I have a confession to make, I cheated...
....on my diet and it never felt so good! As of last week, my boyfriend and I finished our Whole30, a very strict no grain no dairy no sugar diet consisting of only veggies, meat, fruits and nuts. We needed a jump start to a healthier lifestyle after our trip to Hawaii and having done Whole30 and Paleo before, we decided it'd be a good idea to build better eating habits again. Though I felt amazing during my month of healthy eating exclusively at home, it was absolute torture for the little foodie fiend living inside me. But she finally saw the light of day this week when I went H.A.M. on some of my favorite dishes.
I'll have me one of those! No, this beauty is literally called "One of Those", the lovechild of a croissant & donut filled with yummy pastry cream from Lulu's Bread and Breakfast in Las Vegas, NV. While visiting some family in Sin City, we decided to end our Whole30 by having our fill of sugary goodness over breakfast. I probably have the biggest sweet tooth out of everyone I know, so this baby had to find it's way into my mouth after a month of sugar free torture.
It's a bold statement, but I'll say it, the best chicken & waffles in LA. Gabe and I used to frequent the Hungry Fox diner every single weekend without fail before changing our diet, and this dish was the reason why we kept coming back. Hungry Fox is owned by a Thai family, so think of their food as classic American comfort food with an Asian twist, and their chicken & waffles is no exception. The crispiest fried chicken (battered with Mochiko rice flour and seltzer water), amazing Belgian waffles, and a spicy Thai chili sauce make the perfect combo for my one of my favorite meals. And don't get me started on their jam! Imported from Thailand, they serve up a peach/apricot marmalade, pumpkin spice jam, and my favorite, strawberry & banana jelly (I have a tub of this stuff sitting in my fridge). If you get lost and find yourself in the Valley, don't pass up my favorite little neighborhood diner.
We found ourselves at Chinatown Summer Nights on Saturday for some music, food trucks, and confetti poppers! The Old Chinatown Central Plaza was taken over by KCRW djs, indie bands, and lots of Angelenos for a vibrant night of summertime partying, foh free! The food trucks at the event were a little disappointing, so we found Yang Chow, one of the oldest establishments in Chinatown, and you can tell by their food and service that it's been here this long for a reason. We had the slippery shrimp that's a combination of garlicky, sticky, sweet, tangy, fried deliciousness. Yang Chow was pretty busy for a Saturday night but that shrimp was definitely worth the wait.
Now that I've had my fill of basically fat and sugar in every form imaginable, I'm hoping to get back on that health kick. I'm anxiously waiting for the LA County Fair next month for the most disgustingly delicious fried food of my dreams. Moderation is my worst enemy when it comes to yummy junk food, once I start I cannot put the fork down. Pray for me as I find my way back to the straight and narrow! What are your delicious guilty pleasures? I'd love to know in the comments and thank you so much again for visiting!
Bonus Bruce Lee!! Wattaaa!!
**PS Sorry for the shitty iPhone and yelp photos! I obviously forgot I was a blogger and left my camera at home every time I went out. Photos that aren't mine have been given credit. #newbloggerproblems