Restaurant Review #274: Blockheads, West LA, Sawtelle

Green tea snow cream with condensed milk drizzle, $4

So you know how sometimes shave ice isn't that satisfying because it's just ice with sugary syrup on it, and sometimes ice cream--well, there's never anything wrong with ice cream. But Blockheads has found a way to improve on both with something it calls "snow cream."

Blockheads usually has four snow cream flavors available, which you can pimp out with various drizzles like caramel, chocolate sauce, or sweetened condensed milk and toppings like mochi, sweetened red beans, or almond jelly. And if your tastes veer more American than Asian, there are chocolate chips, cookies and cream, or strawberries. One drizzle is included in the price; toppings are extra. A regular size is about $4, and a large is about $6.

I went to the one on Sawtelle in West LA. They open around lunchtime and close late. This place is popular, so don't count on getting a table or running in and out. The lines can get long--it takes longer to make a shaved snow than to pull the handle on a froyo machine or scoop an ice cream cone.

But it's worth the wait. I'll wait a good 30 minutes for this fluffy, sweet stuff. If you go easy on the toppings, it's the perfect light dessert after you've stuffed yourself silly with ramen or burgers or sushi.

Blockheads also has locations in Alhambra and Pasadena.

Blockheads
11311 Mississippi Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-8725
Blockheads website
Blockheads menu

Restaurant Review #273: Old School Sandwiches & Salads, Simi Valley

The RB, $7.95

The RB is a warm, medium-rare roast beef sandwich with fresh baby spinach, roasted red bell peppers, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, havarti cheese, and balsamic dressing on a fresh artisan sub roll.

The bread is on the softer side, like you'd expect for a submarine sandwich. That makes the sandwich easier to eat, but also means it doesn't keep well (they don't use preservatives, either). If you're the type to save half your sandwich for later (like me), you might want to order the two-fer-one instead. For $7.95 (the same price as most sandwiches), you'll get half a cold sandwich and half a salad or a cup of soup.

There are 14 sandwiches to choose from, so anyone should be able to find something to enjoy here. Other hot sandwich options include a roast beef dip and pulled pork. There's nothing terribly unusual or creative on the menu, just classics like turkey, pastrami, and ham and swiss. They also have daily specials and homemade chili.

Vegetarian sandwich options include egg salad, grilled three cheese, and the Wrap Me Up Healthy, a wrap served in a whole-wheat tortilla. It has the same ingredients as the RB minus the roast beef plus avocado and sauteed mushrooms.

Old School's sandwiches definitely taste fresh and healthy, like something your mom would make if only she had more time. They're less salty than your typical chain sandwich. The shop doesn't have the fastest service, but that's because they make your food to order. It's family owned and operated, and the employees are genuinely friendly. They'll ask you how your day is going and seem to actually care about your response.

The interior is very clean, bright and sunny, with teal-turquoise walls and gray-white wood floors. there are plenty of tables inside and a few on the patio, but it can be hard to find a seat on a Saturday afternoon. It's located in a strip mall, with plenty of parking.

The next time you think you want Subway, go to Old School instead.

Old School Sandwiches and Salads
1464 Madera Rd.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805-842-1447
Monday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Old School Sandwiches and Salads website 
Old School Sandwiches and Salads menu

Restaurant Review #272, Berry Bowls, Highland Park

"What's an acai bowl?" my visiting New Yorker friend asked as we strolled down York Blvd. to see what Highland Park was about.

"Some stupid fake health food, I don't know, I've never had one," I said.

On this glowing recommendation, my friend and her boyfriend decided to enter Berry Bowl and waste their money on some ridiculous concoction called a dragon bowl.

Making this thing seemed to involve a sustained fight with a Vitamix, a blender so powerful I believe it could liquify my tennis shoe.

Lots of noise later, it was ready.

Then, the nicest blender girl ever sweetly asked if I wanted some, because she had made extra.

"Sure!"

So she made me this mini dragon bowl, topped with granola, coconut, and berries.

It. was. delicious.

Icy. Thick. Smooth. Fruity. Sweet. Crunchy.

And they have the same spoons as Yogurtland. They have just the right depth that you can easily eat out of them without making weird sucking or slurping noises, and they're made from perfectly smooth plastic that doesn't irritate your tongue. A crappy plastic spoon can really ruin your frozen treat experience.

So back to acai bowls. I still don't buy into the superfood acai hype. And I'm not sure how healthy I'd call something with so much sugar. But that doesn't mean they're not delicious.

I'm not afraid to eat my words. Or an acai bowl. Like, everyday.

Berry Bowl
5056 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 474-6144
Berry Bowl website (scroll down for menu)

Restaurant Review #271: El Huarache Azteca, Highland Park

El super huarache with potatoes and peppers and "corn mushroom," $7.95

Duck into this casual, inexpensive Highland Park joint for an elongated pancake of fried masa studded with pinto beans and topped with your choice of two meats or veggies, a light crumbling of cotija, a drizzle of crema, thinly sliced red onions, and pools of red and green salsa.

