good, reasonably priced pizza in HK?

Great pizza can be an elusive target in Hong Kong. The place that Charles Yu is talking about is Pizza Express (I think), and is easily located by the smell of garlic and tomato that permates the air as you walk by. I'm always tempted to stop in and eat when I'm in the area. The pizza is okay... it resembles the stuff you're looking for, but is a far cry from any of the pizzerias in Naples (particularly the crust). I haven't found anything better in Hong Kong so far, though, and my search has been pretty extensive.

As far as the other chains go, Pepperonis is okay, as is Pizza Hut. Pizza Box is a Domino's franchise out here, but their cheese is this awful rubbery concoction (same for Pizza Hut, but maybe slightly higher in quality?). Good cheese and good sauce is hard to come by out here... Definitely try Pizza Express, though. I'm pretty sure they'll deliver through one of the various Island delivery services (Dial a Dinner, Ring a dinner, SoHo delivery, etc.).

Devourer in China & Southeast Asia

Any great chili (not chili my soul) on Westside?

Red Rock is okay if you're desperate for a chili fix. You can get a small cup (scoop, i think it's called? squint?) and a piece of bread for pretty cheap. I don't think their "dishes" stand up as well... they tend to hold back on the chili and the result is underwhelming (i've had the burrito, nachos, fries, baked potato, and spaghetti). I think my "favorite" is their standard, or the spicy version of the standard. The Cincinatti (i'm sure I spelled that wrong) version is interesting if you like that style, but I found it a touch greasy for my liking. It might go well with noodles, rice, or the potato.

All comments apply to the Century City red rock chili, as that's the only one i've been to.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Shabu Shabu - Best in LA?

I have to agree... Shabu Shabu House in little Tokyo is some of the best i've had (better, dare I say, than the shabu shabu in big Tokyo). It's the quality of the meat that makes the difference, really. It IS that good :)

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Sturgeon?

There's a place on La Brea (around Hollywood?) that has sturgeon. I think it might be called Uzbekistan (sorry for being so worthless!), but i'm not sure. Northeast corner, in a stripmall, it's the restaurant closest to La Brea.

I think i've also had sturgeon at Diaghilev, but I remember the tasty vodka most of all, and my food memory is sort of hazy...

edit: aha! Uzbekistan is at the intersection of La Brea and Sunset, and has sturgeon. If their menu pages are to be believed, you can get it cooked in a variety of ways. If I recall, sturgeon is a pretty fishy tasting fish with a meaty texture. It wasn't one of my favorites, but I don't know if that's the restaurant or the fish itself.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Echo Park/Silver Lake pizza spots

Just for the sake of accuracy, although many cultures "invented" a bread with toppings dish, people in Naples were the first to use tomato sauce (and arguably, the first to create what we recognize today as "pizza"). So, pizza isn't so much an Italian-American invention, as a culinary tradition brought over to the US.

If you ever get the chance to eat a pizza in Naples, I highly recommend trying it out. It's a far cry from the cheese and topping ladden creations you get from Domino's or Pizza Hut (I like them all).

Michelangelo's isn't bad. The crust is thin, and I didn't have a problem with toppings scarcity the few times i've been. Their pasta dishes are excellent. The only real problem I have is the parking situation is a pain. I seem to recall that Michelangelo's doesn't serve alcohol, but there's a store just across the street where you can pick up some wine and have it with your meal. I don't think there's a corkage fee, either, but my memory is a bit hazy on that one.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Langer's Hand Cut Pastrami - Overrated!

I totally agree with you, Mr Taster. I had a Katz sandwich for breakfast and a Langer's sandwich the next day just to compare the two. I preferred the Langer's sandwich because of the bread, but the Katz pastrami was a bit tastier on its own. Too similar in taste to make a big stink about how one was better than the other, though.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

"Sharing Fee" Told Afterwards

A total jerk who is in the SERVICE industry may well deserve to lose their livelihood over $6. It's not the money, really, it's the way you treat your customers. I've had people try and cheat me for as little as 50 cents and it still left me with a bad feeling. There are so many restaurants out there... why go to one that's going to charge you a "sharing" fee that's not on the menu and not disclosed when you order? What else might they come up with when you don't order enough to make your server happy? A bread and water fee?

