Single Serving Pies from Cutie Pie That!

Have you ever passed up on buying a pie because you didn't think you could finish the whole thing? Cutie Pie That! in Pasadena specializes in single-serving pies and "lollipies" (a lollipop-heart-shaped pie), solving that problem.

The lollipie ($2) was my favorite thing I tried. There wasn't really any "filling" in the one I got but I liked the sugar dusted crust.

They also have a Maple Bacon Apple Pie ($6 for 4" pie) for all you bacon lovers. You definitely get some saltiness/savoriness, although I personally could use more bacon in it! I'd like to try their "Wondrous Winter Apple Pie" and see how they do the staple.

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Junoon, a Michelin-starred Indian? (New York)

An Indian restaurant with a Michelin star? I couldn't really imagine it with the Indian places in LA, but I'm sure London would have plenty great restaurants and it seems like NYC is trying to catch up with Chef Vikas Khanna's Junoon.

Lunch was a great opportunity to dip our feet into Junoon, with their $24 deal for 3 course prix-fixe (limited menu) or $38 for 3 course a la carte prix-fixe (can order from the entire menu). The spacious and lavish decor is certainly Michelin-star worthy.

I was curious about the dishes on the regular menu, so I had the a la carte prix fixe while my companions ordered the $24 deal. For the appetizer, I went with the Adraki Bater (quail marinated in cumin, ginger juice, and lime juice)

These tandoori quail may be my favorite dish that we tried. It was both interesting and very flavorful and moist.

DestinationEats ordered the Piri Piri Shrimp in a Goan chili sauce with avocado and jicama salad

Not as spicy as Indian food can be but packed with spices nonetheless, and the shrimp were well cooked.

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8 Flavors of Xiao Long Bao at Paradise Dynasty (Indonesia)

A restaurant chain in Asia is taking Xiao Long Bao (XLB) to another level with eight different flavors of XLB. At Paradise Dynasty, which has locations in Singapore and Indonesia, you can get XLB with black truffles, foie gras, cheese, ginseng, garlic, crab roe, and szechuan flavor (and of course, there's the original).

The XLBs were about the same price as Din Tai Fung, but if you order the sampler (a basket of all 8 flavors, they can get pretty expensive). If you know what you want to try or have a lot of people to share with, I'd suggest getting a basket of individual flavors.

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