I ordered mine with papas con rajas and the gourmet corn fungus known as huitlacoche. There are several other veggie options, including squash blossoms. The meat choices include the usual taco meats and chicken tinga. If the huarache doesn't appeal to you, you'll find your favorite Mexican dish somewhere on the extensive menu. It's cash only, and there's an ATM inside the restaurant, along with a somewhat unnerving live feed of the restaurant's security cam footage.

And yes, the super huarache was delicious. The first bite took me right back to my host mom's kitchen from a summer study abroad trip to Mexico many years ago.

El Huarache Azteca 
5225 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 478-9572
El Huarache Azteca website
El Huarache Azteca menu

Restaurant Review #270: D'Amore's Famous Pizza, Thousand Oaks

Margherita slice and meat-lover's slice

D'Amore's looks like a hole in the wall in a busy strip mall on TO Blvd., but it's actually a small Southern California chain with nine restaurants from Tustin to Camarillo and one location in Vegas. The hook is that it's a Boston-style pizzeria owned by 100% Italian Joe D'Amore, who relocated from Boston to SoCal.

D'Amore's claims to have been importing its water from Boston since 1987 in order to make the crust crispy, and that it's now importing water from the Italian Alps. I'm not sure I buy that the water would make all the difference, but the crust is indeed crisp, quite unlike your typical thin-crust slice.

They say the other secrets to their success are using extra virgin olive oil, not lard, in the crust, and only using July tomatoes, the sweetest of the year with no added sugar, in their sauce. Too bad my entire slice had maybe one teaspoon of sauce, so I couldn't taste it. They also use a low-moisture, low-salt, part-skim mozzarella made in Wisconsin and cook their pizzas in a brick oven.

D'Amore's also claims to be the No. 1 rated pizza in America, according to a 2002 Citysearch poll that has it handily beating institutions like Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, and Ray Romano has called it his favorite pizza in LA. And D'Amore's has done a nutritional analysis of its pizza showing that a single cheese slice has just 166 calories and is remarkably low in fat, quite an accomplishment for a piece of pizza.

Slices are $4 each, which sounds like a bargain, but one slice of margherita pizza wasn't nearly enough to fill me up, and I'm a light eater. Whole pizzas ($19 to $26) seem pricey by fast-food pizza chain standards, but are typical of pizza parlors and are a much better value. You can choose from one of their specialty pizzas (also sold by the slice) or build your own at the usual hefty price per topping (45 cents each on slices, up to $2.35 each on a jumbo pie).

If I'd ordered a lunch special that came with a garlic knot and a full-sized plate of salad (romaine, mozzarella, tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and olives), I would have been fine. They also serve a few soups, salads, pastas, chicken dishes, calzones, and desserts, but the focus is clearly the pizza.

I enjoyed the crispness of the crust, the flavorful cheese, fresh basil, and lack of grease, but the tomatoes were mealy (they almost always are at restaurants, but that doesn't make it okay) and the sauce was almost nonexistent. The toppings on the meat-lover's slice were generous and the quality was above average, though it could have used more sausage. I waited at least 10 minutes for my order, which seemed like a long time for a simple slice of pizza.

The restaurant is long, narrow and dark with a TV tuned to a sports channel on the back wall, so D'Amore's is best for a casual bite or takeout. The service was fine, but you just order and pay at the counter and they drop your meal off at your table, so there isn't much to judge. If you ask for water, you get only a tiny plastic cup, which doesn't generate goodwill (or make me want to pay for a soda). Overall, the experience was fine, but it wasn't anything I would go back for.

D'Amore's Famous Pizza
2869 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
805-496-0030
D'Amore's Famous Pizza menu
D'Amore's Famous Pizza website

Restaurant Review #269: Chego, Chinatown

The beefy T, $9

How can a bowl of fried rice be so addictively delicious, especially to someone like me who doesn't care for rice? Put Roy Choi in the kitchen and load up that rice with high-quality meat, spices, fresh herbs, fried shallots, garlic chips, and a fried egg.

Chego's rice and noodle bowls are a much-needed reinvention of the sad chicken teriyaki bowl and its bland, mushy rice topped with overcooked veggies and processed chicken and dressed with not enough bottled sauce. Here, you can get a bowl with veggies only, fried tofu, spam, pork belly, prime rib, or grilled chicken and an explosion of carefully selected condiments. If you want a snack or a side, there are also meatballs, seasonal veggies, cheese fries, and salad.

The portion sizes are generous, too: I only got through half of my beefy T bowl for lunch. (If you have leftovers, eat them soon; the stuff gets mushy after a couple of days in the fridge.)

The restaurant is super casual. Order at the counter and get a number, then grab a seat on a stool at the bar-style tables indoors, or outside at a picnic table in the courtyard of the Far East Plaza.

Parking in Chinatown is easy on weekdays but chaotic on Saturdays. There are plenty of $4 parking lots, but if you keep your eyes peeled you can find the narrow entrance to the Far East Plaza's underground garage. Chego validates parking for 1 hour with a $10 minimum purchase. I was there a little over an hour and only paid 60 cents.

