The Golden Road Pub

I've been hearing all about the Golden Road Pub and seeing it every time we drive through Glendale because of it's bright-blue building just off the freeway in an otherwise bland industrial area.

Yesterday afternoon we had our first chance to try it out.  The Pub is in a bright yellow building with many different seating areas--inside and out.  We opted for the front outdoor patio which has a couple of small tables and lots of long tables for large groups. The Pub was mildly busy but not crowded.  Lots of people were there with their kids playing in an area with ping pong, Foosball, giant Connect Four and a couple of other games.

I really liked the atmosphere of the place even on this very hot day. If you were to go there, order a beer from the bar (and order your food from the bar too) and then just hang around chatting and playing games you'd probably really enjoy it.

On the other hand...if you were planning to eat lunch, not try the beer, and order at your table, you might have the same disappointing experience we had.  Looking around us, the food looked great--juicy burgers, big salads, a giant pretzel with dipping sauce. We were sold.  I ordered the proscuitto and goat cheese sandwich with fig jam, Joey got the burger.  I stuck with water and Joey got the lemonade. We also ordered a big pretzel.

It was over 90 degrees in Glendale that afternoon, the water came without any ice and we never got a refill.
The lemonade was most definitely country time and was also a little bit warm.
Both the burger & sandwich were average at best, the bread was far to thick to enjoy the filling much. The salad I had as my side was good but drenched in dressing and the fries were totally average.  I can't speak for the pretzel because our waiter totally forgot that we ordered one and we never received it--but since it wasn't on the bill either he definitely completely forgot.  Our waiter never came back to our table until I flagged him down for the bill and even then it took some time.  I saw him start coming towards us and then turn away multiple times.

Lesson learned, this place needs a better chef who doesn't rely on heavy breads and light fillings. This mostly vegan menu may be really good and maybe I just got the wrong thing--but if I go again I'm ordering from the bar--where I have to wait for no one to get served.  Go here for the beer and atmosphere and get your food elsewhere.

The Pub at Golden Road Brewing
5410 W San Fernando Road
Los Angeles, CA 90039

La Note

While we were in Berkeley this weekend, we spent a lot of time eating at local restaurants. It was fun to find new places and rely on the reviews of yelpers as we searched for places to eat near our hotel that weren't names we recognized. On Saturday morning, we headed to a late breakfast.  We searched the reviews and landed on La Note.

We were pretty worried that it would be a long wait because breakfast on the weekends is a very popular meal - even for people who aren't on vacation. The restaurant is also pretty close to the college and we worried that for some reason parents would be in town taking their poor college kids to breakfast.  There were also a lot of Ducks milling around town (and breakfast did them good, seriously 59 - 17?).  We parked in a 1 hr spot and bit our nails for the 5 minutes before we were surprisingly seated inside.  The restaurant is loud but comfortable.

Did I mention that this weekend it was cold? I could pick up a breeze each time the door opened but the roving waiters kept me warm with refreshes of coffee every few minutes.

La Note is a French restaurant. I was drawn to several items on the menu - and the size of the chocolate croissants were super tempting but I resisted.  I ordered a ham and cheese omelet that came with potatoes and toast.  My husband ordered the cinnamon brioche french toast with lavender and orange syrup.

The omelet I had was the fluffiest I have ever had. It used Swiss cheese and lots of ham and was incredibly flavorful.  The potatoes came with whole cloves of roasted garlic. The fresh jam on the table made me eat all my toast. The french toast also looked good and even though it didn't come with anything but an orange slice, it was plenty of food.

If there is a lot of hype for this restaurant, it's well warranted. The prices are a little high for breakfast but the food is different than you would get at other restaurants. The use of French ingredients to build well-known dishes is fun and different. Every dish I saw around me looked delicious. The tomatoes that are featured on the menu looked like something that I'd like to try another time.  Next time?

La Note
2377 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704

Izakaya & Bar Fu-ga

On Friday, I was invited to Downtown LA for Jury Duty. I took advantage of LA's finest public transportation to get there and then after a thrilling 5 hours of duty joined my brother in law for lunch.  Gavin took me to the kind of restaurant you wouldn't even notice if you were touring around Los Angeles. On the fringe of Little Tokyo, Fu-ga is hidden down a small stairway in the basement of a large skyscraper.

Upon entering there is a stark difference between the shabby stairs and the beautiful restaurant below. The restaurant is modern and sleek and quite a surprise from the street above. It has a full bar along one edge with a glowing bar top and a collection of tables and booths along the side.

I found the lunch menu a bit confusing to navigate, confused about how the lunch special worked and interested that it isn't possible to get your typical sushi special. I am glad it isn't because too many people claim to love sushi and then stick to the Chef's sampler of yellowtail, salmon and ahi without stepping away to try some new flavors. The menu offers a lunch special that comes with soup, an entree and a sushi roll of choice. They also have a few entrees by themselves and some other sushi combinations.