If a restaurant gets good word of mouth business, I think it's only fair that the negatives get told as well. If i'm going to recommend a restaurant to friends, i'm going to make sure they know if there are charges that I consider unreasonable. It's part of the total experience, and a perfectly valid consideration when making a choice in restaurants. Why go to the place that tries to sneak in hidden charges when you can get food from someone nicer? The restaurant manager/owner doesn't deserve to have business... it's something they need to earn. Same with anyone else in the service industry.

Devourer in Not About Food

In-N-Out Burgers [moved from L.A. board]

McD's "hamburger university" is reserved for its management level staff. The "cooks" get their training on the line (not that any training is really necessary... you're basically cooking the meat patties with a press).

I love In N Out. I love Fat Burger even more!

Devourer in Chains

Zucca's -- recommendations?

I would not consider the meal I got at Zucca for $100 to be a "deal." I'm aware that's not a lot for many restaurants in Los Angeles, but Zucca (in my opinion) doesn't merit inclusion in that class of restaurants. I didn't get a whole bottle of wine, mind you... just two glasses. In the end, I thought I overpaid for the quality of food I received, but it certainly wasn't the worst meal I've had in LA.

I've often been overwhelmed by $1.00 tacos available at various taco trucks throughout the city, so I look to be overwhelmed by the food wherever I can, and regardless of price. I went to Zucca with no expectations, however, and left with those expectations pretty much fulfilled :)

Free corkage is a nice touch, but it would take much more than that for me to choose Zucca over any of the other $100+ for two restaurants in the city. I'm not trying to bash the restaurant needlessly, and I did note the pizzas were good. Having chosen Zucca on the basis of threads on this board, though, i'm just doing my duty by other Chowhounds to inform them that there are better choices than the "above-average quality" food available at this restaurant!

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Recommendation(s) for top 3 restaurants in LA? Cost not an issue

Providence (tasting menu... but be prepared for a lengthy dinner and a lengthy bill)
Cut (if you haven't eaten Kobe steak before and are curious)
Madeo (sort of an oddball here and not as "high end" as the others, but it's good Italian food, and i've always seen a celeb or two when i've gone)

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

My Lunches at Shamshiri, Flame and Shaherzad on Westwood Blvd.

If you're willing to eat beef, i'd say give Shamshiri another try. The beef kabob (barg, I think it is?) is amazingly tender. I usually get the beef kabob combo when I eat there, with rice (just rice... nothing outstanding). I agree with your assessment of the hummus, as i've been unimpressed the two or so times i've had it.

I don't know that i've noticed a difference between "Middle Eastern" and "Persian" kabobs... is it the spices? cooking method?

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Any suggestions on the best Spaghetti in LA?

Gotta second the food at Madeo... tasty, but pretty expensive. On the plus side, you can usually see a celeb or two eating at the restaurant, if that's your thing.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

ISO a better Fishwich

McDonald's has always used 1/2 a slice of "cheese" on their Filet O' Fish sandwiches (at least since 1996). The reason being that the fish patty is smaller than a whole slice of cheese, so they don't want it to be overwhelmed. As far as it being "cheese," I remember a tv commercial for the 1/4 lber stating that it had two slices of cheddar cheese product, so I guess it's not really close enough to cheese to satisfy their lawyers.

I, too, am much disappointed by the raise in price to $1.29 on Fridays, as I would look forward to $1 filet o' fish day for the entire week. I guess overfishing is starting to make an impact...

I haven't had a fish sandwich in LA that's better than the filet o' fish at McD's, but I second the vote for fish tacos (of any sort). What about KFC's codwich? They had the audacity to ask the Pope for his endorsement, so it must be good!

