Where the Chefs Eat: Superba Snack Bar's Jason Neroni

Where the Chefs Eat is an ongoing series in which we ask a local chef to give us his or her favorite dining options. This week, Jason Neroni, chef at Superba Snack Bar, tells us his favorite spots to eat these days.

Favorite mall food: “I live in Culver City but I was born in Orange County. When I was younger, like most kids in OC you spend your weekends at the mall. My favorite was a always Hot Dog On A Stick — I still have a soft spot for that place. Now, not having spent much time at the mall in the past 20 years, I was shopping with my son one day and I discovered KyoChon. How amazing. We order the wings and strips rolled in puffed rice with pickled mango sauce. It was love at first bite. I now find myself “finding” a reason to go to the mall.”

When he's back on his old OC stomping grounds: ” I have a lot of family in Orange County, Garden Grove to be exact. So we (the wife and my son) go down fairly often. And when we do we go to Little Saigon, specifically Bolsa Ave. There's a restaurant called Thanh My. It's kinda like a Vietnamese bistro with a 'arge variety. We skip the pho, I know another place I like better. There is a number of different things to order but I LOVE the spring roll sampler. Spring rolls prepared four different ways. They have the standard rice paper with vermicelli, shrimp & pork but they also have steamed ones with beef tendon and fried rolls with pork. Four different dipping sauces: sweet fish sauce, sambal, peanut, and an assertive vinegar sauce. I think it's like 12 bucks.”

For a taste of Queens: “My other go to is Samosa House East on Washington at Overland. So good. I used to live in Jackson Heights in Queens, so I have an affinity for Indian food. We order the sagg, the BBQ”chicken” (it's all vegetarian), smoked cauliflower , naan with raita, and always a mango lassi. And you can never forget the Bhel Puri, apples, chickpeas, garham masala, tamarind & sev puri. Such a great snack with a ton of flavor.”

See also:

Restaurant review: Superba-Califragilistic Snack Bar>