Chego's food is incredible and costs the same as the food at those fast-casual chains you're tired of. Go.

Chego 
727 N Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
323-380-8680
Hours:
Monday closed
Tuesday through Sunday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Chego website and menu

Restaurant Review #254: Howdy's Taqueria, Malibu

Dos tacos: carnitas and carne asada soft tacos, $7.95

Howdy's Taqueria in the Malibu Country Mart shopping center is a great choice if you're looking for a casual, inexpensive, unpretentious place to eat in Malibu. The restaurant offers a mostly predictable selection of Mexican staples like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, with a few unexpected choices like a Hawaiian salad, mole tacos, wild salmon soup, and--get this--sushi.

I can't speak for the sushi--I really can't stomach the idea of ordering sushi at a Mexican joint, even if I can feel the ocean breeze while I eat, and even though I have no problem eating Mexican ceviche, which is raw fish soaked in citrus juice (also on the menu).

I did try the tacos and a quesadilla. All of the food, including the tortilla chips, was remarkably light and ungreasy for a Mexican restaurant. The meat was a little bland, probably from the lack of grease, but it was fine. The cilantro and onions added some kick, as did the selection of salsas. The salsa bar offers a milder, green tomatillo salsa, a basic red salsa, and a spicy orange salsa. They were all good, but not memorable; the same was true of the tacos and quesadilla.

Steak quesadilla

The restaurant was plenty busy, but we were able to get a table indoors. They also have patio seating, which can be noisy because of the adjacent parking lot.

Howdy's has mixed reviews on Yelp!, but I think its overall rating of just three stars is undeservedly low. True, it's not the most authentic Mexican food, but you're in Malibu, not the Valley. Yes, it's a little pricey for Mexican, but it's inexpensive considering the ingredients are organic and free range and, again, you're in Malibu.

I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but for a fresh, affordable, and relatively healthy lunch when you're already in the area, it's a solid choice.

Howdy's Taqueria
3835 Cross Creek Rd # A
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-6299
Howdy's Taqueria website
Howdy's Taqueria menu

Restaurant Review #248: Elysee Bakery, Westwood

 A spacious sandwich shop with a relaxed atmosphere, Elysee would seem to be one of the few places to eat in Westwood where you could enjoy a somewhat peaceful meal.

Located on a busy street corner with pedestrians constantly streaming by, Elysee also winds up being a wonderful place to people watch and a good place to eat.

The sandwiches at Elysee are not what I’d describe as cheap, but they are very tasty and rather filling, so you’ll feel like you got your money’s worth. The sandwiches are rather creative—there is a menu of several different sandwiches, often with combinations of ingredients that you’d think shouldn’t go together and yet somehow wind up being complementary. Speaking of complimentary, the staff deserves recognition for being rather friendly and attentive—something noteworthy in the Westwood area.

Flickr photo by madaroni

Elysee Bakery
1099 Gayley
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310.208.6505
Elysee Bakery website

Restaurant Review #247: Loteria! Grill, LA Farmer's Market, La Brea

The first time I went to the LA Farmer's Market, I didn't try Loteria! Grill. $3 for a taco? Give me a break!

It's true--I have been spoiled by $1 tacos at cheap San Fernando Valley taquerias. But I regretted skipping the opportunity to try a restaurant I've repeatedly heard good things about. So on my second visit to the LA Farmer's Market, Loteria! was my first stop.

Nothing excites me more than new flavors, and the more things I can sample in one restaurant meal, the better. It's not just because I have a food blog that I regularly order too much food at restaurants so I can try multiple dishes.  At least, I do when I'm not feeling cheap.

With that in mind, there was no way I could pass up Loteria's taco sampler platter--the chance to sample miniature portions of 12 different taco flavors:

Nopalitos - Fresh Cactus Salad. Served with Salsa Verde and Queso Fresco.
Calabacitas - Zucchini and Roasted Corn Succotash Served with Salsa Verde, Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, and Queso Fresco.
Champiñones con Epazote - Mushrooms with Epazote Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde.
Papa con Rajas - Potatoes with Roasted Poblano Peppers Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde.
Mole Poblano con Pollo - Chicken in Mole Poblano Served with Sesame Seeds, Finely Chopped Onion, and Queso Fresco.
Tinga de Pollo - Chicken, Stewed with Chipotle Peppers and our home-made Chorizo Served with Salsa Roja de Chipotle.
Pollo en Pipian Rojo - Chicken in a Spicy Pumpkin-Seed and Peanut Sauce Served with Finely Chopped Onion.
Carne deshebrada - Shredded Beef Served with Fresh Guacamole, Salsa Chipotle, and Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.
Albondigas en Chipotle - Meatballs in a Tomato and Chipotle Sauce Served with Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.
Cochinita Pibil- Pork, Slowly Roasted in Banana Leaf Served with Citrus-Pickled Red Onion and Chile Habanero.
Chicharron en Salsa Verde - Pork Rinds in a Spicy Tomatillo Sauce Served With Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro and Queso Fresco.
Carnitas en salsa Morita - In a Spicy Chile Morita Sauce Served with slices of Fresh Avocado and Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro.

