Bradbury's Profile
Pas/SoPas report: Abricott and Firefly Bistro
Agree re: Abricott's coffee. I've been there four times and that's been the only notable letdown. As for the rest of the menu, the chef told me on my first visit that it's a "work in progress" and actively solicited my opinions on what could be improved. Not sure how much my input had to do with it, but I've noticed some subtle changes (generally for the better) on subsequent visits.
As for good cappuccino in Pasadena, Jones and Jameson Brown are decent standbys, and if you want something a bit more out of left field, try Coffee By The Books, in the Fuller bookstore on Walnut. Good roasts from Klatch and surprisingly adept baristas, too.
Did anyone happen to go out for dim sum to celebrate Mother's Day?
We were at 888 (not my #1 favorite, but mom and her best friend love the whole cart experience). It opens at 9; when we got there at about 9:30 it was maybe 80% full. When we left an hour later, it was utter madness outside.
[Also: I had thought the parking lot at Hawaii Supermarket was the most terrifying one on Valley Blvd, but on busy days the one at 888 is running it a close second...]
Moving to Claremont
I can't really improve much on Dommy's suggestions, but I'll try to chip in a few extra thoughts:
2&3) Three or four days a week, the best coffeehouse in Claremont proper is The Motley, at Scripps College. The other three or four days, it's not. It's vastly more friendly and charming than your local StarBean, has tasty munchies and Klatch roasts(!) at good prices, but the skills of the student baristas range from excellent to ...well ... enthusiastic. Given all that, it's still a good place to read and sip and unwind. Non-students are very welcome, though I'd gently suggest that if you're a male over, say, 25, you might not want to come alone if you don't want to look like a desperado. Just saying.
6) Back Abbey is best for Belgian ales, Eureka is tops for West Coast microbrews. I like both, with the choice depending on mood, food, and weather ... somehow Belgians are better on wet winter nights (i.e. Belgian weather ... a Rochefort 10 or a St. Bernardus Abt are like a dinner in a bottle) but the Californians are better in the sun. Also, the folks at the original Eureka in Redlands are pretty close with the craft brewers at Hangar 24 out there, so whenever those guys release a new limited edition brew, Eureka is a good place to find it. (I've had the Vinaceous and Hammerhead there recently).
7) Agree that Pomona is the place to go; if you find yourself near Holt & White, try Tijuana's Tacos for first-rate tacos, huaraches, mulitas, alambres, etc. at student-friendly prices. With the free bean stew and grilled veggies with every order, you can thoroughly food-coma yourself for well under $10/person.
Moving to Claremont
I agree, the strawberry donut is overrated, and the basic cake donuts are nothing special either. The three things to get are:
1) The crullers, especially the maple ones. Like eating sugar-frosted air.
2) The tiger tail
3) The apple fritter, but never alone (seriously, it's huge), and only before 9am
Moving to Claremont
> Eureka's burger menu is a farce, beer menu is fine.
Odd, I've had better luck with their burgers than with Back Abbey's recently. It's their salads that are hit-or-miss, IMO. Oh, and the rib chips. Great idea (porky version of Buffalo wings!), questionable execution.
New Sichuan Restaurant in San Mateo: Spicy Empire
LA Chowhound here, just back home from a few days of meetings in Redwood Shores. The lovely wife and I regularly haunt the Chinese offerings of the SGV, but with the recent downhill slide of (our previous favorite) New Chong Qing in San Gabriel, we were keen on seeing what we could find for good Sichuan near our hotel, and some searches of Chowhound and Yelp turned up Spicy Empire.
We were pleasantly surprised, enjoying it enough to go twice in 3 nights (in between was a night at New Kapadokia). A brief rundown:
The good:
- BIG portions and attractive presentations, at least by our usual Sichuan standards. Had enough for a few lunches the next day.
- Outstanding dan dan mien (called "tan tan noodles" on the menu); very rich and tasty and not a total grease-bomb as it can sometimes be elsewhere. The sauce wasn't quite as lip-smackingly porky as at New Chong Qing, but the quality of noodles was much better.