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

best all you can eat non hotel buffet

Fogo de chao is certainly all you can eat, and I love the meat there (along with the cheese bread), but it can be sort of pricey. There's variety to the extent that they have multiple meat choices, sides, and salads. Not a lot of different entree options, though. Also, it's a decent clip from LAX if your group has transportation concerns.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

For lovers of Indian Food: A Gem in K-Town

I'm a big fan of Makkah Halal. Good dishes and good service. Their rendition of bangan bartha is my favorite in the city. It's more of a puree than chunks of eggplant, and it has a really nice smoky flavor. Also, if you like your food at atomic levels of spiciness, they're happy to accomodate (and I mean atomic... last time I asked for "extra spicy," the dish almost made me cry), but will do mild as well. I don't think their chicken tikka masala is the greatest around, but the bartha makes up for it. Solid delivery or dine-in option in a location where good Indian food can be scarce.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Zucca's -- recommendations?

I wasn't particularly overwhelmed by my recent dining experience at Zucca, but the pizzas have promise. I had the zucca pizza (pumpkin/squash in lieu of tomato paste) and found it a bit rich and sweet for my liking. The goat cheese, prosciutto, and crust were quite tasty, though, so i'll probably try one of their marinara-base pizzas if I ever go again. My dining companion's lamb shank wasn't that memorable either, but at least it was edible. Those two entrees, a couple glasses of wine, and a shared polenta appetizer came out to a hefty chunk of change for two (100+ with tax and tip).

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Johnnie's Pastrami (review+pics)

I have Johnnie's every now and again when i'm in the neighborhood (although as previous posters have mentioned, the proximity of Markie D's makes going to Johnnie's sort of difficult) and I agree that it's a lighter, leaner sandwich. I think the one at Langers' is superiour due to the flavor of the meat and the quality of the bread, but I do like the atmosphere at Johnnie's.

Johnnie's has your standard chilli cheese fries... pasty, oily chilli and a generous helping of cheese. The fries are on the well-done side, and I like my CC fries kind of goopy, so I tend to let them soak in the grease and cheese for a while. Wow, I can feel my arteries clogging just thinking about it.

Last time I was there, the waitress mentioned that diners have recently taken to ordering extra dip with their sandwich, so it's something to consider if you like to dip your sandwiches.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Yum!susan -- REVIEW

Nice review. The "scorched rice" (noo roong ji bap) you mention is one of my favorites to receive at restaurants. It seems to help me digest, for some reason, but that just might be the soothing warmth of the tea/water used.

Hilarious typo on the website :)

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Mozza update-no squash blossoms

The day I visited Mozza, they were out of the arancini bolognese. I had read good things about them, so I was excited to try. The first time around I went, they were out of pizza dough (at lunch time, no less). It's sad to hear that they're still having supply problems, but it looks like the squash freeze is out of their control.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Mexican Pizza

Has anyone come across a good Taco Bellesque version of the Mexican Pizza (two crispy tortillas with assorted fillings and toppings)? I don't know how authentic it is, but i've had them in the midwest and prefer them to the "Mexican toppings on pizza crust" approach (called "taco pizzas" in the MW).

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Ice Cream/Frozen Treats in Downtown LA?

Thanks for the recommendations!

I'll have to try Jose's and Tropical Zone next time i'm at Grand Central market

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Ice Cream/Frozen Treats in Downtown LA?

Does anyone know of an ice cream or frozen yogurt parlor in downtown LA? I have a craving for a Coke or Root Beer float, but the only ice cream I know of is the McDonald's in the Wells Fargo building. Bonus if they have Pinkberry-esque froyo or frozen custard.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

WORST dim sum in L. A. or anywhere

What a coincidence... I had dim sum at Ocean Seafood last week. The only redeeming part of it was the chili sauce that I brought from home. I was pretty unimpressed by the dim sum, and it was pricey to boot. I wish I had asked them to show me the calculations, but there were so many stamps on the paper that I just paid up and left. The service was pretty good, though, and they even refilled my water glass a couple times. It's rare enough that I actually GET water at other dim sum places :)

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Overwhelmed by K-Town: Sa Rit Gol Alternative?