Each taco is teeny tiny--the tortillas must have been 2" in diameter. One person could eat the whole plate and still be hungry. And if one person shared this plate with three people, as I did, they would have plenty of room left to eat at at least two more Farmer's Market restaurants. I also had a canteloupe flavored agua fresca.

My favorite was the papa con rajas. I never would have thought a potato taco could have so much flavor. It's also rather unusual to find multiple vegetarian options at a taco stand. Most of the other flavors were not nearly as memorable, but I frequently think about returning to the market for a plate of full-sized potato tacos. Judging by the crowds at this place, I'm clearly not the only one who craves Loteria's unique flavors.

Loteria! Grill 

6333 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036-3109
(323) 930-2211
Loteria! Grill website
Loteria! Grill menu

Restaurant Review #245: The Counter, Pasadena

Veggie burger

I've been hearing about The Counter for years. It was the favorite joint of a hamburger-obsessed colleague of mine, and everyone seems to rave about it. But I was really underwhelmed. There was nothing special about the flavor of the meat. I could have made a comparable, if not better, burger at home.


Beef burger

The concept behind The Counter is to build your own burger using a cute clipboard checklist. You can choose your own meat (beef, turkey, chicken, veggie), the size (1/3, 2/3, 1 lb), and your bun (regular, multigrain, English muffin, onion bun). The restaurant offers several dozen interesting toppings. Some of the more unusual options include horseradish cheddar, herb goat cheese spread, grilled pineapple, roasted green chiles, fried egg, apricot sauce, and peanut sauce. If all the options are too overwhelming, you can choose one of their predesigned signature burgers.

Maybe I didn't choose the right toppings, but for me, it was just an overpriced burger.


Parmesan fries

We also tried a side of parmesan fries. Ever since the truffle fries we had at Josie a few years ago, we've been searching for something else that measured up. The Counter's fries looked delicious but weren't very memorable.

We went to the Pasadena restaurant, but there are quite a few  locations, including Hermosa Beach, Miracle Mile, Sunset Blvd., Santa Monica, Studio City, and others.

The Counter

140 Shoppers Lane
Pasadena, CA 91101-2618
626.440.1008

Hours: Mon-Thu,Sun 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
The Counter website

The Counter menu

Restaurant Review #244: Palermo Deli, Granada Hills

Tuna tart - $4.95

Palermo Deli, an Argentinian and European market and deli, doesn't look like much from the outside. It's in a questionable-looking shopping center with cramped parking in an iffy part of town. But on the inside, it's bright, clean and well-organized. Walk to the back to examine the goodies in the deli case or order something off the menu, then grab a table in the front and wait for your food.

I ordered the tuna tart, which is sort of like an empanada, but in pie form. The filling contains tuna, red peppers, slices of hard boiled egg and I'm not sure what else in a pie-like shell. While I do not like pie, tuna, or hard boiled eggs, I adore this dish. I'm sure it's because my host mother in Spain, who was an excellent cook, also made this dish, so there's a nostalgia factor involved. But I dare say that Palermo Deli's version was delicious in its own right. Make sure to have it heated up.

The vegetarian panini with eggplant, sweet roasted red peppers, and cheese ($7.99 ) is another delicious option. Much of the lunch menu consists of sandwiches, but there are also pastas, pizza, salads and hot plates. The menu is surprisingly extensive for such a small shop. They also serve breakfast, dessert, coffee, and pastries.

I couldn't help but order two more slices of tuna tart to go, plus some pastelitos con membrillo - mini turnovers stuffed with quince ($0.85 each) - and beef empanadas ($1.59 each). Good luck avoiding the temptation to pick up some groceries and pastries on your way out. You can also order their nonperishable Argentinian groceries online.

Palermo Deli

16137 Devonshire St.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
818.810.6612
Hours:
Mon.-Thur. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sun. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Palermo website

Restaurant Review #242, Little Spain Restaurant, LA Farmers Market, La Brea

Croquetas de Jamon

At Little Spain Restaurant, a stall at LA Farmer's Market, I enjoyed the best croquettes I've eaten since I lived in Spain. They were fried up to order, served hot enough to burn my mouth (which is how I like my food). Unlike most croquettes, the inside was actually moist, not dried out. The fries were soggy and unnecessary, however.

Little Spain Restaurant

6333 West Third St. #120
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Restaurant Review #240: Golden Tiger Chinese Restaurant, Simi Valley

Mongolian beef

Golden Tiger is an unmemorable Chinese restaurant in Simi Valley. We tried two dishes: the Mongolian beef and kung pao chicken. The beef was fatty and unflavorful, and the dish had lots of of green and white onions--filler that goes straight to the trash can, since we don't like to eat onions. The kung pao chicken fared slightly better since it was heavy on the meat and used the green onions very sparingly, but it still was just average at best.


