Sandra W's Profile
Great croissant in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Noho, etc?
Too dry, not buttery enough.
PLEASE POST YOUR VOTES HERE: Ultimate Los Angeles Restaurants 2011
Under $25:
Radhjani
Mantee
Langers
Jitlada
Chicken-Itza
best pastrami
Smoke City Market on Van Nuys Blvd. is serving their own version of pastrami. It's nothing like Langers, but very tasty if you're in the mood for a completely different flavor.
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Smoke City Market
5242 Van Nuys Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91401
Bamboo in Sherman Oaks - Never Again
My sister wanted to go to Bamboo for her birthday, yesterday. I talked her into trying Chi Dynasty. The best of the mediocre in the valley. Don't get their "famous" chicken salad. I've had it several times... the chicken is incredibly dry.
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Chi Dynasty
12229 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604
Vietnamese in Orange County
Vien Dong was a great recommendation. Had the bun cha ca Thang Long. FYI, it's catfish. It's now on my list of favorite dishes. Must go back. Thanks!
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Vien Dong
14271 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92843
Wonderful food in places off Chowhound radar? Lynwood, for example.
In the same mini-mall is Red Chili. My Pakistani friend says it is authentic Pakistani food. I haven't tried it yet. I've eaten in the Indian sweet/snack/grocery shop. They have a decent steam table in the back.
Wonderful food in places off Chowhound radar? Lynwood, for example.
Halal Gyro Pizza House, 18112 Parthenia in Northridge.
Forget the gyros. Forget the pizza. Order the Afghani food that's not on the menu. You'll see it on almost every table... leek stuffed bread, but best of all, Mantu... pasta skins stuffed with ground beef, covered in yogurt and tomato. Worth the drive!
Good game, Mr T.
Beoreks in North Hollywood
Little place opened up in a mini mall, corner of Vineland and Burbank. The awning still advertises video rentals. For a buck-fifty you can have a beef, cheese, spinach, or potato beorek. They do a few other things like maneishe and ajarski - all made with similar dough... crunchy on the outside, soft, inside. The beoreks are thinner than I'm used to. Just had the cheese and it was outstanding.
SIS
11009 Burbank Blvd.
NoHo taco shack - wow!
Yes, only it's covered in plastic tarps now, so it's difficult to spot.
NoHo taco shack - wow!
Stopped at a little shack today, set off the street on the east side of Vineland, just south of Oxnard. Sign says, "Tortas Ahogadas."
Had their barbacoa (beef). The meat was juicy, tender, and flavorful. Five tacos for five bucks. They specialize in all parts of the pig - feet, ears, etc. Will definitely be back for more.
Looking for dinner near--Studio City this Friday
I'm with you. I so wanted to like this place (Jinya).
New job in Burbank - where's the food?
Sweetsalt on Riverside. Salads and sandwiches.
http://www.sweetsaltfood.com/
Need chicken soup, 29th @ 2ND
I'm from out of town... bad cold. All I want is a big bowl of chicken soup. Anything in the area? Thanks.
New Year's Day dinner
Coming in from the west coast. Meeting family on New Year's Day in Boston. Looking for restaurant recommendations that won't break the bank. We're all adventurous eaters. What's open? TIA!
Chi Dynasty-Studio City, review & photos:
Sam Woo. Sometimes I crave their clams in black bean sauce. Great stuff!
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Sam Woo Cafe
727 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
We need a caterer for 60 creative folks in 2 weeks, please!
Try Giselle at Small Pleasures catering.
http://www.smallpleasurescatering.com/home/home.html
Sick in the valley
Don't forget Jinya, the newish ramen place near Tujunga & Ventura Blvd.
http://www.laweekly.com/2010-07-22/eat-drink/jinya-ramen-freaks-and-noodle-geeks/
Read, realized and confused - please HELP!
Warning about Din Tai Fung... the juicy/soup dumplings are amazing. The rest of the food is only so-so.
I second Langers for the best pastrami sandwich ever!
I'd also recommend going to the Mercado la Paloma, downtown. Several food stalls, including two really great ones... Chichen-Itza for Yucatanean/Mexican (you must have the panuchos and a cochinita pibil taco), and Mo-Chica for Peruvian. FYI, Mo-Chica is closed on Sundays.
http://www.mo-chica.com/
http://www.chichenitzarestaurant.com/index.htm
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Din Tai Fung Restaurant
1108 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
Mo-Chica
3655 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Looking for best fried chicken in the San Fernando Valley
Miss Peaches soul food on Lankershim, just north of Burbank. Not the best friend chicken in the world, but decent. Call to make sure they're open. Sometimes they shut down unexpectantly when they're catering.
http://www.misspeachesrest.com/
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Miss Peaches
5643 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
WIll be in Universal City for a meeting and looking for above average Dining spots from Sherman Oaks/ Studio City during Labor day weekend.
