Big Daddy's Fire Grill

This year for my father-in-law's birthday, we headed to a new place in Pasadena that we'd only heard a few reviews about.  A casual burger place, Big Daddy's Fire Grill sits on the corner competing with the In and Out Burger and not much else nearby.

There is parking in a lot behind the restaurant and some street parking as well around the neighborhood.We arrived on a Friday evening around 7 and were able to grab a large table inside to fit our party of seven.  However, the patio looked like the real place to be and was crowded throughout the night.

Inside, the restaurant smells like a wood-burning fire. I thought bbq and was surprised that really wasn't the basis of the menu. The menu is vast and filled mostly with burgers and sandwiches. I decided to order the pork tenderloin sandwich instead of going with the typical burger but then I was tempted to make it a combo with some garlic fries.  Everyone else in my party ordered a burger of some kind or another except for one bratwurst.

There were mixed reviews on the hamburgers and bratwurst but I can only speak for the sandwich. Get the sandwich! The pork is slow roasted to tender perfection with rosemary and clearly the same wood-chip smell that is in the restaurant. You can taste the smokiness in the meat and it pairs well with the aoili. I didn't notice the garlic in the roll which is one of their signature items but I just loved the sandwich. I went on about it all night and by the end everyone was thoroughly annoyed that I ordered it and not interested in hearing more. The garlic fries were very garlicky but not as overpowering as the ones you get at Dodger Stadium. I thought it was a nice contrast but between the fries and the sandwich the meal was incredibly filling. I would've gladly shared the sandwich and just had a few fries from my husband's plate.






Big Daddy's Fire Grill
2122 E Foothill Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107

Carmela Ice Cream

On Tuesday, my mom & I decided to explore the area and took our adventure off the beaten track of the freeway; driving from Burbank to Arcadia on the surface streets.  The adventure was a little long, taking over an hour with a slight detour when I missed a turn. On the way though we saw tons of cute areas and new neighborhoods. If we didn't have a destination in mind, we probably would've stopped at several interesting eateries on the way.  But the first stop in our mission was Din Tai Fung Dumpling House and it didn't disappoint.

After lunch we explored the Arboretum for over two hours. It was perfectly blooming and while there were other people there we didn't feel like the area was swarming with them because the park is so big.  The peacocks sure are loud though!

Arcadia was very hot today! After our long walk in the park we headed over to Carmela Ice Cream.  I was familiar with Carmela from when they appeared in a shiny silver truck at the Burbank Farmer's Market a few times.  When I learned their store was in Pasadena, I was a little disheartened because it is hard for us to pass up Fosselman's whenever we go that direction for dessert, but I figured I would try it out at some point.

Carmela isn't really near any part of Pasadena I've ever been before.  It's close to the 210 but in a neighborhood that seems to be primarily Armenian or...well I am not sure on the Ethnicity but it isn't the kind of walking neighborhood you'd expect a place like this to be located.  Carmela's main competitor is probably Mother Moo Creamery which is just to the East in Sierra Madre on the main drag.  I was sort of expecting the same neighborhood feel, but I guess they get their advertising by word of mouth instead of passerbys.

The employees at Carmela were incredibly excited about their ice cream.  They spouted off stories about their ingredients for each flavor and urged us to taste five different flavors before making our decision. I loved the little metal spoons they use for tastes and the old-fashioned feel of the ice cream makers mixing their craft right behind the counter.

The flavors change all the time based on what season it is as they tend to use ingredients in season at the moment to make their ice creams.  I tasted Classic Rocky Road, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Buttermilk, Lavender Honey, and Rose Petal flavors.  I ordered a double scoop consisting of Classic Rocky Road made with not even frozen at all walnuts (huge plus) and homemade marshmallows and salted caramel in a waffle cone.  It turns out that I could have gotten a single split-scoop and not ordered so much ice cream after all but still tasted two flavors. I think that is a good option because a double scoop gets a little big.  On the other hand, an extra scoop was only $1 more so I kind of felt like it was the best deal.