Kung pao chicken

As much as I like the idea of supporting restaurants that are independent and unique, Panda Express and Pickup Stix are both much better than this place. Golden Tiger is one of the few restaurants in the area that offers delivery, but I'd rather get in my car and grab some better food for takeout. If you live in the area and really want some food delivered, a better option is Thai Kitchen.

Golden Tiger Chinese Restaurant

1494 Madera Road
Simi Valley, CA 9306
805.520.9022
Golden Tiger website
Golden Tiger menu

Restaurant Review #239: Blue Table, Agoura Hills

Italian sub - $8.99

I love Blue Table. It's so pristine that if it weren't for the constant stream of customers, I'd gladly eat off the burgundy-stained concrete floor. Everything, from the gourmet dry goods to the display-case salads to the plated sandwiches, is gorgeous to look at.

In total, there are 16 varieties of sandwiches (two of which are vegetarian). We tried the Italian sub, which has salami, prosciutto cotto, mortadella, provolone, dijon aioli, lettuce, tomato, and Italian “salsa”. Mortadella, in case you were wondering, is kind of like baloney. Since we weren't sure what it was and didn't know if we would like it, they kindly put it on the side. The sandwich was pretty filling--you could get by on half if you weren't too hungry. We also tried the Ellen's Special, a hot panini with turkey, ham, goat cheese, fig-onion jam, and garlic aioli--a unique and delicious combination of ingredients that I should really try to recreate at home. Both sandwiches came with a small side salad of high-quality, super-fresh greens.

In addition to sandwiches, the deli serves a variety of soups, salads, pizzas, and sweets. The chewy, freshly baked cookies ($1.50 each) taste even better than homemade ones and make a great dessert option. To drink, there are a variety of artisan juices, sodas, teas, and waters in the cooler, but you can also get a can of Diet Coke or glass of tap water if you want.


Ellen's Special - $7.99

Order at the counter and someone will bring your food to your table, if you can get one. At noon on a Tuesday, we were lucky to get one of the few indoor tables (they're painted blue, naturally). There are only four--a secluded table for two, two four-tops, and a long communal table. There's patio seating, too, but the view of the vast parking lot isn't exactly ambient. If I went back, I'd prefer to do takeout.


Gourmet foods

If the sandwiches, salads, and sweets weren't enough to drool over, Blue Table sells an assortment of dry and frozen gourmet foods like pasta, pickles, fruit spreads, gelato, sorbet, and pasta sauce.


Whizin's shopping center

One minor note of caution: the Google Maps directions to Blue Table are not entirely accurate. If you follow them, you'll end up on the backside of Canyon Club. Drive around to the front entrance of Canyon Club to find Blue Table, past The Latigo Kid and before all the antique stores. The shopping center appears eerily dated but is backdropped by Agoura's beautiful golden and tree-studded hills.

Blue Table is a delicious find with interesting choices, fresh ingredients and top-notch service, even during the peak of the lunch rush. I recommend it highly. 

Blue Table

28912 Roadside Drive
Agoura Hills, CA 91301-3304
(818) 597-2583
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm
Also located in Calabasas
Blue Table website
Blue Table menu

Restaurant Reivew #237: Thai Kitchen, Simi Valley

Papaya Salad

Thai Kitchen has some pretty great Thai food, and not just for Simi Valley standards (North Hollywood isn't that far away, after all). I tried my three favorite Thai dishes--papaya salad, pad kee maw with beef, and pad Thai with tofu to see how they measured up.

The papaya salad was the one dish that didn't impress me--for the price, I felt that it wasn't a lot of food. The tomatoes were of the mealy, refrigerated variety--which is usually the case with restaurant tomatoes--and, for my taste, there were too many different veggies and not enough papaya. Also, while I appreciate the use of fresh rather than dried shrimp, and I know that shrimp aren't cheap, it would have been nice to get more than one shrimp in my salad.


Pad Kee Maw

The pad kee maw was not quite as spicy or as flavorful as the one from Krua Thai--I don't think any pad kee maw will ever beat Krua's. And I like mine with mint, which this version didn't have. I also thought it could use more meat and red bell peppers, but overall, it was still a tasty dish that I would order again.


Pad Thai

The pad Thai was really spectacular--totally comparable with Krua Thai (my standard of Thai food, in case you hadn't noticed). Best of all, you have the option to order it spicy--and they will actually make it lip-tinglingly spicy if you ask. I also thought this dish was a good value for the price--I could easily make two meals out of it for $8.

However, it was only totally spectacular on my first visit. On my second visit, I guess another cook was in the kitchen, and the dish wasn't as good as the first time. I still plan to go back, though, in the hope that my third experience will match my first.

Thai Kitchen doesn't offer much in the way of ambiance. It's located in an unattractive shopping center and the interior is pretty blah. This restaurant appears to do mostly takeout and delivery business. Thankfully, they are very quick to prepare meals for takeout and they have a low delivery minimum--just $15.

