Azizeh Barjesteh's Profile
Looking for B & J's Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
I found mine about a week or maybe two ago at Pavillions here in Santa Monica. I looked at Vons before that, and they didn't have it. Haven't tried it yet, but good luck !
Where in SF can I buy Orange Flower Water?
I don't live in SF, but any Persian or middle eastern market will have it, next to the rose water. You will also be able to find it at gourmet food stores, often times, but it's far more expensive.
No Dunkin' Donuts in SoCal = crime (moved from LA)
Damn it, the same thing just happened in Vegas too. They're in charge of the cream (which isn't cream, skim or whole milk only.) But at least I got to put my own sugar in this time.
Restaurants with "Rules"
I'm pretty much okay with rules like these. I only dislike it when the place treats you as though they are doing you a favor by letting you eat there and you're lucky to be giving them your money. Attitude is everything.
Was I rude?
They say the worst etiquette is pointing out other people's bad etiquette, but in this situation, you were somewhat doing him a favor.He really should know that it's a bad practice to pile dishes in front of people. Although, depending on your tone and language, he could've assumed that you were just a weird, particular person and this is some quirk of yours. So, maybe explaining it further or talking to the manager would be good.
As for piling dishes on someone's arm, that's a pretty common practice. It shouldn't happen in a very nice restaurant, but fast-paced, busy restaurants encourage their staff to be as effective as possible.
How long do you linger at the table after you finish eating at a restaurant?
I pretty much always leave within 5 minutes of finishing and paying. I'm probably hyper-aware because I work as a server. One table of campers can ruin your whole night. We're only given 3 tables because we're very focused on service. So, we own our section. If one of those tables wants to sit all night, there goes 1/3 of my income. It has also happened where I've been done with the rest of my tables, we're closed, my side work is done, and I'm stuck waiting for my last table to go home. It definitely sucks, but it all par for the course.
Some people will say things like, "Just tell us when you need this table again!" -But really, there's no tactful way (or way that wont get me fired) to tell someone to get up, there are people waiting. So, I guess if you're really concerned, ask the server if they have other open tables in their section currently. If they say yes, you can relax for a little while longer.
"Best" Costco Cheese Selection
I was just at the one near me in Marina Del Rey (or Culver City technically) and they had a new section for cheeses. I picked up some English Cotswold for about 1/2 of what I usually pay at Bristol Farms, and it was in a air sealed package instead of just the plastic wrap that tends to let the cheese mold quickly.
Absolut LA vodka--where is it?
Beverage Warehouse in Culver City looks to have it.
www.beveragewarehouse.com
you can do a search, and it came up.
http://www.beveragewarehouse.com/search/more_info.php?item_id=9235
Amaretto Syrup
I would check Cost Plus, as they have a large variety of those coffee syrups, as well as Surfas in Culver City, if not too far.
Mexican Coca Cola Alert
Yep. Glacier has em. Dublin Dr Pepper too (which is all I care about.)
I also saw them last night at Joe's Pizza (individually) in Santa Monica. As well as by the case at Beverage Warehouse in Culver City.
Dabbing on some makeup at the dinner table...
From the etiquette I've read, lipstick or lipgloss is fine as long as you can do it without a mirror. If you need a mirror, you go to the bathroom.
It's pretty rude to whip out a mirror and stare at yourself while at a dinner table with other people.
"What is wrong with you... have you no tastebuds?"
I just entertained a girl like that. She came along with a friend for a weekend visit. She only likes chicken, or well done steak. Her normal dinners are drive thru fare. I'm not a food snob, but man, it just really grossed me out. She doesn't like vegetables, rarely eats fruit. Of course, she's overweight and has bad skin. I just thought about what a turnoff it would be to date someone like that. I couldn't do it, no matter how great they were. My friend, on the other hand is very adventurous, so I had to find places with a good mix of things. It was fine for a weekend, but not as a regular event.
My boyfriend is slightly picky. He's not a fish person at all, but he'll happily accompany me to sushi. He'll get a simply shrimp roll or some teriyaki and tempura. And he never complains. It's the complaining and sour faces that ruin a meal.
Salad in Santa Monica
I also like CCC a lot. Their chicken is pretty bland, though. I only go for their salads, and the veggies + dressing make up for it.
westside chinese food
I like Fu's Palace. But, we only really go there when I want sizzling rice soup, which is somewhat hard to find.
The food is pretty typical Americanized chinese food. I think it's good, but not great, from what I've had. I may need to learn which dishes are their best. The service is always friendly, they speak english, take credit cards, and I'll probably keep going back unless I find something better, closer to Santa Monica.
We are only having drinks, but you don't want our business
People here are assuming that everyone is as courteous as we are. We're on a board that focuses on food/restaurants, so we know the rules and norms. Most people do not. So, while we may only have drinks, not linger without ordering something new, and tip generously, many wont. Many people will order 1 drink each, nurse it, and need refills of free water. If there is free bread to be had, they may want that too.
Where I work, we have a 3 table section. We're very focused on customer service, hence the small section. On any given night, having 1 or 2 tables of campers can cut your income in half. Rarely, and I mean RARELY do people say, "Thank you letting us hold this table so long" and tip you to offset the time. In a year and a half it's happened to me twice. Maybe three times. We have bar tables, and while the restaurant has people waiting, the bar tables are for dining only. It simply isn't fair to the diners who are standing around hungry and want dinner, nor is it fair to a server for lost a 4-top to a $22 check. Sure, we can take the attitude that a customer has the right to order whatever they want, but servers losing money consistently will result in high turnover. No one really benefits from that.