The ice cream is incredibly rich and really one scoop (which is actually two scoops) of the same flavor is a little bit too much of one flavor.  The waffle cone was perfect, lightly flavored, not heavy feeling and a perfect holder for the ice cream.  The rocky road was the best I've ever had, the salted caramel got tiresome after awhile and I wished for more chocolate.

I want to try more flavors and see those friendly people again so I am definitely going back.  Next time, I will get a split single scoop and maybe a cup or their ingenious waffle cone cups which come in a cup with a bit of waffle so you still get the cookie taste without having to worry about the meltiness surrounding the typical cone vehicle.





Carmela Ice Cream
2495 E Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104, USA

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

The Hat

I've lived in LA for 6 years and this past weekend was the first time I dined at the famous Hat in Pasadena. The restaurant has a strange setup with lots of waiting room for a supposed exponential number of take out orders and a thin line of booths along the windows. The lines may be long but it goes fast. If you're lucky, you might be able to find a booth before your food is ready--if you're not well...

The portions are huge! Order to share!

I got the famous pastrami and shared an order of the chili fries. There are enough chili fries to feed a family of five. The sandwich was also massive. I had to eat it quickly because the bread got really soggy really quickly. I didn't love the sandwich or the fries. Both were passable and edible but give me a pastrami sub from Giamela's or Santoro's any day...less crowd, more flavor.

The Hat

491 North Lake Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91101

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Villa Sorriso

Steamed hazelnut milk and brownies that I had to end the evening were so delectable that I will most certainly go back--but for an early dinner--and a special occasion.

Villa Sorrisa is half restaurant half social gathering place. When we arrived at dinner at 8 on the patio, one of the rooms was holding a salsa or tango dancing class. It was fun to watch during conversation lulls. The wait staff encouraged us to go in and dance a little. Our table declined. The patio is sheltered from the street and a good place to sit and chat in the mild So. Cal weather. There is also an indoor dining room and several bars.

After 10 the restaurant turns into a club. The lights are dimmed, the music becomes decibels louder and a bouncer appears at the entrance. The new crowd is completely different from the dinner crowd--donning the shortest skirts and sleekest suits. The come to drink and dance. When you go here for dinner, finish eating well before 10 and leave the premises--unless clubbing is your thing.

The restaurant is Italian. As an appetizer, I ordered the caprese salad which had a very creamy high quality mozzarella in its midst--one that Mario Batali could have served at his Osteria in Weho. I also tasted the calamari--standard and my personal favorite, the carpaccio--thinly sliced raw beef flavorful with a touch of lemon, capers and Parmesan.

For the main course, I had the Mussels & White Wine spaghetti--one of my favorite things to order when I'm not paying. It was absolutely filled with clams and the white wine sauce was very flavorful. I cleaned my plate. The rest of the diners got various pasta dishes and everyone seemed to enjoy them. We also tried the Margherita pizza. The pizza was very plain--I would go for pasta if I were you.

And let me reiterate...dessert! Even as I write this I crave the light taste of warm hazelnut milk perfectly complimenting the rich chocolate brownies.

168 West Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 9110

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1810

1810, the Argentinian restaurant right on the main drag in Pasadena has piqued our interest several times as we walked between Crate & Barrel and Sur la Table. Finally we took the time to go there.

Parking was hard on Saturday night but we finally found a spot and walked to the restaurant. Our party of four waited about 10 minutes for a table inside. The ambiance in the little restaurant is fantastic. It is low lighting with a rustic-modern feel. Exposed brick and dark ceilings make you feel as though you are in an outdoor garden instead of inside. The restaurant got a little loud as more people filled the tables, but it wasn't out of control.

I ordered from the 3-course Prix Fixe menu. I started with the cheese & spinach empanada, my main course was the skirt steak & mashed potatoes, and dessert the dulce de leche flan. My husband ordered the flat iron steak with fries. The other two in our party shared the prix fixe menu with the same options as I had except the chicken empanada.

While we waited for our meal, bread served with chimichurri sauce was placed at our table. The chimichurri had a very strong parsely flavor and was more acidic than the kind I've made myself but was a delicious compliment to the bread.