Overall, I think the service, food, and prices are all better than average and I would recommend Thai Kitchen.

Thai Kitchen

995 East Los Angeles Avenue
Simi Valley, CA 93065-1879
(805) 581-8049
Thai Kitchen menu

Restaurant Review #233: Firehouse Cafe, Simi Valley

California Fireman omelet with hash browns - $7.75

Sitting in Firehouse Cafe, you'll feel like you've been transported out of Southern California and into a friendly Midwestern city--say, St. Louis. There's zero pretense at this affordable, no-frills breakfast and lunch joint. The flooring is charcoal gray industrial carpet, the chairs are standard-issue black metal with padded vinyl seats, and the white walls are somewhat haphazardly adorned with photos and firefighting memorabilia and gear. Red accents throughout, including diner stools at the counter, contribute to the firehouse theme. The space is just one big, rectangular open room, so there's no sense of intimacy at any of the tables, but at least the tables are spaced well apart. The restaurant was busy late on a Sunday morning and we felt lucky to get the only open table.


Huevos rancheros - $6.95

The coffee doesn't break with the restaurant's no-frills vibe--it's of the coffee-pot-on-a-burner variety, so if you're into the gourmet stuff, be warned. But it does come with free refills. The breakfast menu offers everything you'd expect at and is served all day (which, most days, means all morning and early afternoon). I love omelets, but can only make a mediocre one myself, so that's what I almost always order at breakfast joints. Firehouse Cafe's version met my expectations--fluffy, cheesy (swiss), and stuffed with bacon and veggies (mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, avocado). Our food arrived in a reasonable time frame and the portions were so generous that we had ample leftovers. (Not that leftover omelets are terribly appetizing, but I hate wasting food.) The lunch menu offers more than 30 sandwiches, 16 firefighting-themed burgers, and several salads, plus standard appetizers like mozzarella sticks and potato skins. They also serve dinner on Fridays.

The service is supposed to be friendly here, but our waitress seemed like she'd much rather be somewhere else. This wouldn't prevent me from giving the restaurant a second try, though, given my positive experience with the atmosphere, food, and price tag. 

Firehouse Cafe

1244 Sycamore Dr
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805.527.9598
Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Fri 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Firehouse Cafe Menu

Restaurant Reivew #231: Corner Bakery Cafe

Poblano Fresco with roasted chicken

You remember the old SAT question:

Barnes and Noble : Borders
Corner Bakery Cafe : _______?

a) Chili's
b) Panera Bread
c) Ono Hawaiian BBQ
d) Pizza Hut

Yes, the correct answer is B. (Isn't it always?) Corner Bakery Cafe (CBC) and Panera Bread are essentially the same restaurant, except that CBC's empire is not as geographically widespread. But thankfully, unlike Borders and Barnes and Noble, it's not just that one is green and the other is red: the two bakery cafes actually sell different things. Well, different-tasting things. Both serve breakfast, salads, soups, sandwiches, panini, bakery sweets, fresh bread, bagels, lemonade, and coffee. CBC is better if you want a hot breakfast; Panera is better if you want a bagel (they have more flavors). CBC also serves pasta, which Panera does not. Both rotate their soup flavors according to the day of the week, but their only overlapping soup flavor is broccoli cheddar. Panera's You Pick Two is a more liberal version of CBC's Corner Bakery Combo, which limits the types of salad you can get with your half sandwich, though Panera does charge extra for its more elaborate salads. Both offer five panini options, each with different types of meat and each with one vegetarian option. Both have an Asian salad, a Greek salad, and a caesar salad, but CBC forays into non-lettuce-based salads with options like egg salad and pasta caprese salad.

I don't think I can provide any kind of unbiased assessment of which one is better--I used to work for Panera, and I remember it as one of the best jobs I ever had. I didn't even get sick of the food after eating it every day. But I do think Corner Bakery Cafe is a worthy competitor.

Corner Bakery Cafe
1555 Simi Town Center Way
Simi Valley, CA 93065
(and many, many other locations in 11 states and the District of Columbia)
805.306.1892
Corner Bakery Cafe website
Corner Bakery Cafe menu
Hours:
Mon - Sun: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Restaurant Review #229: Lazy Dog Cafe, Thousand Oaks

Black and bleu pizza - $11.95

For a group evening out in Ventura County, I attempted to steer everyone toward my favorite German/Italian restaurant, Two Guys from Italy, but was mysteriously overruled in favor of the Lazy Dog Cafe, a local suburban chain restaurant that I'm sure receives a lot of its business from its proximity to the Thousand Oaks Muvico theater (other locations are in in Westminster, Orange, Irvine, Torrance, and Temecula). Good luck getting a table on Saturday night at 7:00 unless you want to hold onto a plastic buzzer for the next hour. There are few things I hate more than waiting for a table at a generic restaurant. I kind of wanted to stay home. Okay, I really wanted to stay home.

