Crystal J's Weblog

by Crystal Johnson

As a restaurant reviewer of comfort food for the Los Angeles Examiner, I find that it is a tall order to review comfort food.  What is comfort food?  Many things to many people which bring them the comforts of home, culture or extended experiences.  I didn’t grow up a BBQ purist so tell me what should good pulled pork taste like or smoked ribs.  I grew up with buttered and salter collard greens with barely any vinegar and without a compliment of hot sauce.  I grew up with fried fish, old bay seasoned shrimp and crabs.  I didn’t eat much bread pudding but I did grow up having it on occasion.  Never did they have any alcohol added for flavor but when I review more often than not bread pudding is drenched in bourbon or brandy and guess what?… I love it!  I didn’t grow up eating flan as my dessert of choice but living in LA and having many Latino friends, it is becoming more of a standard dessert option whether homemade or when I go out.  I know the regions where tamales are wrapped in corn husk and regions where it is prepared with banana leaf. I grew up in New York with Jamaican and Italian influences.  Beef patties, thin crust pizza, curried chicken, powdered zepoli’s and Lasagna are staples.  I went to college in Baltimore, the next door neighbor to Philly so cheesesteaks help my hips expand.  I had a roommate from Guyana at age 20 so I learned how to do jerk chicken and curried chicken.  And oh, the crab cakes.   I spent summers in Virginia as a child  because my grandparents lived down there so I know pig feet, and mac & cheese.  I am African American and we tend to have preference for sweet potato pie rather than pumpkin which  is the choice of many other Americans.   Corner Chinese restaurants are a fixture in NY like Thai restaurants are in LA.  I may be partial but I will go on record that NY has some of the best Chinese food that I have taste in any state.   California and Texas has the best Mexican food.  NY gets bragging rights for best pizza.  Although, I know Chicagoans may have say something to say about that.  What often makes the best comfort food is memories and authenticity.  

When I do reviews please share with me your thoughts, where you are from and how they prepare certain foods from your area or how your family does it.