I ordered the green iced tea which was clearly freshly brewed with a bit of tea texture to it. I also ordered the Chirashi Donburi Sushi which came with a small salad, miso soup and a rainbow of sashimi over a bowl of rice. The dish was beautiful in itself and there was more than just your typical fish adorning the plate. I only wish I knew what I was eating! One tasty bite had the tang of herring and I wondered how I could order it again.

My companion ordered the confusing lunch special with a spicy tuna roll, shrimp & vegetable tempura and the miso soup.  Other things like the Fu-ga Bento box caught my eye as a sampler plate where I could try lots of things and the Dragon & Rainbow roll's which I've had before at other places.

The food was good and the service was fine as well. I liked the hidden atmosphere as though I'd stepped into 1920's speakeasy instead of an underground restaurant.  Nice enough to go with clients, this restaurant is a keeper on my list for next time I'm downtown.

Izakaya & Bar Fu-ga
111 S San Pedro St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Warasawa

Warasawa is a nondescript building on Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica. It really isn't the kind of place most people would just walk into on a whim. The thing is, you should. Warsawa is such a pleasant surprise once inside.  This building is a transformed house and it feels like going into someone's dining room.  Each room has just a few tables making the restaurant almost as private as eating at home.

We dined here on a Wednesday night and it wasn't that crowded at all. The service was good for the whole time and the waitresses were attentive and helpful. All of the wait staff are Polish and even have the accents. I was charmed when one of the waitresses talked about our crepe as a pancake later in the evening because it seemed like what you might call it at home.

We started out sharing the mushroom gnocchi and the beef tartar. I have never had tartar that comes with so many different things-all tasty though. The appetizers were big enough to be an entire meal and all of them sounded interesting and I could easily make a meal out of a few appetizers.

After filling up on the appetizers, I managed to save some room for my lamb dumplings. I loved the lamb nuggets inside the perfectly cooked dumplings. The sauce was a nice touch as well. I liked that all the entrees came with small sides and weren't overwhelming in size like most restaurants. The carrot puree was very good and a nice contrast to the lamb dumplings.

After dinner we probably should've stopped eating but I was interested in the coffee after smelling it brewing when we came in. It was delicious and came with these little cookies on the side. We also shared the lemon crepe and the chocolate cake. Skip the cake and go for the crepe--the textures and flavors were great and it was still a light enough dish to follow the evening of heavy foods.

Warsawa is a very good representation of a Polish food I'm not that familiar with. When I lived in Chicago it was known to have the largest population of Polish people besides Warsaw itself. However, the only Polish food I remember having was perogies. I didn't realize there were so many other options and had no idea what their specialties were. I do have a soft spot for dumplings of any variety though and I'm glad I do because I would like to have some more.

Warsawa

1414 Lincoln Boulevard  Santa Monica, CA 90401

Local 1205

I had a friend in town last week and we traveled across the city looking for fun places to see and look around and shop.  In the middle of one such adventure, I was starving at a weird time and spotted this eatery as we walked down Abbot Kinney in Venice.

I was pretty sure this was my kind of place from the outset. It has a wonderful rustic open look to it with a gourmet grocery just past the coffee bar in the front and a very well stocked deli.  There are mostly large communal tables but we were able to snag a small table on the side.

The prices at Local 1205 are ridiculous. I mean they are seriously stretching the bounds of fancy gourmet sandwiches and smoothies to an all time high.  I know Abbot Kinney is pricey but this was a little crazy.  The sandwiches were in the 13-15 dollar range and the smoothies and juices were just as high at $8-$10!

I wanted something sandwich like but I didn't really know what to order.  Right when I reached the deli counter to place my order the cashier rushed to the bathroom where she waited in line for about 7 minutes.  I almost decided against getting anything.  The guy making sandwiches eventually took my order but I don't really see why he couldn't have done it earlier.

The service for just ordering was poor but then the time it took to get my super easy not even hot sandwich was long as well.  I cringe to think of how long these handmade sandwiches take during prime time lunch.

When I finally did get my sandwich it was the prosciutto caprese and came with a side of coleslaw and some interestingly spicy yet bread and butter flavored pickles.  The sandwich was rather satisfying but it wasn't necessarily amazing enough for me to pay the price for.  I opted for a free water from their spa water jug in the front to save money and also water sounded good.

Because I had to wait around so long to make my order, I didn't really have a chance to look around the shop but I understand the prices on those gourmet goods were also top dollar.  The sandwich guy was nice but man the service is slow.  If you want an expensive lunch or maybe just to browse some fancy dry goods, head over to Abbot Kinney today!

The coffee prices were reasonable and regular so maybe that is the thing to get instead...I'm sorry that the deli wasn't more amazing because Local 1205 sure looked like my kind of place.