Now put all my grumping aside, because this place actually has a lot going for it. The hamburgers are unbelievable, and they'll actually cook them medium rare. For what is largely a pizza and burger place, you might be surprised to learn that they also serve braised lamb shank and cast-iron baked trout with a citrus-walnut brown butter sauce. They also serve pasta, soup, salad, Chinese food (I'm skeptical), sandwiches, and an unusual array of starters--you can get everything from hummus to sauteed eggplant to chicken wings. There's really something for everyone (they also have a kid's menu--you can guess what's on it).

Lazy Dog Cafe also wins points from me for its actual beer menu with 16 draft beers, including 5 of their own (which can be ordered as a tasting sampler totaling 3o ounces), Rogue Hazlenut Brown, Firestone Double Barrel Ale, and a rotating selection of seasonal beers. Your inner sorority girl will be happy to know that they also serve a plethora of cocktails and martinis; those who have (or pretend to have) more refined sensibilities will appreciate the long and reasonably priced wine list.


Cheeseburger -$8.95

I ordered the black and bleu pizza, a thin-crusted, hubcap-sized pie topped with cajun chicken, hickory-smoked bacon, mozzarella, carmelized onions, blue cheese, diced tomatoes, and green onions. I know I enjoyed it at the time, but I should have eaten it all in one sitting because the leftovers were a soggy mess that marred my opinion of the dish. I also tried the pepperoni pizza, which is totally worth the heart attack you will definitely have if you eat that much pepperoni in one sitting. (For someone who adores pizza, I really should venture outside of the Red Baron box more often.)

Another dish I got to sample since we dined in a large group was the fish and chips. It was exactly what you'd expect it to be--thick hunks of cod, beer-battered and deep fried until golden, crispy, and dripping with grease and generously salted. If you ate the whole platter, you'd be good to go for at least a day, calorie-wise. It was delicious and paired wonderfully with my beer, but I couldn't have eaten a whole meal of it--it's just too one-note for me. But fish-and-chips lovers should be pleased.

The name of the restaurant is terribly misleading, though. Knowing nothing about the place beforehand, I assumed it was some sort of dog-friendly sidewalk cafe (but Toto, we're not in Venice anymore). In actuality, it is like an enormous Chili's, minus the southwestern tiles (for those of you well-versed in suburban restaurants, it's actually more like BJ's). And it's not the easiest place to hold a conversation, especially if you're with a large group--I could have laid down in the middle of our table for eight and there still would have been enough room for all the plates and drinks. So sit next to, not across from, the person you most like.

Two of us were out the door for only $40, and that included two entrees (with leftover pizza), a beer, some cranberry juice, and it's possible that someone may have talked me into taking a chocolate cake shot even though I am morally opposed to paying $6 for two ounces of alcohol. Maybe I was trying to prove that I can still drink like a 23-year-old.

Lazy Dog Cafe
172 West Hillcrest Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805.449.5206
Lazy Dog Cafe Website
Lazy Dog Cafe Menu
Hours:
Sun 10am - 11pm
Mon - Thur 11am - 11pm
Fri - Sat 11am - midnight

Restaurant Review #226: Ken of Japan, Simi Valley

Spicy mayonnaise--err, spicy scallop roll

Ken of Japan serves the kind of sushi that I used to like--before I moved to California. I knew what I was probably getting myself into by choosing a restaurant that was both Japanese steakhouse and sushi restaurant. But on the other hand, if I had ruled out O2 based on the teriyaki chicken and teriyaki filet mignon that appear on its menu, I never would have found an almost Westside-caliber sushi restaurant in sleepy Simi Valley.


Yellowtail nigiri

So to Ken of Japan I went. We called to make a reservation. For some reason we couldn't have a 7:00 slot for four people--granted, we made the request at 6:00, but you don't expect to be refused a reservation time in the suburbs. Especially when the restaurant is almost entirely empty when you arrive. Who knows why they didn't think they could or didn't want to seat us earlier.


Eel cucumber roll

The menu is expansive. A photo menu of different sushi rolls shows most of the options available, though because of (I'm guessing) space limitations, it is not entirely clear on all the ingredients that are in each roll. Most of the rolls seem to contain crab (or fake crab, as the case may be) or spicy tuna. So while there appears to be a wide variety of interesting sushi on the menu, if you don't like these two items, you'll find yourself mostly limited to the usual stuff. And the usual stuff, like the dry yellowtail nigiri I ordered, is not very good. With sushi, there is no acceptable middle ground. Either the fish is top notch, or it's just not appetizing to eat raw. And with globby, spicy, mayonnaisey rolls, the quality of fish takes a backseat. So why pay a raw fish premium when you're mostly just eating rice and sauce? (As some consolation, the spicy scallop roll was genuinely spicy.)


