cefiore

Billed as a healthy alternative to your dessert cravings, cefiore (formerly IF Yogurt) is not unlike the more popular Pinkberry. Both serve a tart instead of sweet frozen yogurt, shaved ice, smoothies and fresh from the market fruit toppings. cefiore may not have been around first but it is nearly as good and offers blackberry and raspberry pomegranate as flavor alternatives to regular and green tea (the only two flavors available at PB).

cefiore also boasts a tea bar (though i did not try it) and their shaved ice (called snow ice) is delicious with two layers of sweetened condensed milk and choice of 5 toppings all under a bit of the tart frozen yogurt that is their staple.

Currently with two locations in Honolulu and one in the Japanese Village Plaza Mall in Little Tokyo Los Angeles, they have plans on expanding to Nevada, Georgia, Texas, Malaysia, China and all over Southern California soon (see website for details).

cefiore (formerly IF Yogurt) / 134 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012 / Little Tokyo - Downtown LA / 213.626.0806 / www.cefiore.com

Now open in Hollywood:
cefiore / 6922 Hollywood Blvd. #107, Los Angeles, CA 90028 / 323.465.9097

Revolutionary Soup

Charlottesville, Virginia

Revolutionary Soup is a locally owned, independent restaurant. The website says their goal is to provide Charlottesville with the highest quality, freshly prepared soups, sandwiches, salads and wraps. If the french onion deluxe and shrimp & grits ("best in four states") I tried are any indication (pictured poorly below) they are doing a damn fine job. Fresh, healthy ingredients are the first step in the process and unique, creative recipes are the next. Add to this equation quick, friendly service in a casual atmosphere, and you have some very Revolutionary Soup.

Revolutionary Soup / 108 2nd Street SW / Charlottesville, VA 22902 / 434.296.SOUP (7687) / www.revolutionarysoup.com

the X lounge

Charlottesville, Virginia

Suggested by friends as a viable option for a decent late night bite to eat, I was pleasantly surprised at how truly great the food was at the X lounge. The all glass store front is at once modern and inviting. The menu, cleverly divided into sections by price (Three, Five, Seven, Nine, Eleven, Thirteen and Fifteen), is quite compelling.

My companion and I shard the Macaroni and Cabot Cheddar with White Truffles which was likely one of the best Mac & Cheese dishes I’ve had (and that's saying something coming from LA where every new restaurant seems to be trying their hand at a gourmet mac & cheese). Next my friend ordered the Grilled Ahi Tuna with Avocado Salad, Cherry Tomatoes, Soy Sauce and Wasabi. He seemed quite pleased with his dish, but I was so busy enjoying my Trio of Grilled Mini Burgers: Beef - Tuna Loin - Portabello Mushroom (complete with a semi-homemade ketchup, saffron aioli dipping sauce and olive tapenade) that i couldn't be bothered to try it. The burger trio was so good in fact, my friend ordered it after finishing the ahi dish. ..

the X lounge / 313 2nd Street SE / Charlottesville, VA 22902 / Glass Building / 434.244.8439 / the X lounge

DAIKOKUYA

What makes Daikoku Raumen so special:

Soup -
The soup is made from soy sauce and boiling pork bones for nearly a full day
Pork -
They only use kurobuta (black pork), known for its tenderness and unique flavor
Egg -
Eggs are soaked in a special sauce all through the night before serving


DAIKOKUYA / 327 E. 1st Street / Los Angeles, CA 90012 / Little Tokyo - Downtown LA/ 213.626.1680 / www.daikoku-ten.com