Local 1205
1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd,
Venice, CA 90291

(I no longer need to include a map link as blogger has added a location to the bottom of the post linkable to the maps needed!)

Pickles

Part of my family and I found ourselves in Thousand Oaks this weekend on our way to the Conejo Valley Botanical Gardens and needed to have lunch first.  I surveyed the locals and looked up restaurants and sent a list to my mom & uncle. But nobody wanted to choose, so in the end we settled on Pickles because it was on the Ojai side of town and it clearly said on the website it was open on Sunday afternoon--the rest required a phone call--and I don't make phone calls.

Pickles is technically a Jewish deli but it isn't the kind of place that looks like Grandma's kitchen. Instead it is a large diner type space with not much character at all in the one room restaurant.  The menu is massive--at least 8 pages bound together spiral-notebook style.

Even though it was closer to lunch time, I was really interested in getting something breakfasty--even though I wouldn't get any pickles that way.  I noted the French Toast Tower on the menu and asked the waiter about it. He really didn't go into detail except that he said it had fruit on it.  I ordered it.

The French Toast Tower to my surprise was an actual tower!  3 thick slices of french toast held up by banana columns--almost like a sundae.  I loved it!  The toast was tasty and cinnamon swirled and seriously. getting this much fruit at a restaurant is almost unheard of.  Despite the huge whipped cream dollup, I didn't feel like I really ate a super bad-for-me meal due to the fruit stacking.

The other food was good but not amazing. I think this is the kind of family diner you go to because it has something for everybody.  Besides the sweet presentation of my meal, the rest of the meals were totally regular but the portion size was good and the service fast.  If you need something in Thousand Oaks for a crowd of kids or people with different tastes this place is for you.





Pickles
1940 Newbury Rd # 100  
Newbury Park, CA 91320

The Daily Dose

I never find myself in Downtown LA, but this weekend I went there to attend a cooking class in the lofts district (is that a place? We can call it the Industrial district maybe?) where the 10 freeway meets the 5. We arrived at the class an hour and a half early due to a scheduling mistake and had a lot of time to kill.

The first way we spent our time was walking around the neighborhood checking out the plethora of murals on the walls--some skunks, a dinosaur, a train with descriptive smoke. The neighborhood, although strange, was really a neat place for a visit.

On our walk through the neighborhood we spied the famous Church & State restaurant, a pub, a wine store, a hidden community garden and then down a small alley between two brick buildings a tiny cafe.  This cafe is one of those places that if you just had the address you may be driving around for hours trying to pinpoint, but it was the perfect find for our morning.

The first time we stopped by the cafe it was mainly for the use of the bathroom but I also bought a fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. The juice was a pretty bad deal but it was fresh (and therefore sour), but I should have gone for coffee because really that did sound delicious.

Later we returned to the cafe for lunch when our entire party was there.  At the Daily Dose it is rumored that the owner (who was there) makes everything himself.  We heard this news several times from the regulars while we were there. There is very little seating inside, the cafe is absolutely minuscule. Outside, however it has a full alley with tables and chairs, herbs and vines growing up the walls and even a fire pit.

I ordered The Scramble which is described as 3 FFO eggs butter, baguette, jam, heirloom potatoes, house sauce.  It was fantastic! The eggs were cooked just perfectly for my taste mixed with a bit of cheese and scallions scrambled right on top of a piece of baguette. There were a few purple potatoes with a drizzle of house sauce--some kind of spicy chipotle sauce. But the real stand out was the jam on the baguette with butter on it.  The jam is apparently made by the owner, and it was berry with cinnamon or cloves or something in it--an unexpected taste that jumped out at me.  One of my dining companions got the same meal as me but her bread came with apricot jam on it. I like how they mixed it up.

Our other companion had the sandwich which is probably a better deal for the size and amount of food.  Her sandwich was called the Taylor with roasted ham, cheddar, pickles, spicy mustard, sauce verte on a fresh baguette. I understand that it was delicious, particularly the pickles.

I also heard good things about the scones and all the food I saw looked great. The crowd was also the friendly sort--helping us get our plates to the table, chatting across tables and enjoying the scenery on a Saturday morning.  I would love to go back to the Daily Dose but I highly doubt I will because it is in such a strange neighborhood!  If I go to another cooking class though...I will be back there immediately for some of that jam on a buttered baguette.

The Daily Dose
1820 Industrial St Ste 104
Los Angeles, CA 90021
Map

Another Broken Egg Cafe

A few months ago I noticed a new breakfast restaurant in town, Another Broken Egg Cafe had taken over the failed 3rd & Olive restaurant.  I put it on my list to try it and finally today, a super rainy Sunday morning and a cancelled softball game led us to breakfast.