The empanadas came out quickly. My spinach and cheese one was filled with spinach and had a nice flaky crust. The salsa served alongside was more of a tomato-pepper mix that I didn't find really went with the empanada--but I didn't need it anyway, the pastry was good by itself. The steak had a wonderful texture and was cooked perfectly but lost out on flavor--the flat iron steak had a great flavor, however, so next time I will just try a different steak. The real star of the meal was the mashed potatoes. They were smooth and flavorful and a terrific compliment to the meat. I would return again for the potatoes alone and try something else in the process.

The service was good and the staff was friendly. All in all, I will go back to 1810 for another dinner or lunch in the future.





1810
121 W Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
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El Portal

Mexican was the name of the game for Friday's dinner. But the same old thing just didn't fit. So, we ventured out to Pasadena to find El Portal--a Yelp reviewers favorite. The restaurant is in a little mall on Green St. There is free street parking or you can pay for the lot. There is both outdoor seating with heat lamps and indoor seating. We were seated immediately around 7:30 on Friday night outdoors, I believe we may have had to wait for indoors but the atmosphere is nice outside. A mariachi band paraded around from table to table busking. The service throughout the night was a little rocky but the food is worth going back there for.

El Portal has a traditional Mexican menu along with some Yucatan specialties. Craving something new, I ordered from the Yucatan side. After looking at the dishes my friends chose, I was pretty sure I got the best value for my money. I ordered the Panuchos. They are little corn tortillas fried together with a black bean paste in between, then topped with chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickled onions and maybe even some cheese. I could not believe how tasty the pickled onions were. The whole dish had outstanding flavor.

My other dining partners ordered a burrito stuffed with shredded meat (similar to machaca) and a single crispy taco combination. While everyone left full, I think that still my dish was the thing to get. So, visit El Portal and try something different from the Yucatan Peninsula.





El Portal Restaurant
695 East Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101
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Bella's Gourmet Pizza

Last weekend we went shopping in Pasadena. We have been wanting to try out this new pizza place that just opened up right on the strip so we thought this time was as good as any.

There were four of us and at lunch on a Saturday, the place was already pretty crowded. We were seated immediately. The pizza place is a window lined room filled with TVs and tables. Sit facing the window so that you can people watch!

We ordered the large deep-dish pepperoni and garlic pizza and three drinks. The 4th diner at our table got the lunch special which included a single slice, salad and a drink.

The service was a little slow. For all the guests there was only one waiter, one guy manning the phones and register, and one cook. They could use to hire a few more deck hands. They were good with refilling our drinks while we waited admittedly too long for our pizzas.

The deep dish pizza we got had a great bready crust that was crispy just on the edges. We think we made a mistake with the wimpy toppings we chose for such a dense piece of pie--something more robust like sausage should've been chosen. The flavors were good too. The pizza wasn't stand-out good but it was exactly what I expected from the pizza and I would get it again--it just isn't that different from other pizzas.

The individual lunch meal wasn't actually such a great deal. The salad looked good and had lots of vegetables and not just iceberg lettuce. The slice of pizza, however, reminded me of amusement park or cafeteria pizza. Lesson learned, if you want a salad, order one, but don't get the slice, just share with the rest of the folks at your table.

I'm pretty sure this is the only pizza place in downtown Pasadena near the high traffic areas. I wouldn't drive out of my way to go there (I have my neighborhood favorites) but if I were there and I wanted pizza, I would definitely stop in.





Bella's Gourmet Pizza
16 N Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
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Dot's Cupcakes

Last Sunday we were doing some shopping in Pasadena and stopped at a pizza place to have lunch. Right across the street was Dot's Cupcakes. Throughout lunch I was obsessed with the place--who was going in, who was coming out, the cute tree in the apartment above, the cute awning, etc. Needless to say, I insisted that we stop by there after lunch. Boy was it worth it!

I know what you're thinking, you're tired of the cupcake trend. Honestly if you didn't see another cupcake shop you'd be happy. What happened to the classic bakery you say? Change your mind and stop at Dot's for one last cupcake. Go there, and you'll be back on the bandwagon.

