It's hard to find a shack near the beach with fish tacos ''bordering on gourmet,'' but that's exactly what Guy thought of Haggo's Organic Taco near Leucadia, Calif. Owner James Haggard uses ''at least 95 percent'' organic ingredients in all of his dishes and cooks halibut with his own dry rub.
Loulou’s abalone slider is the perfect dish for a self-proclaimed “abalone junkie” like Guy. The bun is grilled, slathered with aioli, topped with the abalone and slaw, then served with a side of fruit slaw. If you are at Loulou’s between November and June, don’t miss out on the Dungeness crab.
Fat Sal’s is everything health-conscious LA is not and deliciously so. Guy gets his hands on a Fat Jerry sandwich stacked with cheese steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon, fried eggs and fries. He also indulges in the Meat Luv’rz pizza roll stuffed with beef, pepperoni and sausages. Jeff and Audrey Dunham were in to taste their 13-pound creation: Big Fat Fatty. This mega sandwich features five burger patties, five fried eggs, ribeye, pastrami and bacon topped with a basket of fries, onion rings, chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks.
Joe and Lorrena Filgas quit their corporate jobs to start Cafe Nooner, a Creole-Mediterranean fusion restaurant. Local, organic ingredients are used here to create tantalizingly fresh dishes. Guy can’t get enough of the Creole-seasoned pulled pork sandwich that is crispy, tender and full of flavor.
Guy swings by Bless My Soul Cafe to sample Creole fusion dishes served up by Mama Janisse. Mama’s signature green Creole sauce adds some kick to various dishes on the menu, including the crawfish and shrimp etouffee. Regulars return to Bless My Soul for the scrumptious eats and Mama’s sassy charm.
Paul’s Live is a New York pizza joint with one little twist — it’s in California. Here, you can find “old-school, authentic, East Coast pie.” Guy’s favorite is the margherita pizza. Deep-dish fans, take note: Paul’s Sicilian pizza is good enough to have changed Guy’s mind about thick crusts.
When a student of former high school teacher Bob Laffranchi asked him how cheese is made, Bob decided to find out. Since then, the self-taught cheese maker has been running Loleta Cheese Factory, which makes 5,000 pounds of cheese daily using local milk. Guy’s favorite? The spicy habanero Jack.
Ferndale Meat Co. is the local butcher shop in Guy’s hometown. The specialty here is the “outstanding” Italian sausage composed of equal portions of beef and pork seasoned with six different spices and red wine. Guy recommends dipping the sausage in applesauce for an extra pop of flavor.
Hotel Ivanhoe is where Guy got his first kitchen job. Tucked away in his hometown of Ferndale, this American-Italian restaurant serves “old-school Italian” fare like chicken cacciatore, which Guy calls “one of the most comforting things you could eat.” The risotto with Italian sausage is also a hit.
The signature sour pork Sisig tacos at Senor Sisig have been a hit with Los Angelinos, Filipino-fusion fans and Guy himself, who called these tacos "salty, spicy goodness." If you want to ramp up the spice, make sure to grab a plate of the Buffalo wings glazed with a savory adobo-chipotle sauce.
Be it the rocking chairs out front or the food, The Front Porch is the funky little neighborhood joint with plenty of charm. Guy swung by this South-meets-San Francisco joint and doled out his share of love for the "killer," "outstanding" and "succulent" Dr. Pepper short ribs and shrimp and grits.
Refuge's pastrami sandwich knows no bounds, and for this upscale Bay Area pub, it rivals East Coast legends, as in "OMG" delicious. Hardcore pastrami fans must try the pastrami burger. After one bite, Guy admitted: "You could be a hardcore New Yorker, but nothing will prepare you for that."
Show Dogs has scratch-made written all over its rock-out menu. Guy's trip included two showstoppers. First, a fried chicken sandwich that's "like a Pink Floyd concert -- classic." As for the headliner? Try the House Merguez, lamb sausage topped with mission-fig chutney and house-made Dijon mustard.
The Wild Plum is dedicated to organic and sustainable cuisine. Everything here, aside from the ketchup and mustard, is made from scratch. A hit item is the porchetta, which features pork loin stuffed with roasted pork shoulder and then wrapped in bacon and served on a bed of hand-fried potatoes.
Tavern on 2 features a gastropub menu that draws influences from Asian and Mexican cuisine. Guy recommends the pig tails, which are fried and covered in a sticky, spicy Asian sauce. For a unique take on surf and turf, try the “incredibly flavorful” Belly & Sucker, composed of pork belly and octopus.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
Let Guy take you on a coast-to-coast tour Friday at 9|8c.