We waited about 10 minutes to be called and were led to a sparse dining room with windows opening into the back wall and the lobby of the office building in which it resides.  The restaurant inside is sparse and not the least bit homey.  It feels like a restaurant in an office building.  It is very cold feeling.

We were seated and offered drinks but no silverware.  A few minutes later we ordered.  Then we waited. And waited. And waited.

Eventually our food came.  We ordered three totally different items--Huevos Rancheros, Baconado Omelet and Bananas Foster French Toast.  The FT only comes with FT, no sides except for an added cost.  The Eggs dishes both came with potatoes and the omelet also added an english muffing (with butter only and no one mentioned jam).  The tables aren't equipped with salt and pepper so you have to request it.

The food was good, but not spectacular.  The Bananas Foster French Toast was gigantic.  The plate was covered in toast, bananas and sauce. It was pretty sweet but also pretty good-although not amazing and not worth ordering a second time.  The Bacon, Avocado & Cheese omelet was $2.50 more than the regular bacon and cheese omelet and the only difference was that it came with some slices of avocado on the top.  Sure they were nice but I was hoping they'd be inside the omelet.  I was hoping the cheese would be inside too--it wasn't.  The cheese was just on top and the saturation of bacon and egg was a little over the top.  I didn't really eat the English muffin because I filled up on the crispy potatoes--which were likely the most excellent thing any of us had.  The huevos rancheros were a crispy tortilla topped with beans, medium-fried eggs and cheese with a little salsa.  This dish also came in a skillet piled with potatoes.  Good but not as good as other restaurants.

We left the restaurant shortly after noon and it was still hoping.  Our meal for three came out to about $40 including entrees and drinks--about $10 per entree.  The amount of food was certainly enough but the service was extremely slow--we were there waiting for our food much longer than wanted.

Between the cold atmosphere, the slowness of the food to come, and the just average food I might go back to Another Broken Egg Cafe but I want to find the thing on the menu that is their specialty--and see if they make that more amazing.

Another Broken Egg Cafe
250 E. OLIVE AVE #110
Burbank, CA 91502
Map

TrueFood Kitchen

Around the same time that the Market opened in the Santa Monica Place, a new restaurant on the first floor also opened--TrueFood Kitchen. It's a little confusing when trying to explain to someone the Market and then also TFK because the concepts are similar but they sit on absolute opposite ends of the mall. The Market's concept is local gourmet shops that offer foods to buy and take home or to eat for a treat. TFK's concept is a sit-down restaurant with fresh local foods that are healthy enough for you to feel good about eating out.

I have been to TFK twice and I loved it each time. Unfortunately, I haven't tried lots of different things--my meal was so delicious the first day that I had to get it again the next.

TrueFood Kitchen has a variety of things on their menu from soups and salads to sandwiches to other fresh specialties. Due to the nature of their fresh and local healthy feel the price tag is kind of high. It's worth it, but this isn't an everyday place with most meals $13+--and some of those too small to count as a full lunch.

The restaurant serves fancy spritzers, bottled vintage-style sodas, tea and water. Don't look for your diet coke fix here. The spritzers are around $4 a piece which is pretty pricey although I noticed that some of them offer refills-but you'll have to qualify which. I tried the Red Moon the first time and was disappointed by how tart it was. I was hoping for a sweeter red orange flavor. The second time I ordered the honey lemonade and it tasted like it is called--lemonade with honey...I'd rather have it without the honey.

For my entree, I ordered the grilled halibut tacos. The meal comes with three palm-sized soft corn tacos stuffed to the brim with large chunks of halibut, cabbage, pickled onions, tomatillo salsa and cojita cheese. Each ingredient tastes as though it were made just for me. The tortillas were the freshest I have ever had. The tacos came with a small bowl of pinto beans topped with a little salsa fresca and some cheese--making these beans stand out from the traditional side order. My friends ordered a variety of other menu items including the turkey burger, the bison burger, the ahi sliders, the ravioli (small for an entree), and the salads (sure you can add fish but it will bring the price up to $20...for a salad...).

I also sampled the chocolate banana tart and as a non-banana lover it was absolutely fantastic! I loved the caramelized banana, the crunchy tart bottom, the light chocolate flavor--even the dollop of whipped cream. However, one tart cannot feed five people..just one person, $7.

I love this restaurant. I think the food is fantastic, I think the service is good, I like the fresh healthy feeling. I don't actually know how healthy the food is except that they tell me so since the calorie listing isn't on the menu like other restaurants around town these days. But the food does feel healthy when eating it and the chefs line the wall in view to show they aren't hiding anything that they cook. I will continue to go back here again and again--but as a special treat, the prices here are not low enough for every day.





TrueFood Kitchen, 1st Floor
Santa Monica Place

Santa Monica, CA 90401
Map

The Curious Palate

I have been doing my do-diligence and trying to dine at all of the new restaurants at the Santa Monica Place Market. My goal is based purely on convenience--my office is a stone's throw away from the market and I want to find new and delicious places to eat and to take my friends that come to dine with me.

