Cahuenga General Store

Joey & Jenny have long been members of a Wednesday lunch group.  I just joined the ranks recently but I understand they are always looking for somewhere new to eat.  This week, Jenny suggested a new place called Cahuenga General Store which is in North Hollywood but just 3 miles from where everyone works making it feasible for lunch.

Joey & I arrived at the restaurant slightly after Jenny & Vicky after a hard search for parking in the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, between them and us was the entire fire department.  The restaurant hit a slow down before we even ordered.

It took almost 30 minutes for Joey & I to get our food and our friends were finished already by that time.  The restaurant knew they were behind and we heard them telling people on the phone or that had just come in they were about 30 minutes behind.  We waited and waited and finally our sandwiches were ready.

We both ordered the fresh organic homemade lemonade which was tasty but a little price at $2.75. At least the drinks were big and in to go cups. The other sodas came in a can.

I had the Oscar Wilder sandwich was a chicken curry salad sandwich with cashews.  I liked the sandwich but the pieces of whole cashews were a little hard to bite in a sandwich, I would've preferred them to be crushed or mixed right into the salad.  The sandwich was a good size and came with a small salad of carrots, cucumbers and celery mixed with Italian seasoning.  It is always nice to have a small side no matter what it is to change the taste.

Joey had the breakfast sandwich that came on a croissant even though the girl at the counter suggested it came on a bagel or sourdough.  The eggs were scrambled and warm but the rest of the sandwich was cold which imparted a strange sensation to the taster.

Jenny had a roast beef sandwich that looked good and our other friend had the strawberry shortcake. The shortcake was store-bought pound cake layered with whipped cream and strawberries. It was reportedly good anyway.  I also tasted the chocolate chip cookie which was just okay, maybe a little bit stale or something.

I liked Cahenga General Store, the sandwiches were simple but came in endless combinations. Despite the slow service, I would go back there. I think it is the kind of place you want to try to get to at 11:45 AM right before the lunch time rush so you get in at the ground floor so to speak.

Cahuenga General Store
5510 Cahuenga Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Otis Jackson's Soul Dogs

 Going to lunch with the family on a weekend is nothing short of a production. Everyone wants something different and is interested in trying something new but only if it will be good for everyone. Today we started our journey to EAT in NoHo, but it looked packed and decided since it was already 1pm it was better to go somewhere without a line.

Our second choice on our list was Otis Jackson's Soul Dogs.  The place gets 4 1/2 stars on yelp so it couldn't be terrible.  It's on Lankershim and the corner of Magnolia so it's right down the street from EAT.

We parked a little bit further away than our companions and so they were already ordering by the time we got to the restaurant.  At most places, ordering at different times wouldn't be a huge deal but at this place it kind of was.  The service was a little slow to begin with, you order at the counter and then someone starts working on your meal. All the food is prepared in a viewing area but it's not as quick as expected, especially with many things already pre-made.

The menu is a mixture of fully loaded hotdogs in a variety of combinations and fried chicken. On Sundays (like today) they also offer a few Chicken & Waffle combinations.

It took a long time for the line to move along and they were also fielding phone orders.  The staff was really nice but they just weren't fast with their order filling. The space where they prepare the meals is small probably allowing only 3-4 employees in the space so that won't help speed up.

All of my companions ordered a hot dog & fries - they got-- the bacon dog, the slaw dog, the snap dog & the chili cheese dog.  The hot dogs came loaded with the toppings and are a lot faster out than the other items but they are still a bit slow with that too.  Everyone enjoyed their hot dogs and were inclined to come back and try a new flavor next time.  The sweet potato fries looked amazing and were good but when compared to the regular french fries they took the backseat.  The regular fries are crispy and salty and just-right golden.

I didn't order a hot dog, instead I had my heart set on trying this crazy combination of chicken & waffles. I always thought the combination sounded crazy and excessive, but who I am to judge without first trying?  It took a long time for my food to come out which was sad because I was really hungry!  If we had all ordered at once, our food probably would've been closer together so this was partially our fault, but even my husband's hot dog came out first.  While I was waiting, I enjoyed my lavender sweet tea. I am not a huge fan of sweet tea but the lavender was a nice change and it sounded better than soda to me at the time.

