Random Food Notes

:: An outpost of the No. 1 fast food chain in the Philippines, Jollibee. has just opened inside the Westfield Shoppingtown Eagle Rock mall.

A sign had been promising the arrival of Jollibee for months, and we'd check on the progress everytime we stopped by the Target store there. With Evan in tow, we hit the Target on Saturday night and discovered that the Jollibee had finally opened.

In the Philippines, Jollibee far outsells U.S. chains like McDonald's; the U.S. version offers a smaller menu, including burgers, spaghetti, chicken and palabok. I prefer the ube shake and peach mango pie.

We failed to buy anything Saturday night, however, as word of the opening had already got out -- and the line snaked down the side of the mall. (People who had never heard of Jollibee were probably wondering what the fuss was about.)

Westfield's Eagle Rock mall appears to be targeting the area's large Filipino population; a Goldilocks bakery (another popular P.I. chain) is about to open there as well.

:: Sorry I failed to mention this earlier, but Pat mentions at Eating LA that Mashti Malones has opened a Glendale location, between Brand and Maryland. She writes: I've probably been going to the one on La Brea and Sunset almost since they opened 22 years ago, but this one is much more pleasant than fighting the grimy parking lot at the original location. Try the rosewater, the pistachio, the mango, the saffron -- everything we tasted was creamy and divine.

I'm cool with Mashti Malones, but the best ice cream in the city is still the lychee flavor at Fosselman's in Alhambra. Good stuff.

:: You know those creepy Proposition 65 signs you see all over town, especially when you park your car in just about any parking structure? You know, the ones that warn you that substances that BOO! are "known to the state to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm" ? Get ready to see them while dining out as well.

Several major restaurant chains have agreed to post signs prominantly that warn of potential mercury exposure from fish, the L.A. Times reports: "The food industry has resisted providing adequate warnings of mercury dangers in their products," (Atty. Gen. Bill) Lockyer said. "This is the first breakthrough that will allow consumers to better understand the risks associated" with mercury in fish, particularly for pregnant women and children.

:: Guilty please of the month: Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Damn, I had forgotten how good that stuff is. We keep having to buy boxes, since I wind up eating two bowls in one sitting. (Target's version of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a tad cheaper, so we've been going that route.) Damn you, cinnamonny sugar goodness!