This Friday, I decided to try The Curious Palate. I've noticed the intriguing blackboard of daily soups, sandwiches, quiches and entrees but the line is always out the door and around the corner. Finally it was small enough that I could manage the time strain.

I ordered The Brooklyner sandwich and it came with one side--I opted for the barley salad. I was drawn to the sandwich because it had smoked salmon on it. I stopped reading the ingredients list after thing 4...I'd just be surprised.

I took a seat on the outdoor patio overlooking nothing much and busied myself with my phone while I waited for my food to arrive. The sandwich was relatively large between hefty slices of light rye bread. I was disappointed by the number of different ingredients in the sandwich that managed to mask the delicate taste of the salmon. Among the other ingredients were the classic accompaniments--cream cheese, onions, tomato and some more unusual ones--sweet pickles and some kind of red sauce. I think I would've preferred the smoked salmon in a more classic way but I suppose it did appeal to all the senses on the palate per the name.

My lunch was $15--sandwich, side, water. The restaurant also sells fancy teas and coffee, vintage-style sodas and I think even a variety of beer and wine. I'll probably head back there again but go for something with a shorter ingredient list--maybe one of their popular quiches.

Also, one woman stopped off here with her small child. The Curious Palate does not have a children's menu and didn't seem to have any smaller menu items that would really work. This woman ordered the $13 burger for her under-5-year old and it was about the size of the kid's head. Since technically the curious palate is inside the market, if you really want something from there, I recommend heading over to The Bakery and picking up something smaller for your child--the curious palate probably won't mind if you bring something over from nearby or you could get your order to go and sit outside--but the man-sized burger seemed like a waste of money.

The Curious Palate, The Market

3rd Floor

395 Santa Monica Place

Santa Monica, CA 90401
Map

The Market

I have been counting down the days until the Market would open at the Santa Monica Place mall. I had visions of something like a mix of Whole Foods and Bay Cities Deli with a few shops added on. This isn't exactly what the result was--although it's still a neat place to visit. I'd say it's similar to the Farmer's Market at the Grove except with less places to eat.

The market has a couple of sit down eateries, a few more grab/go style places, a place that doesn't sell food at all and then lots of desserts. Despite today being opening day, I was surprised to see that only some of the stands were crowded and others had room to spare.

The market is expensive. It is certainly catering toward the Santa Monica rich yuppy who loves local and fresh foods. This is not a place to go every day but instead to visit for a special snack or sweet.

I walked around the market several times and then visited Aurelie The Cookie Guru, Norcino Salumeria Cheese Bar and L’Artisan du Chocolat. I will review each restaurant separately--but don't wait for my review, stop by the Market yourself to take in all the sights, sounds and smells and sit on the patio while you enjoy your sweets and snacks.





The Market
3rd Floor
395 Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Map

The Misfit

The Misfit just opened up in the beautiful historic clock tower building in Santa Monica on 2nd & Santa Monica Blvd. Even though the restaurant has only been open for a week, they don't have any of those "new restaurant" glitches that I've come to expect from dining out in new places.

The Misfit kept the historic art-deco feel inside the building as well as out. The high vaulted ceilings make the restaurant seem much bigger than it is. Ceiling height bookshelves line the wall behind the bar filled with books and various bottles of alcohol. The red stools accent the bar and the frosted glass makes for different corner's in the restaurant. The whole place reminds me of the similarly architectural wonder of a restaurant--the 410 club in Chicago's Wrigley building.

The staff is very friendly and attentive. I was seated immediately at a slightly hidden corner table. My waitress came by almost instantly for drink orders. And when she returned she still offered just the right amount of time for me to decide on a menu choice before coming back again.

The waiters use an electronic ordering pad so they don't have to re-type your order into the computer which I think helps speed up the entire process. I read only a few pages of my magazine before my food was delivered to my table, still piping hot.

I had the green chili mac & cheese. The pasta is made of brown rice so that it works for a number of dietary concerns and is also a little bit healthier. This was a baked mac & cheese, so the melty cheese combined with the sweet-spicy peppers giving the dish an interesting flavor. The pasta part was a little bit undercooked I thought--but it was still good enough to eat! I liked it but I think I would order something else in the future--if not only to try something new. I also ordered the leek, fennel & tomato vegetable side. The restaurant serves different vegetable sides each day depending on what ingredients are fresh. My vegetable side was sauteed so that all the ingredients were soft. I enjoyed it but felt that both my entrée and the side were a little small for a filling lunch. This restaurant has a small-plates feel at large-plate prices.

This is a good place to go with a medium-sized group--say 4, so that you can try lots of things and fill up with appetizers and sides. The other plus is the full bar. The bar and restaurant isn't filled with TVs like other restaurants seem to always have these days, so it is a good place to go for a drink with people you want to talk to. Perfect for a business lunch, a slightly celebratory dinner, or just a drink after work with friends.