After eating it, I still stand with my point that chicken & waffles is a little excessive. But these aren't the huge thick waffles I'm used to. The fried chicken wasn't the least bit greasy. It was a tiny bit dry in the center but not overly. I didn't love the chicken but it was passable.  But the waffle!  I would go back there every Sunday just to eat the waffle!  It was a perfect texture, thinner than any waffle I've ever had before. The little nooks held the melted butter and syrup perfectly. And then there was the spice. I think the waffle had nutmeg in it and maybe a little cinnamon making it a little more flavorful and oh so great!  I polished off every bit of that waffle and kind of wanted another one when I was done.

We all agreed we'd like to come back and try something different. I will take another waffle anytime but according to Soul Dogs it has to be a Sunday...





5166 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
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La Maria

I went to La Maria hoping to try an Arepe. I read about them in all the reviews. I saw them on th Food Network and I had to try one for myself.

The restaurant was hard to see coming from Burbank, but when we turned around we found it right away. The inside is decorated with miniature houses on all the walls.

I studied the menu for a long time. I finally chose a meal with meat, salad, egg, beans, rice and an arepe. I also chose the lemonade. The lemonade was spectacular and came first with chips and a very spicy salsa.

My fiance got tacos and they looked good (just like street tacos). He said he would get them again but not complete with rice and beans. It was too much food and he prefers pinto beans to black and no rice at all.

My lunch was good and way too filling for lunch. I loved the flavors in the cabbage salad that was with my meal. I wish I could just order that salad. I was disappointed, however, to find that my meal did not come with an arepe. I didn't see anyone eating them anywhere. I noticed that people were ordering empanadas but not arepes.

Even though the food was delicious, I was disappointed that I did not get to try the food I came for. Maybe I will go again and try to get the food I crave--or maybe I will just make them myself.





La Maria
10516 Victory Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
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EAT

My fiance saw EAT once while driving down Magnolia and we decided to go there. It is unclear whether or not this restaurant is related to EAT in Los Feliz. We went for breakfast/lunch on Saturday and there was a small wait. They took our names and within 10 minutes we were seated.

The restaurant is small inside but has a lot of patio space for extra tables. After we were seated we found the menus to be slightly confusing. In the front patio there was a blackboard with a bunch of french toast specials, there was a blackboard near the kitchen with some breakfast specials, and then there was the regular menu.

The atmosphere was very diner. You could see the grill and the counter from your seat. It was a nice little place with speedy service and good enough food.

We ordered our drinks and then looked at the breakfast and lunch menus attempting to decide. I finally decided on the BLAT (blt + avocado). The other diners tried to order the breakfast special from the board only to learn that it was only available M-F until 11:30. What a disappointment! On second glance it did say that...but it was hard to read. Everyone decided to order lunch then--a regular burger, a patty melt.

My BLAT was amazing. It came with ample fries, but the thing that made it so great was the bacon. The bacon was so smokey and flavorful that it just made the sandwich. The rest of the meals were also good but "nothing special." I think we will order breakfast next time, but I will certainly go back again.





EAT
11108 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91617
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Vicious Dogs

For lunch today we went to Vicious Dogs in North Hollywood, for, you guessed it hot dogs. I had noticed Vicious Dogs in a the Clipper and had been waiting for a time when three of us would be together and could go. It took about 2 months but we finally found a common day.

We headed over to Vicious Dogs on Saturday and found parking to be a breeze at the many open meters. Walking in, the place smelled like dogs--hot dogs. The mismatched old-dining room furniture confused me off the bat. I almost thought it was one of those claim to be American but actually run by a group of foreigners restaurants. But, I decided to wait to make a decision based on the food.

The menu had a lot of choices but the "new menu" was a little hard to read printed in a rainbow of colors. The place was crowded though, which is a good sign, all the tables were full when we got there.

I ordered the bratwurst with sauerkraut and deli mustard, my fiance ordered the bacon wrapped dog, and his dad got the Chicago dog. We also got three drinks and an order of fries big enough to share. The total came to just under $20.

The drinks are just cans, but at least they are only $1.

We sat down at a suddenly empty table and waited for our meals. The bratwurst, which is raw, takes a little longer to cook so our wait was a little longer than most--however they knew it and brought us fries first. The bogs of fries was big and we pigged out on it before the dogs came. They were crispy and thin and salty and just what the doctor ordered.