Also, some restaurants do not want to encourage a party atmosphere. It's a restaurant, not a bar. The bar is there to compliment the menu. If it's a place with a margarita machine, it's another story.
Once again, this rule is only in place when we are on a wait. If the place is empty and there isn't hungry people lingering in the lobby, we encourage people to sit where they want, order what they want, take their time. I see both sides here.
Ripper hot dogs???
Yeah, sorry. I just copied it wrong. Teach me to do things by hand instead of cut and paste :)
Ripper hot dogs???
There's a new place called Fab Hot Dogs in Reseda
www.fabhotdogs.com
6747 Tampa Avenue
Reseda CA 91335
818-344-4336
And they, very proudly, serve Rippers. I haven't had one, so I can't attest to anything other than they have 'em.
R&D Kitchen debuts on Montana Ave.
This is true at all Hillstone restaurants. When the restaurant is busy and people are waiting, they don't allow people to hold up tables just to drink.
They're known for their long wait times, so they try to minimize it. Also, the reason service is so good is that Hillstone servers only get 3 tables each. They own their section. So, if they have 2 tables just sitting and nursing a couple drinks, it can really ruin their night.
I imagine that if you go during a non-peak time (after the novelty has worn off) you will be able to sit at the bar. They wont turn away customers when others aren't waiting.
So, Even if You Eat Out, Are You Tipping Less?
Nope.
"If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out," -My Mom.
Beware when the Waiter asks "Have you been here before?"
Yeah, I don't see the logic here. Why would a server want you to have a bad experience? Their tip depends on you being happy. Even if they aren't the ones cooking your food, it all affects things. Do you think they have a box of crappy steaks in the back that they reserve for first timers?
I have never asked this question before, but I know that if I can tell my guests are familiar with our menu, I spend less time explaining things. If it's part of a corporation, they probably have a little speech they're supposed to give to first time guests.
Missing spoons and other cost saving abominations
I agree with you, Mojo. The amount of time it would take to wash all these unused spoons wouldn't be worth it. I can't think of a time where I served something that didn't come with a spoon and had the guest ask for a spoon. Of course, where I work, we are very careful to mark the tables with spoons for desserts, coffee, soup.
It's the same as asking someone if they want cream with their coffee. No reason to waste.
As far as bread goes, I'd rather it be by request only than to worry about the more unsavory places that "re-use" uneaten bread. Bleh!
Sushi in Long Beach?
Sushi Studio on PCH is my favorite. But, it's mostly inventive rolls that have things like tempura, mango, peppers, and other things that make for interesting flavors. I know they have sashimi, but I haven't tried it. Everything has always been fresh, and the prices are low. $6-13 per order.
I Want Fries, the Sweet Potato Kind
Gotta agree with this. Best sweet potato fries I've had. I also crave the horseradish mayo that goes with them.
Bristol Farms Bakery counter: good?
I agree with everyone else. Everything is "eh."
I've never had anything offensive, but I've only stuck to the cookies and those layered filo dough things. We called them elephant ears when I was growing up, but I can't recall the actual name.
That's what I hate about bakeries. Everything looks amazing. Never any way to know unless you try.
L. A. Times rips Gladstones
Ahh, okay. When I was at Gladstones, the person who did the doggy bag foil thing was our server. Maybe they have a guy just for the foil tricks.
Margarita made with fresh juice (not mix) anywhere from studio city to the westside
Houston's makes their margarita mix from scratch every day. Does that count?
With the economy the way it is, PLEASE support your favorite local restaurants!!!!!
Yep.
I work at a nice small chain of highly successful restaurants. Our store is down $40,000 from last month. We're at no risk of losing our jobs, thanks to an owner that understands economy shifts, but we're a lot less busy. The rushes aren't lasting like they were. We used to have people standing in the lobby waiting to eat every night of the week. Now, just weekends.
I also hear people complain about the prices going up on things like fish. The gas prices affect everyone. Even if we're owned by a big company, there's no reason to keep the doors open if a profit isn't made.
L. A. Times rips Gladstones
Did she just get the server fired? She said his name and age and how he said bad things about the food. Maybe at Gladstone's they wont care, but where I work, I'd be quickly terminated.
Either way, the one time I visited Gladstone's (in Long Beach) I made a mental note to never return. It was right by my old house, but still. Now I live right by the Malibu location and have zero interest in it.
Savannah Grill in Century City
I wouldn't bother.
I was there a few weeks ago. I had the beef stroganoff, made with filet mignon. The filet was so overcooked that it was chewy and I wondered why they bothered to use filet at all. My friend had a burger, which was just a burger. The mac n cheese wasn't cheesey, just a sour creamish thin sauce on top. Eh. The service was close to being bad. We had to ask for refills, and when asked for suggestions on their cocktails he said they don't get to try them, so he doesn't know. The food runners kept getting the tables wrong, and when they would arrive, they'd auction the food off, "Who had the steak?" -They just didn't know where things were going. We were never offered the chocolate souffle ahead of time (like the table next to us) so we had to wait 30 minutes for them to bake it. It was good, but most souffles are.
While Houston's had a 70 minute wait, we were able to just walk into Savannah and the place was always half empty. So, I think that says a lot, too.
potatoes: no class!
I definitely do not care what they think. I just always find these things interesting. Doesn't mean I listen. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone starts complaining about how we do things. Ie, ice in cold drinks. "In Europe they don't use ice. If anything, there's 2-3 cubes." Ugh, great. You're not in Europe.