The Misfit

225 Santa Monica Blvd

Santa Monica, CA 90401

Map

La Sandia

La Sandia (small chain, also own nearby restaurant Zengo)

3rd Floor, Santa Monica Place (Broadway and 3rd)

$$

La Sandia is an upscale Mexican restaurant in the newly renovated Santa Monica Place mall. There are two beautiful patios set aside from the food court and relatively private. The menu has all the Mexican favorites with a twist. I ordered the asada tacos with grilled pineapple salsa. The grilled pineapple added a delicious flavor combination really kicking the tacos up a step. My dining guest had the el pastor tacos that came with a very spicy habenero salsa. I was pretty impressed with the food and I would eat there again.

Atmosphere:

Taste:

Variety on Menu:

Hit or Skip: Hit

Azeen's Afghani Restaurant

Some friend and I decided to meet for dinner last night at Azeen's. I've had Afghan food before and I liked it but I didn't remember the specifics and was eager to try it again. Afghan food is kind of like a mix between Middle Eastern (think yogurt, rice, maybe even Persian flavors), and then dumplings (like the delicious steamed potsticker kind). It has strong flavors and uses spice combinations that you don't necessarily think of together. This food is absolutely delicious! It is worth trying.

Azeen's is just off the beaten track in Pasadena. It is a small and quiet restaurant with white tablecloths and attentive and kind staff. We arrived around 7:30 on a Thursday night and a good number of the tables were already filled. I felt like everyone but us was speaking in hushed tones, but nobody complained that we were loud--so maybe it was just me.

The prices are a little bit steep but I lamb is expensive on its own and lots of the dishes contain lamb. However, for the amount of food you get (enough for maybe 2 dinners), it is worth the price.

We tried:
MANTU
Steamed dumplings filled with chopped beef, onions and herbs topped with yogurt and sautéed Mixed vegetables.
-This was delicious! The dumplings were really flavorful but the tangy sauce on top made them really special

Side Salad - This comes with all the entrees. The dressing is yogurt based with either parsly or mint dust. It is otherwise a basic salad but the dressing makes you want more.

AUSHAK
Leek and scallion filled dumplings topped with yogurt and meat sauce, sprinkled with mint.
-I got this for my main course. I liked it but it tasted almost Italian and I was a little bit disappointed that I didn't just order more Mantu, but I wanted to try more things

QUABILI PALLAW
Tender pieces of lamb under a mound of PALLAW (rice), topped with carrot strips and raisins.
-This sounds like something I would never order because I'm not usually a fan of raisins but this was the most delicious dish we had. The rice is cooked with lamb broth, cardamom, cumin and cinnamon. The flavors meld together with the competing textures of lamb, carrots and plump raisins. I just tasted this dish and then instantly wished I had ordered it myself. I can see myself going back there just for this. I craved it this morning for breakfast.

CHALLAW BADENJAN
Stew of eggplant cooked with onions and tomatoes, topped with yogurt.
-This dish was served with a plate mounded with rice. The lamb was particularly tender and flavorful. It was warm and filled with different textures and tang. All the entrees were served with Afghan bread that was helpful for soaking up the sauces and a nice extra filler. I don't know if it had much flavor on its own.

FIRNEE
A light pudding with almonds and pistachios served chilled.
-We all shared dessert although nobody was really hungry enough to eat it. This pudding tasted a lot like flowers...like that lotion that smells so good you want to eat it. It was a nice end to the meal..although I would've been content with more Quabili Pallow





Azeen's Afghani Restaurant
110 E Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
Map

Olive & Thyme

In the middle of winter even if you live in California, it is almost impossible to go to a restaurant and order something that serves a sweet ripe tomato. Oftentimes they are slightly green, crunchy and flavorless. It is awful. All you want is a great tomato and you're stuck in a rut until late summer.

Olive & Thyme have somehow jumped the hurdle of the bad tomato and even in the dead of winter are able to get delicious, ripe and sweet heirloom tomatoes that taste like they are right out of the garden. These tomatoes, the perfectly ripe avocado, and the flavorful thick cut bacon on lightly toasted sourdough made for an outstanding sandwich. I loved how my sandwich was served with those tiny pickles on a cutting board.

My dining companions both got salads off the menu (as opposed to from the case). The Cobb salad had a beautiful layout and a great slightly spicy dressing, the same ripe tomatoes, gourmet blue cheese, perfectly cooked eggs and chicken. The Chinese chicken salad also had a nice flavorful vinaigrette (although after tasting the Italian dressing I wished I had a salad), grilled chicken, a salad mix and carrots with sliced almonds. All the ingredients were fresh and delicious.