Upon walking into Dot's I noticed the store was much smaller than I thought--and crowded! To my left was a glass case filled with various kinds of cupcakes in mini size as well as regular. The prices are lower than Sprinkles (but this is Pasadena not Beverly Hills). There are lots of flavors to choose from and I wish I could've tried them all! I decided on four mini cupcakes (so I could try more flavors) Fleur de Sal, Cookies and Cream, Chocolate with Peanut Butter Frosting, and Apple Pie. They were packaged in the cutest box (pictured) so that if you wanted to bring them as a gift it would be perfect!

The Fleur de Sal was my favorite. It was a chocolate cake with a caramel filling inside, caramel frosting and a little salt on top. The flavors were outstanding--subtle when you wanted them to be, stand out when they needed it. The peanut butter one (pictured above) even came with a cute mini peanut butter cup. The Chocolate is dark and was perfectly matched with the sweet peanut butter.

I will be going back to Dot's next time I'm in Pasadena.





Dot's Cupcakes
21 N. Fair Oaks
Pasadena, CA 91103
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Dona Rosa

Dona Rosa is a quick-serve Mexican restaurant owned by the same people that bring you The Barn Burner and El Cholo. Because their other restaurants are hit or miss depending on the night, I had no idea what to expect from Dona Rosa.

We went for lunch at Dona Rosa's. We found parking in their lot (for free) and went inside. The restaurant wasn't crowded but there were a few tables taken. It is a bakery-cafe but really mostly serves Mexican fare.

I didn't know what to order because I found the menu boards to be confusing. It didn't seem to be organized in any coherent way and there were two boards that were completely different on either side of the restaurant plus a breakfast one. I finally decided on 1 sope and 1 soft taco. The soft taco was a little bit pricey but I wanted to try it. Usually when I'm craving Mexican food its tacos--a new place to get them would be a welcome surprise. My fiance ordered tacos and a bowl of the chicken tortilla soup. His sister ordered a Hurache which is billed as a larger sope.

Becaue the Hurache is supposed to be larger, I figured the sope would be small and I would need the extra taco. We were given chips while we waited. We sat at a high table and sampled all the salsas on the bar.

Our food was delivered in a timely manner. The sope was HUGE. It wasn't my favorite. The dough used in the sope part was very sweet and reminded me of a doughnut. It was a weird combination with meat and beans. I tasted the hurache and it wasn't as sweet but it was also gigantic.

The tacos were pretty good. They were overfilled with meat. If I am in the area and for some reason King Taco is out of the question, I'll get the tacos next time.





Dona Rosa
577 S. Arroyo Parkway
Pasadena, CA 91105
Map

Hugo's Tacos - Pasadena

Not to be confused with the local Hugo's Taco chain, Hugo's Tacos is a single taco-stand style restaurant in Pasadena. The restaurant looks like it is built inside an old warehouse or tiny convenience store.

We were the only ones sitting in there but a couple of people came in and out while we were there. The place was very well staffed with 4 people behind the counter as though they were expecting a crowd. The atmosphere is western with wood tables and booths.

Hugo's Tacos has a short menu including the basics only - tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Order at the counter by choosing your choice of product, meat, and choice of there or to go. They have a long list of meat choices from carne asada and carnitas to lengua and cabasa. These are street tacos with choice of onion and cilantro and also grilled onions if you like.

I ordered three tacos with three different meats - carnitas, carne asada, and al pastor. I had mine topped with the onions and cilantro and the red salsa. The tacos also come with radishes and lime. Drinks are in the bottle or the can, except for the pineapple juice and the horchatta--so I got some pineapple juice which ended up being a great cutter for the spice.

The red salsa had a very smoky taste. The asada reminded me of ground beef. My favorite was the carnitas. I believe the pork was fried a little bit giving it a slight crunch. If we were to go back to Hugo's, I would go for the carnitas only and maybe give the green sauce a try.





Hugo's Tacos
490 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
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Smitty's Bar and Grill

When I think of a bar and grill I picture a relaxed atmosphere where everyone wears shorts and the menu is relatively simple with burgers and ribs and salads. Good food, good prices comes to mind.

