard and me, Eliza Abarbanel. The show is edited by lead producer Clayton Gumbert and supervised by Pat Stango, Director of Media Production and Development at Penguin Random House Thanks to Shalia Harris and the production team at Penguin Random House Theme music by Steve Rydell Logo and guest illustrations by Ellie Skrzat Visit Taste online at tastecooking.com And make sure to subscribe to our newsletter To keep updated on all cool things in the world of taste