While waiting in line, I noticed a jar of cookies on the counter. The cookies were chocolate chip with sea salt and cocoa nibs. I knew I had to have one but didn't order it right away. Instead, while one person saved the table we took turns walking around the restaurant and looking at all the food and pastries for sale. There were a variety of pastries (salted caramel croissant? Tell me more!), cakes and chocolates. Today being valentine's day probably influenced the selection. They also sell bread, cheese and a variety of spices and honey and things.

Olive and Thyme takes up an unassuming store front on Riverside drive that they've turned into a beautiful cafe and store. There are cases of salads (everything from beats and bulgar to potato), the cheese for sale, a marble topped bar to help the overflow of diners, a communal table and small tables around the edge. If you have a big group you will have to split up unless you can score a spot at the communal table. The only thing Olive & Thyme is missing is outdoor seating, but the way the restaurant is situated it is not allowed on the sidewalk. Otherwise, this is a perfect place for a healthy gourmet lunch for a reasonable price with fresh ingredients.

Olive & Thyme

4013 Riverside Dr

Burbank, CA 91505

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Beachcombers

Crystal Cove State Park is a beautiful historical beach with houses for rent. We recently went to the park for lunch at the only restaurant--Beachcombers. Beachcombers also has a location on the beach in Malibu.

The atmosphere at this restaurant can't be beat. It is located right on the beautiful beach just steps from the ocean. There is plenty of space to walk around after or before lunch. I've heard this place gets packed but when we were there on a Thursday in February just before noon, we were seated right away on the patio facing the water. Wait for a patio seat, I'd say the restaurant isn't worth it if you have to sit inside.

The menu has a variety of choices but I don't feel like they made any of them superbly. The breakfast smelled good and I kind of wished we made it for that. If I were you, I'd order the seafood. Of the people in our group, I was the only one that ordered seafood and my lunch was by far the best in the group. I ordered the Ahi Tuna sandwich. I was a little worried about it because I prefer my tuna raw...but this one was cooked perfectly and there was a nice flavor and texture mix with slaw and aoili. The dish came with a side of a different coleslaw and french fries--lots of fries.

We had a birthday girl at our table and when they found out the covertly brought out an ice cream sundae with bananas and caramel. It was a nice treat. This restaurant may actually teeter on the $$$ level because a lunch entree can be as high as $17. The thing is you're still on the beach in this location...but you know it is a state park, you could just bring a picnic and grab a drink at the bar later.

Beachcombers

Crystal Cove State Park

8471 N Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

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Lure

This afternoon I surprised my mom for her birthday lunch at the new restaurant Lure in Camarillo. Lure is an upscale seafood restaurant situated just across the road from the Camarillo Outlets in the old Coco's building. Upon entry of the restaurant, I saw no resemblance to Coco's anywhere. The restaurant was modern with an East coast sea feel. There is a dining room that overlooks the crisp and clean kitchen area and is surrounded by windows, an oyster bar and another room housing a full bar. The bar room is separated from the main dining room so that you can neither see nor hear the TVs from most tables making the dining experience more intimate.

We were seated immediately at a U-booth. Normally I don't love those U-booths because the person on the curve ends up staring at the table across from them awkwardly. In this case though, the tables were spaced in such a way that the table didn't face any other table directly. Big plus!

We were offered drinks and bread immediately. The bread was warm and the butter was soft and was the perfect first impression. We ordered the Blue Point Oysters and Ahi ceviche to start. The ceviche came with restaurant-made tortilla chips that were warm. It was served in a margarita glass with a cabbage slaw filler. The oysters also had a great presentation and were very fresh. They were placed around a spicy red sauce on ice. The horseradish and lettuce rested on empty oyster shells.

We each ordered our own entrees in addition to the appetizer. I had the linguini & clam sauce. It wasn't as delicious as I expected after the amazing appetizers. I think the problem was that it was clam sauce--not a garlic wine sauce which I was expecting (despite the description that clearly stated clam sauce). I wish I had ordered the highly raved about ahi sandwich instead. My dad got the fish and chips. This seemed like it was a good deal for the price. It came with 3 huge pieces of battered fish. My mom ordered the grilled rockfish. The grilled fish relies on the actual fish flavor with just a little assistance of salt and oil. I was surprised by how little fish was actually served. It was countered with a relatively large serving of sweet potato fries (there are many choices of sides). Likely, the amount of fish served is the size one is actually supposed to eat, but it seemed small anyway.

If you are in Camarillo or the surrounding area looking for seafood, I recommend stopping off at Lure. By 1pm the dining room was crowded with locals but I didn't see anyone waiting for a table. I imagine as people discover this new upscale option it will fill up faster, so get in now while you still can!