The food came and we all got our dogs on poppyseed buns (because we didn't specify). My brat was delicious, it was juicy and flavorful covered with a large amount of sauerkraut and a slight taste of mustard (just how I would make it at home!). Everyone else agreed that their dogs were delicious and full of flavor.

We'll be going back.





Vicious Dogs
5231 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
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Victorio's Ristorante

The Clipper, a coupon magazine, often mentions Victorio's Ristorante and yet, I have never tried it. Tonight, after listening to a book on CD on my drive home that discussed Italian food, I decided it was time to try something new. I was craving pasta.

Three of us went to Victorio's in Burbank. There is also a location in North Hollywood which intrigues me. Victorio's is tucked into a corner of a strip mall. The restaurant has a full bar and a couple of oddly arranged tables. The red walls and mint green booths don't really match, but that doesn't hurt the family feel.

The waitress was new and incredibly friendly and swift, but the owner was also on the premises. The menu is large covering a full range of pastas, pizza and sandwiches. I wanted pasta and from the pictures on the website, I knew I was in for a treat.

I ordered the cannelloni which is a baked meat and spinach filled pasta roll covered in sauce and cheese. It comes with french bread and for $5 you can add on a salad and dessert. Or you could add just a salad if you want. I decided to just have the pasta and bread. The cannelloni was popular at our table, ordered by 2/3 diners. The other diner ordered a pepperoni, cheese and salami sandwich. The soft drinks are cheap here--and they come in what looks like a 40oz cup. Gigantic. I didn't need refills once on my water.

The food came in a reasonable amount of time. The cannelloni was piping hot in the casseroles they were cooked in. The flavors melded together deliciously. The pasta was cooked to perfection in several layers and the meat and sauce added. I didn't feel the need to add anything extra and my mouth is watering for more. The portion was also a good size. I was neither hungry or stuffed afterwards. The sandwich ordered by the other diner was huge--10 inches and wide and apparently delicious.

I am going to make Victorio's one of the family favorites.





Victorio's Ristorante
520 S. Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
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Kansas City BBQ Co.

I hang out with a bunch of guys that love BBQ. I feel like I have a handle on what bbq restaurants are available in LA, which ones are good, and which ones are a little bit lack-luster. Depending on the group and the time, we usually split our time between 3 mainstays--The Barn Burner, The Bear Pit, and Ribs USA. This time, however, we spotted a new place relatively nearby in the Clipper magazine that made us wonder, could it be a close fourth?

The Kansas City BBQ Co. is a storefront in a strip mall tucked away on the darkest part of Magnolia in North Hollywood. We weren't sure of the address and we only spotted the restaurant because of a folding sign in the parking lot. The parking lot, speaking of it, is small and relatively unmarked, there's plenty of parking on the street though. The parking lot was very full partially because of the AA next door, but also the restaurant had people too.

Inside there are a handful of tables, some Western decor, and a register counter with partially exposed kitchen. There are paper menus to look at and then you order at the counter. They seemed to have a pretty lucrative to-go business. Apparently they aren't really a new business, just a relocated one. Once your food is ready they bring to to your table or call your number.

I ordered the half rack of beef ribs and it came with two sides of my choice. I chose cole slaw and sweet potato fries ($1 more). Other dishes at my table included the brisket, the chicken sandwich, the sampler platter, and the baby back ribs.

The service at the restaurant was really friendly, yes they are newish, but they wanted to give the "welcome to my kitchen" feel. One person's food took longer than normal for a to-go offer and they were given an extra full side item. I was very comfortable in the restaurant, the neighborhood though, not so much.

I expected my half rack to be 2 ribs tops. I was completely surprised when I got 4! After one, the fries, and a little coleslaw, I was full. The rib meat was tender and fell off the bone into my mouth. The sauce had a nice flavor but it wasn't remarkable. The cole slaw was pretty good--and I don't even like that stuff much. The sweet potato fries were fine, but I really didn't want them.

The brisket got rave reviews and everyone was interested in having it again. I would definitely consider a return visit, next time, I think I'll try the brisket everyone's raving about.






Kansas City BBQ Co.
10863 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
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Uncle Flip's Smoke Pit

Today we spotted Uncle Flip's Smoke Pit in the Clipper Magazine--which is just a fancy name for coupons. Normally, we don't find anything new in there, so it stood out right away. BBQ food is a big deal with the people I hang out with most, so we decided to go out and try it for lunch.