"Soon" means "silken," basically... the softest and squishiest variety of fresh tofu. The full name of the dish would be "soon dooboo chigae," roughly translating to silken tofu stew/soup.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

What is your favorite tomato/marinara sauce in a jar?

I used to like 5 Brothers sauce when it was around (burgandy wine or tomato basil). I think it turned into Classico, and doesn't seem to taste as good anymore. I went through a stint where I would only use Ragu traditional, because Prego (the other sauce that was readily available in our grocery store) was too sweet, and the Ragu seemed closer to the stuff that I had eaten in Italy (where I also learned to enjoy al dente pasta). Now I tend to make my own sauce, but I bet Ragu doctored with some garlic, basil, and red wine wouldn't be too bad either.

Devourer in General Chowhounding Topics

Village Pizzeria Larchmont

"I'll describe up front the yardstick I use: the pizza I ate growing up in central NJ, which is very similar to the classic NYC type. The edge should puff a little and be slightly charred. The crust underneath should be browned, and dusted with either fine cornmeal or semolina flour. The dough should be very toothsome, almost like a bagel, not bready or crackery. It should be thin enough to fold along the radius, and when I do this, red oil should drip out the pointed end. The sauce should be primarily uncooked tomato puree, slightly tangy and bright. There shouldn't be any pronounced flavor of garlic. The mozerella and sauce, when they cook, should muddle together. There shouldn't be anything added to the top of the pizza before it's baked except oregano. I shouldn't have to put parmesan or pepper on it to make it taste good. It should be edible cold and it should taste good when reheated. I "test" pizzerias based on their standard plain-cheese thin-crust pizza before I go back to try one with toppings."

That's a very specific pizza you described there :) It also sounds like something I definitely have to try (although it's interesting that you require oregano on it... most NYC pizza i've eaten hasn't had a noticeable amount of oregano... ditto with the cornmeal and olive oil. Maybe a Jersey thing?) Where in California have you found pizzerias like this (other than Pizza Buona)?

I can't say that i've ever felt like I was eating a grilled cheese sandwich when i've reheated Larchmont Pizzeria, but I usually get it with toppings. Maybe they went heavy with the cheese since you didn't get any toppings?

Also, out of curiosity, how would you rate the pizza in the picture to the right (above "Feature: Chowing America") in terms of crust and cheese desirability?

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Dino's Burgers

Um... i'm not so sure about that vegetable oil thing, unles you've asked and had confirmation from the owner/kitchen staff. Last time I went to Dino's, I saw them put a big solid block of white (I was assuming either lard or tallow) substance into the fryer and letting it melt into the fryer. I've never seen vegetable oil in a solid white brick, but I admit that i'm no expert.

edit: I like the soggy fries and always ask for extra sauce with my chicken plate. My fingers turn bright orange from eating everything, but it's worth it!

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Best Philly Cheese Steak... plus an option for my girl

There are a lot of threads on this (type philly cheese steak, etc. in the search box), but my favorites in the general vicinity are:

Philly West
1870 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025-4612

Markie D's
11172 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232 (not exactly "close" to you, but worth at least one trip)

Bonus for Philly West is a Falafel King across the street, which will have vegetarian options for your girl. Also, there are tons of places to get vegetarian food in Westwood, so you could get your food to go and eat together. Markie D's is located near "favorites" like Tito's Tacos and Johnny's Pastrami (Markie D's also has pizza and some vegetarian options, but I haven't tried those). There may be some gems for vegetarians nearby, but you'll have an easier time of it at Philly West.

Also, Phily West is located right near a parking garage, which eases some of the nightmare of going to Westwood.

Devourer in Los Angeles Area

Chile Rellenos

My first chile relleno was at a restaurant in Ohio where they took a green bell pepper and stuffed it with cheese and seasoned ground beef. It was awesome and to this day remains my favorite "chile relleno," even though i'm slightly ashamed to call it such after having "real" ones in California and Mexico. A stuffed pepper is a stuffed pepper, right? :)

Devourer in General Chowhounding Topics