Smitty's then, is the anti-bar and grill. When we arrived we immediately found ourselves to be severely under dressed. This restaurant bordered on fancy and while we waited in the lackluster space near the door we shrunk down trying not to be noticed.

The prices were high to say the least. The menu covered a wide range of choices but with fancy accompaniments. Side salads, while healthy, cost as much as $7 and didn't appear to be worh the price.

I ordered the meatloaf and the others all got burgers. The meatloaf needed something more...it had an unusual flavor that I didn't really love. The potatoes on the side were dry and super garlicky.

The bacon bbq burger came with lots of extra toppings that weren't listed on the menu starting with mayo and pickles and ending with coleslaw. One diner, sensitive to extra toppings requested a fix and was granted one in a very timely manner, complete with a new plate--and the same, now cold fries.

If I were to go to Smitty's again, I would remember to dress nice, and then request the secret bar-like table near the back that faces the kitchen. I always like to look at something while I eat. This time, however, my only entertainment was a lovely old woman and some friends celebrating a birthday with what looked like a delicious piece of $8 chocolate cake.





Smitty's Bar and Grill
110 S Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
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El Cholo

El Cholo is a Mexican restaurant with a big family. It is the sister restaurant to the Barn Burner which sits just two doors down from its Pasadena location. El Cholo is almost always packed. This time though, on a Thursday, there was no wait.

There is valet parking in the lot, as well as a little bit of street parking. There is also a bank next door that I think you can park in after bank hours. If you want to be safe though, stick with the valet.

We were seated at a large 6-seater booth. The waiters brought us drinks and chips with salsa. The chips are clearly made there at the restaurant and thicker than other regular chips. The salsa has a flavor that I am not used to and is OK, but different. El Cholo is known for two things--the margaritas and the guacamole that they make tableside. We didn't get any guacamole but I did taste it
and it was pretty good, chunky. One person at the table got a coconut margarita. She loved it, I liked how they put toasted coconut around the rim.

The menu at El Cholo is a little short. It doesn't have everything you would expect for family-style Mexican restaurant to have. As I said, almost every table (except ours) gets the tableside guacamole to go with their chips. The menu has a few salads, a chicken tortilla soup, a couple quesadillas, enchiladas, and burritos. You can also get combinations with some typical Mexican fare. I had
the combination 2 which came with an enchilada and a chile relleno. This came with rice and beans. The portion was big enough to split into two meals, but I ended up eating it all at once. I got the Fuego Chile Relleno and it had two sauces but I felt like the egg batter was a little too strong for the pepper and cheese. I don't think the beans, rice or enchilada were anything special.

As always with a big group, everyone got something different ranging from a taco and relleno special, to a crabmeat burrito, to a chili burrito, to a quesadilla. I think everyone liked their food but I really don't think it stands out against other Mexican restaurants as amazing and wonderful. I think El Cholo is just ok. Unless you are going for margaritas (apparently strong) and the guacamole.



El Cholo
958 S Fair Oaks Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
Map

Avanti Cafe

Do you ever find yourself looking for pizza that is a little different than your average cheese and pepperoni? If so, then Avanti Cafe is the place for you. Avanti Cafe is a neighborhood Italian cafe specializing in unique pizzas, pastas, and calzones. Of course, they have your old favorites too, if you just want to test the pairing of flavors with something familiar.

The restaurant is a small place with only 20 or so tables. The two outer walls are all windows and face the corners of Lake and Union in Pasadena. There isn't much to look at --except for the line at the gas station across the street and the cars passing by, but you'll be too consumed by the menu and eating to notice much. Inside the restaurant has a warm feeling. The pizza ovens are in view of all the tables so it feels you are right there in the kitchen smelling all the Italian spices and sauces while you decide on what to eat.

The chalkboard in front of you as you walk in displays a list of specials as well as recommended wines. The menu starts with a short list of appetizers, a long list of salads, pasta, calzones, and pizzas--first the unique ones, then the classics. There is a large wine list and the average soft drinks and juices.