I'm not too familiar with North Hollywood, but we saw Flip's buried between an auto stereo place and some other strip mall stores. The restaurant is all windows in front so we could see from the street that there were people inside (a major plus). There was plenty of street parking with meters, but it was Saturday, so I'm not sure what the area is like during the week.

Inside, the restaurant was very clean. It had a "grandpa's kitchen" kind of feel. The tables were wooden with black chairs. There are a bunch of tables, all for at least four people--which makes it a family-style atmosphere. The menu is short with specials scrawled on the blackboard.

The prices are great, for $5 you get a sandwich and 2 sides, which is enough for even a hungry patron. I ordered the pork sandwich, dirty rice and potato salad--I know it's a lot of starch, but the non-starch options were cole slaw or collard greens--neither of which I am a fan. I was interested in trying the Maque Choux-which is some kind of creamed corn macaroni combination, but they were out.

The sandwich isn't huge, but it's filling. It is piled high with pulled pork and no extra frill. It was very dripy and I didn't really notice the sauce that much except that it kept the sandwich moist. I kind of wished for more sauce flavor or maybe a thicker bbq sauce on the side. The dirty rice was wild rice with spices. I don't love wild rice, but this one was pretty good--it was sticky though and more together than separate grains. The potato salad was average--better than the grocery store but not really a stand alone favorite.

The other diners in my party had the same complaints as I did about the sauce. The beans were said to be sweet--more like brown sugar baked beans than anything else. The rib tips were a little dry only because they didn't come with extra sauce. There was only hot sauce on the table--so I'm not sure if you could ask for extra BBQ sauce or not.

Just as we were finishing up our meals, the owner came over with a plate of brownies. I thought that was a really neat touch! That made it feel even more like home. I read in some other reviews that there is often a treat at the end but what it is varies.

I would like to go back to Uncle Flip's again. I thought the food was good--just not outstanding. I want to try the ribs--and I want to know if you can get extra sauce to go with your meal. All in all it was a good experience. Next time I'm in the neighborhood, I'll head back.





Uncle Flip's Smoke PIt
4715 N. Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91602
MAP

Que Ricos

Lunch on Saturday promised street tacos. But where to go? We followed a guide and were led to an empty street corner, so we followed some directions of one of the carmates and ended up at Que Ricos on Victory and Coldwater Canyon in North Hollywood. The outside of the building screams "chain restaurant" which wasn't necessarily what we were looking for, but the inside claimed something closer to "local chain" or "used to be a chain now a single restaurant." It is possible that there are additional locations of Que Ricos, but I don't see a website so I can't be sure.

There is ample parking in the back and some on the street. When we got there, there was someone selling art right in front. There is some outdoor seating, and a bunch of tables inside. The menu is long and detailed. It took me a long time to find the meat choices (they're in the direct middle of the menu). Check the posters on the windows for specials. They had a 3 taco, bean, rice, and drink combo for about $5, otherwise, tacos are $1 each. I hemmed and hawed over whether or not to get the Sopes, but eventually decided against it as I'm too attached to the Sopes at King Taco to get used to another kind.

I ordered 3 tacos and a drink. They have Orange Bang, Pina Coloda Bang, and a variety of regular sodas and Mexican sodas. The tacos were filled with meat. I ordered 2 carne asada and 1 al pastor taco. The carne asada was a little burned and crispy in some parts but overall good. The al pastor was delicious. It was sweet with a hint of something like cinnamon. I got my tacos with everything--onions, cilantro, and a red salsa. I didn't find the red salsa to be very spicy. There is a salsa bar near the counter and I sampled the red salsa and a chunkier greenish salsa. The latter was delicious and really added a boost of flavor to my tacos. My meal also came with a couple of chips which I dipped in the salsa. The chips were probably made on the spot as they were thicker than your average tortilla chip. The other diners ordered similar dishes. I tasted the rice and it had a few peas and carrots in it and was kind of buttery. The beans also looked good.

Overall, I'd recommend getting tacos with the al pastor and get the chunkier green/brown salsa--and go for the 3 taco value meal--free refills on your drink even!





Que Ricos
12940 Victory Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
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