That's a good question! I think I can, but it's not like I hate turkey and love chicken. I can not tell any differance between chicken and cornish game hen.

Some of the best lobster I ever ate were the west coast ones we caught a few hours before cooking them in the camp fire.

Try as I might, I cannot taste a difference between a Maine lobster and a west coast one. That said, the 1st lobster roll I had was in Boston and it was great!

FISH TACOS

BevMo, walking distance.....LOL

I'll walk oveer to WLA BevMo and check it out--thanks a lot!!

CIOPPINO

I love Reeds ginger beer and can find it everywhere. I just heard of Fever Tree's Ginger Beer and want to give it a try. Someplace in WLA would be nice.

A hot dog or Polish sausage at Costco -- $1.50,

I think this is the best food deal in CA and the rest of the US.

Ps-I like the hot Dog a lot better than the Polish sausage

Ana Maria's chile relleno burrito is an every other week treat for me. The CRs sell out sometimes, so I take an early lunch that day!

I also had the Tacos Por Favor version, but I think if I HAD to pick I'd go with Ana Maria's.

I'll try both again this month.

PS--When I go to Riverside I stop at Tony's near Central and University for a very good CRB!

BURRITOS

Ended up not going--just went home after the game...

Sorry

Mybe at home base they will do better...

We may give it a try.....

Thanks

I'll be in Maywood this weekend.

Found this post from a year ago, wow sounds great. Maybe go for lunch Saturday.

Still open or any updates??

Or go someplace else nearby?

Thanks

The Norms on Pico is a great place to eat. Can't speak about anyother Norms, but this one is good.

We find ourselves in the same position a lot. We want pizza and for a safe, consistant, not very much money pick it is always Costco. The honest truth is we find very few places can beat it in taste and price.

First I've heard of a hot shrimp cocktail or even a warm one.

NO SEE'S CANDY??? (because that's what I'd want!)

Is Knott's Berry Farm Jam a local item or can it be bought easily in NY? My 2nd pick.

I think the reason for the special ire is that Santa Monica Seafoods should have the best seafood. The other stores can be hit or miss, but a seafood store rightfully has higher expectations.

The coach really likes C & O Trattoria, so how could I turn him down (GREAT bread!!)

WOW-a few baked potatos would be great for homefrys the next morning!

Those pastas are very bad-I'm not realy sure why that is.

Got moved to Saturday. I'll add Marie Calender's, Islands, and Buca di Beppo to the mix!

I really like the soups at Soup Plantation, nice salad selection. We go at least every other week.

Presented all the recommendations tonight to the parents and the winner is ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Maria's Kitchen.

One of the other parents will reach out and set things up. I'll be back if things don't work out.

Thanks for the heavy lifting Chowhounds!! There are VERY few places that fill all the requirements.

BTW--I was pulling for TLT, but Maria's Kitchen was my 2nd pick. Have to try TLT on our own soon.

Thanks westsidegal

I feel a little dumb that I never heard of TLT despite living within walking distance.

Some great ideas!

I have ate at Maria's Kitchen and thought it was OK-I would have forgot about it.

I haven't ate at Plan Check, but agree parking would be hard.

Pitfire Pizza may define the place nobody goes to anymore because it is too busy all of the time, right?

Westside Tavern may be just a little too $$.

Yelp really tears into Hokkaido Seafood and sort of scares me.

Talpa or Don Antonio's?? Maybe these and Maria's Kitchen, BJ's Brewery or CPK can work too.

Thanks so much for the help!

Dinner will take place on Friday, December 14, around 5:30-6:00

Ten 3rd grade boys, almost all with two parents each going as well. So it would be great to seat around 30 at the same time. Someplace the grown ups can relax (with good (at least not bad) food and a drink or two) and the kids still have fun.

Totally open as to type of food, price sort of open too (but don't go too high)

Center on Webster middle school, near 405/10 intersection-so not a far drive on a Friday would be nice too..

I know I'm asking for a lot....any ideas??

Thanks for the advice on the final drive to camp Trask--it was right on!
We went to Din Tai Fung in Arcadia and it was great. The dish of the night was the pork dumplings; we should have got 2 orders (funny how the pork and vegetable ones weren't as good). They were out of pork buns and again, the vegetable bun wasn’t that good. The broccoli/garlic dish was very good, as was the fried pork noodles. I only complaint about these was that when we split these dishes 3 ways, we didn’t get very much.
We started with chicken wonton soup, which was good (the wontons were my favorite item).
We got out of Din Tai Fung for a bit over $50 (nothing to drink but the tea and water helped us keep things down). Service was great.

Thanks for all the advice! We'll make the call Friday afternoon and I'll report back next week.

Sorry to say Big Shrimps Fish Grill is out (for some reason my son has made up his mind that he now does not like seafood)