I have only been to this place twice, and I had the same thing both times--but tried bits of others' dishes. We started off our meal this time with the garlic rolls. These are basically your average garlic knots covered in a buttery garlic glaze and herbs. They come in an overflowing bowl and are hot as though they were baked just for you.

There were 4 of us at dinner on Wednesday night. Three of us ordered the four cheese and sausage calzone. I was particularly excited about it because the last time I found the sausage to be absolutely amazing. It had distinct flavor and a wonderful texture. The four cheese blend together with the Gorgonzola giving it a bite and robust flavor.

This time, the sausage wasn't as good as I remember. The calzone was still huge--it could easily be two meals, the crust slightly chewy in the center, crispy on the outsides, the cheese as tantalizing as before. But the sausage was missing something. Perhaps there wasn't as much as before, or perhaps there was an overpowering amount of peppers and onions inside, but something was certainly different.

Our other diner had the minestrone soup and was surprised to see no salt on the table to help give it some flavor. The soup was a disappointment for an Italian restaurant- no better than a can.

If you're hankering for something unusual, I recommend the Glazed Apple. Apple? On pizza? I realize it sounds sort of weird. But, it's not like a tomato-sauce based pizza with apples, instead, it combines the tart-sweet apples with Gorgonzola cheese, roasted red peppers, and sliced almonds. It is surprisingly good leaving you asking for more.

The prices are average for an Italian Cafe. The staff is friendly, but not always as attentive as you would hope. Depending on the seat you choose, it could be hard to flag down your waiter if you need a refill or want to order something different, but when they are at your table they are very friendly and helpful





Avanti Cafe
111 N. Lake Ave
Pasadena, 91101
Map

The Barn Burner

The Barn Burner is a Texas BBQ restaurant in Pasadena. It is one of the restaurants in the El Cholo family, different than most in that it is not Mexican food.

The Barn Burner has a varied menu full of meat. They are known for their ribs, smoked pork, and smoked beef--regular BBQ fare. The meat isn't dry but tastes better with a helping of their homemade sauce. No matter what combination you order you are sure to get a lot of meat--but you may not get a large helping of sides.

It's a funny thing about the sides. One day you go and you'll get huge 1/4 pound size sides and then the next day you go and get miniature cups. This particular visit all the sides were large except for my fries substitution of Mac and Cheese. You know how you always get a ton of fries no matter what? Apparently you don't get a ton of substitution x. Everyone else at my table however, got a ton of whatever side they had.

I am a particularly big fan of the Mac and Cheese there. It has a creamy made in a pot not an oven taste--and no breadcrumbs and that makes me happy. They also have a rather delicious creamed corn--which tastes a lot like a thick pudding with corn pieces. OK, so I kind of made that sound disgusting, but if you like creamed corn, you should try this one. The regular corn on the cob also looks pretty good and not totally overcooked like some restaurant corn. They also have a mean potato salad and their coleslaw is made with colorful purple cabbage instead of plain old green.

Last night, I tried their ABC Burger. It sort of annoys me that they don't describe their burgers on the menu at all--but I chose it based on the name alone. There was probably a pound of bacon on the Avocado, Bacon Cheeseburger. It was a very sweet thick bacon. The cheese was just plain American and the avocado was a little too ripe. I also didn't like the special sauce--which was like a super sweet thousand island dressing. So, skip the burger and go for something more BBQ centered. And, if you're a lemonade drinker don't miss it--the iced tea is also incredibly refreshing.

The service is spotty--sometimes fast and sometimes unbearably slow--just keep your eye out for your server. They also have a little arcade in the back where they recently installed an air hockey table. This along with the TV's make the restaurant's atmosphere a little extra loud.

The restaurant is kid friendly and the kids meals seem to be a good deal with an ice cream cone included and a possible balloon option. As a consequence though, there are kids running around the restaurant. This time they were playing the animated feature Barnyard on the wall projector screen and I felt like I was at Chuck E Cheese instead of a family Texas-style BBQ restaurant.

My advice is, go for the BBQ, not for the atmosphere.





The Barn Burner
1000 S Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
Map