Moved to this area a year ago. There are some interesting/good restaurants, but you have to hunt.
Mantee: Mediterranean/middle eastern - Everyone I've taken here loves it. Make a reservation for the patio in the back if it's cool enough. Don't miss their "ravioli" traditional appetizer - ground meat and wheat, crispy, in a yogurt sauce.
http://www.manteecafe.com/index2.php?page=home
Hayat's Kitchen for middle eastern, hidden in the corner of a mini-mall. 11099 Burbank @ Vineland
Mofongos, Puerto Rican. Try the Mofongo with shrimp, specialty of the house.
http://www.mofongosrestaurant.com/
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Mantee
10962 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
Costa Rican in Van Nuys - Las Delicias
Pulled into an unfamiliar little mini-mall at lunchtime, a chowhound's paradise. All sorts of interesting restaurants, including Valerie's FuFu African (must go back and check it out.)
Las Delicias had a lunch buffet. Steam table. Food looked really good. Lots of people. I had their chicken stew, and a pork stew, black rice and beans, plantains. Big chunks of potatoes and carrots. Loved everything. Tased like home cooking, with lots of love. The man behind the counter who took my order, also went around to all the tables asking people how they liked their food.
As I looked around, I realized most of the people were probably Costa Rican, and very few were eating from the buffet. Beautiful looking carnitas, fajitas, potato hash, corn fritters.
Main courses run $10-13. Apps $3-5.
Las Delicias
15355 Sherman Way @ Van Nuys in Van Nuys
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Las Delicias Restaurant
15355 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Duck Buns in Chinatown?
Tried that item this week. Loads of duck meat, but absolutely NO flavor. The tortilla was soggy.
Tao Truck
Driving in the S.F. valley yesterday, lunch time. See this truck on Ventura Blvd., a block or so west of Tujunga. Hungry. Pulled over. Ordered two rolls, grilled pork and shrimp. Fabulous! Fresh, tasty, every bit as good as what I've eaten in Little Saigon. Said this was their second day. They'd be back today in the same location. I plan to return - so few trucks in the valley, and fewer good ones, still. Must try other things on their menu.
They don't seem to have figured out yet how to post where they are.
http://taotruck.com/menu/
Birthday in the Valley
I used to take my mom to the same restaurants. How about Robin Hood pub on Burbank for fish and chips? Or La Frite (there are two locations). D'Cache in Toluca Lake is also open for lunch.
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La Frite
15013 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
D'Cache
10717 Riversde Drive, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Anyone ever buy a Whole Roast Duck in Chinatown? ISO advice and recommendations
Lucky Deli on Broadway is my favorite in that area. Their roast pork is really good, too.
BESTS
Poutine with oxtail and cheddar cheese. Animal, on Fairfax. Go to the bar, order a drink and poutine. You'll thank me.
The Wonders of North Hollywood's La Fiesta Super Mall
I was there at noon the other day. They were closed. Do you know what time La Perla opens?
Firenze Osteria, NoHo
A friend picked this restaurant for us. She had eaten there previously and raved about it. She's not much of a food person, so I was dubious. Read the posts here and elsewhere, was kind of expecting the worst.
We split a poached pear salad - the usual, baby lettuce, blue cheese, carmelized walnuts, pears, pecorino and balsamic dressing. Nothing special, nothing awful. She ordered the braised short rib ravioli. Declared it heaven. It was good, not great. A little sweet, and the ravioli was a bit too al dente for my taste. I had the risotto with homemade sausage and mushroom sauce. Thank you to a poster who said their food was over salted. I requested low salt. It was wonderful. I love sausage and this was good. So was the mushroom sauce - nicely flavored, creamy consistency. The risotto was cooked perfectly. What a surprise.
Dessert, we split a panna cotta with berries and balsamic reduction. (Lots of balsamic on this menu.) I'm dubious about panna cotta because it can be rather bland. This was also very good.
Monday night, the place was packed. Service was good. After all the previous complaints about service, I was expecting the worst.
It's in my neighborhood. I'd go back. Maybe the chef is finally putting it together?
Maggie's Bakery in North Hollywood
This place deserves another shout-out! That chocolate rum-roll was extraordinary. Terrific baklava. Beautiful looking pastries, cookies and fruit tarts. They obviously do a lot of special occasion cakes. The mini-mall also has an Armenian grocery store with their own seasoned meats and an interesting deli case. Also a kabob restaurant, lots of lamb on their menu. I'll have to come back.
PLEASE POST YOUR VOTES HERE: Ultimate Los Angeles Restaurants 2009
Over:
Bazaar
Lucques
Ludo Bites
Babita
JiRaffe
Under:
Jitlada
Langers
Kobawoo
Jay Bharat (is that LA or OC?)
El Matador taco truck on Western
Woody's BBQ (if Jay Bharat gets knocked out)