Lure Fish House

259 W. Ventura Blvd
Camarillo, CA 93010

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Moore's Delicatessen

A new Deli moved into Burbank at the end of 2010. It took the place of Ben's Delicatessen on the corner of Third & Orange in downtown Burbank. We saw the building change before our eyes into a sleek modern gray with black script sign. I knew I had to try it as soon as it opened. I read about it on all the blogs and learned that the couple who opened the place also own a bakery and now were trying something new. Moore's is now serving breakfast and lunch. It seems like every time I go there is a crowd.

I have only had lunch at Moore's but breakfast looked delightful when I saw the half finished plates cluttering the tables of other earlier diners. The deli offers classic sandwiches with a twist of gourmet. To get the twist of gourmet the food takes a long time to come out of the kitchen to the table. If you go with a group I highly recommend waiting for everyone to arrive before ordering or else you will be getting your food sometimes 10-15 minutes before the others.

The first time I went to Moore's I ordered the corned beef sandwich. The flavor was there, the texture was perfect and the bread was fresh. Each sandwich comes with a tiny potato salad side which is a nice change of texture. The sandwiches are big and I could easily be sustained on half but I of course ate the whole thing.

The second time I went to Moore's I ordered the curry chicken salad sandwich with apricot chutney. It sounds weird...but I thought it would probably be delicious...and it was! I am a big fan of curry chicken salad and this sandwich did not disappoint me.

My fellow diners encourage you to skip the pulled pork (a little bit tomatoey with a strange flavor that isn't delicious) and go for the beef dip sandwich instead. Succulent roast beef with a rich au jus on fresh bread.

I will go back to Moore's but only when I have time...this place makes gourmet food slowly and encourages you to sit at your table and chat while you wait.





Moore's Delicatessen
271 E Orange Grove Ave
Burbank, CA 91502
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Mitchell's On Main

Breakfast was a key meal on our trip back East. It was pretty much the only meal we could figure out a time to have with my parents due to our hectic schedules around the wedding I was in. On our last day in CT, before driving around, we decided to have another breakfast date. It was Sunday, and Sunday is THE DAY for a late breakfast in any part of the country.

Expecting crowds, we headed to a local place called Mitchell's. Apparently Mitchell's has two locations near Rocky Hill, but we chose the one in Cromwell. The restaurant was on somewhat of a deserted main street tucked next to a used car shop. Upon stepping inside we learned why nobody was walking up the street--they were already in the restaurant! Despite the crowded restaurant, we were seated after only about 10 minutes of waiting.

There were tons of breakfast specials on a blackboard near the front and Yelp told us that the French Toast Banana Foster was supposed to be delicious. Nobody in our party, however, could think of having that much banana in one meal so we passed it up. I ordered the raspberry stuffed French toast and shared the bacon and potatoes off my mom's full 2x2x4. I thought my French toast could've used a little more sugar.

The service was fast and friendly, the coffee refilled often, and the food pretty good for breakfast. I preferred O'Rourke's in Middletown but we figured that would be a madhouse on Sunday morning so we tried something new. If you're a Cromwell local, I probably saw you there! If you're a local and you haven't stopped in yet, you should take a little morning trip and have some breakfast!

Mitchell's On Main

317 Main Street

Cromwell, CT 06416

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Sarapes Restaurant

It is hard to please two Angeleno's sophisticated Mexican palate. As we traveled across the country, we knew that Mexican restaurants would be few and far between. We prepared ourselves for a week without tacos.

And then, as we drove into Enfield, CT, a border town best known for it's association with USA LEGO Headquarters, we decided we'd try out the local Mexican cuisine. We checked Yelp and surveyed our area and decided on Sarapes.

Sarapes is located in a tiny strip mall right before a bunch of apartment buildings. We missed it on our first drive-by but caught it on our second. It is tucked away in a part of town that is meant more for locals than tourists. We parked in the deserted parking lot and went inside. We were a little late for the lunch-time rush but there was one other patron inside.

The service was quick. Chips and salsa appeared on our table. The salsa was a simple pico de gallo with a lot of lime juice signifying that it was homemade. I ordered the asada burrito and my husband got 3 tacos--two asada, one el pastor.

The tacos and burrito didn't come with any extra salsa of a more saucy variety. However, in the small refrigerator in the dining area we noticed two salsas that we were not offered. If our waiter had come back in the room while we were eating, we may have asked to try them. We missed the salsa flavor that balances the meat. The burrito I had was gigantic which made it's $10 price tag a little more reasonable. I could barely finish half. The meat was well cooked and flavorful. I wish I had been brave enough to go for the el pastor--because it varies so much from place to place, I am never sure I will like it. At this place they double fried it the way they sometimes do so it was slight crispy on the outside with a succulent inner flavor. The tacos were also pretty big--I bet you can't get those really mini tortillas in CT.

If you're local to Enfield (LEGO employees, this means you!), step in and stay awhile, but request the extra sauce with your meal.

Sarapes Restaurant

917 Enfield St

Enfield, CT 06082

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