Spicy tuna tempura roll

If you're the kind of sushi eater who likes spicy tuna tempura rolls (quick, eat them before they get soggy!) and doesn't really like raw fish, you'll probably be quite happy at Ken of Japan. Like I said, the selection is considerable. The portion sizes are also huge, especially if you're used to Westside restaurants, and the prices are reasonable (even bordering on inexpensive). We ordered way too much sushi. Each roll had eight large pieces--not the small six pieces I am used to. I kind of wish our waitress had commented that we might be ordering too much food. But I guess it's not really the staff's job to discourage you from spending money.


Salmon mango roll

As I alluded to in my comments about the reservations, I was disappointed in the service. The mango salmon roll came stuffed, unexpectedly, with crab. When we mentioned it to the waiter, he had no interest in having the roll remade or taking it off the bill, but only asked us if we wanted to box it up and take it home. (I'm not a fan of the "customer is always wrong" philosophy of business.) A take-home box didn't exactly solve the problem for the people who couldn't eat crab (yes, even fake crab). Also, the quality of mango used in the roll was pretty much what you'd expect for the dead of winter--so why is the restaurant even serving it? A place like Kiriko in West LA would never try to pass off a roll made with pale, almost crunchy mango as one of its top offerings--it wouldn't even serve it.


Teriyaki chicken and beef

The non-sushi-eaters in our party ordered a combination plate that came with teriyaki beef, teriyaki chicken, spicy chicken, eggrolls, salad, and miso soup. The salad had a mayonnaise-based dressing (surprise) that wasn't appetizing to anyone, so those went back to the dishwasher untouched. The miso soup had bits of fried tempura batter in it (intentionally), which tasted better than it sounds, though soggy bits of batter aren't very appetizing. The teriyaki meats were both dry and inunspired. The spicy chicken was a winner, though.


Spicy chicken

Ken's serves beer, wine, and sake plus cocktails made with soju, a Korean distilled liquor considered comparable to vodka in taste but that doesn't seem to require a full-blown liquor license (Musha in Santa Monica also serves beer, wine, and soju cocktails). We didn't try any of the drinks, though.

You've probably guessed that this isn't my kind of restaurant and I won't be going back. If it sounds appealing to you (plenty of Yelpers like it), save a few bucks by picking up a gift certificate on Restaurant.com before you dine. Look for a coupon code online to get your $25 certificate for as little as $2--Restaurant.com is always having sales.

Also, I should point out that while we chose to sit at a regular table for the peace and quiet and privacy, Ken of Japan also has a room with communal, Benihana-style tables and cooking.



Ken of Japan
4340 Cochran Street
Simi Valley, CA 93063-2352
(805) 527-6490

Restaurant Review #225: Pho So 1, Simi Valley

Charbroiled beef, eggrolls, vermicelli, and vegetables

If you want Vietnamese food in Ventura County, you don't have a lot of options. There's Pho Saigon in Port Hueneme, Pho Oxnard (guess where), and two branches of local chain Pho So 1, which has been around for 20 years. After those, Yelp! starts suggesting Thai and Chinese restaurants. Or you can drive, for a long time, to get the really good stuff in San Gabriel or Orange County.

Pho So 1, tucked in a corner of Simi Valley near the old Mervyn's where it can be surprisingly hard to find a parking space, looks and tastes like every other Vietnamese restaurant you've ever been to. You already know what's on the menu--pho, bun, charbroiled meats, traditional Vietnamese specialties, and assorted fruity shakes. The restaurant has a large, wide open dining room, plain tile floors, and a flatscreen TV. Like all Vietnamese restaurants, you'll find plenty of chopsticks, spoons, and an assortment of hot sauces on every table. The only thing that sets this restaurant apart is that the servers watch their customers walk up to the restaurant and are standing there, menus in hand, ready to seat you the moment you walk in. And within five minutes of ordering, your food will be on your table, piping hot and tasting freshly made even though it couldn't possibly have been. Now that's service.

Shrimp and beef sauteed with lemongrass and pepper and rice

I don't love Pho So 1--nothing is quite as flavorful as it could be--but it will do in a pinch. The prices are almost as good as Jack in the Box, but the food is more interesting and the portions are larger. If you'd like to try something familiar, consider the shrimp and beef sauteed with lemongrass and pepper (which can also be ordered sans shrimp). If you like Panda Express, you'll like this dish. Really, my only actual complaint about the food is that the "pork" that comes with the bun is a blubbery, pink, fatty pork that I've seen at other Vietnamese restaurants but can't bring myself to eat. I'm not sure if every pork dish on the menu uses this meat, but if you don't have a sense of adventure, ask the waiter first, or stick to beef or chicken. And I would not agree with the restaurant's website that their pho is #1.

Pho So 1 is good for a quick, casual, inexpensive meal any day of the week. When you're ready to pay, just take the menu pad ordering slip from your table up to the register. Unlike many Vietnamese restaurants I've been to, they do accept Visa and Mastercard. Also worth noting: they don't close midday, so if you've missed every other option for lunch, Pho So 1 can accommodate you.

Pho So 1
2837 Cochran St.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
Tel: (805) 306-1868
Hours: 9:00 am - 9:45 pm daily
Pho So 1 website