- Ma pu tofu was silky smooth and had just the right amount of punch
- Excellent fried fish fillet with chili garlic, string beans in egg yolk batter and eggplant in garlic sauce
The bad:
- Beef ribs in "exploding chili" had a great complex spiciness, but the thin lateral cut of rib dried out far too quickly. This dish is also available with lamb chops; this is probably the way to go as the ones we saw on a nearby table looked much more tender than the ribs.
- House special fried rice was just meh ... bland and uninteresting.
The weird:
- With a touch of ceremony, the waitstaff brought the party at the next table the biggest, most delicious looking pork pump I've ever seen. Hmm ... always thought that pork pump was straight-up Shanghainese. Must have been on the special order-in-advance menu as I didn't see it on the regular one.
The ugly:
- The fruit flies. There were about three of our little Drosophila friends pestering us the first night, and maybe twice that number on the second night despite us sitting about 4 tables closer to the door (they were in the restroom too.) We mentioned this to the waitress and she pretended not to see any, then used an electric fly swatter a few tables over when she thought we weren't looking!
We hope to be back next year and order carefully; despite its flaws Spicy Empire is better than anything Sichuan in the SGV right now. It would be nice if they could schedule a fumigation in the meantime, though.
Who's got the best mexican food in Ca? LA, SF or SD?
> for sheer variety, I think LA stands out
Having spent considerable time in all three areas, I'd agree. There are some outstanding individual Mexican places in SF and SD but in neither of them will you find the range of first-rate regional specialists (Oaxaca, Sinaloa, DF, Jalisco, etc.) that you can in LA.
I'd even hazard to say that there are better fish tacos to be found in LA than in SD. The three chow advantages that SD has over LA would be, in my opinion: 1) Italian 2) craft-beer gastropubs, and 3) proximity to Tijuana, fast becoming one of the world's great food cities.
Great places to grab lunch/dinner on the road from LAX to Palm Springs on I-10
A splendid idea though, as I noted above, it might be best to hit the Chinese restaurants in the southeast SGV (Walnut, Rowland Heights, etc.) rather than the Monterey Park / San Gabriel "ground zero". If I'm reading the original post correctly, they'll be arriving early afternoon on a Friday, in which case it's probably best to get oneself east of the 605 as soon as possible...
Great places to grab lunch/dinner on the road from LAX to Palm Springs on I-10
45 minutes via the 10 will get you to somewhere near Claremont (do yourself a favor and go 105->605->10, not 405->10, unless you're feeling masochistic.) If you like craft beers and gourmet burgers/sides/salads, Eureka! and Back Abbey are solid choices and not too far north from the 10. You can look up other Claremont threads for additional suggestions. It's a pedestrian-friendly college town, so you can take a pleasant stroll after dinner to let the beers settle and stretch the legs after too many hours in transit...
Another idea would be to take the 60 east instead (usually slightly faster than 10) and get some outstanding Chinese food in the Rowland Heights/Walnut area. I'm not as up-to-date as some other LA Chowhounders on what's best there now, but searching this board for those cities will bring up some good suggestions from the experts.
Handsome Coffee Roasters, WTH?
Well, I'm not saying Handsome shouldn't offer sugar, just that if they're doing things right it shouldn't be as necessary as it is at the big chains.
I haven't yet tried Handsome, but it seems that refusing to stock a traditional accessory is the gimmick of choice these days (Just think: Father's Office is a burger specialist that famously doesn't offer ketchup, Underbelly [S.D.] is a ramen house that famously doesn't offer soup spoons; meanwhile Umami Burger only offers ketchup in soup spoons ... I'm beginning to suspect the three are in cahoots ;-)
Handsome Coffee Roasters, WTH?
> Coffee is bitter and espresso needs sugar. Don't believe me, ask an Italian.
Actually, that might depend on where in Italy you ask the question.
If you visit one of the Kéan Coffee locations in OC (and you really should, if in the area), you can read a short explanation by Martin Diedrich of Northern vs. Southern Italian espresso styles. As I recall (don't hold me to this exactly), Southern Italy, being historically much poorer and with fewer trading ports, had a greatly inferior selection of coffee beans available, and roasted them longer and darker to hide the inherent flaws. This resulted in a much harsher taste, and hence prompted the use of more sugar.
Meanwhile, the much wealthier Northern Italians had access to considerably better beans, and tended to do milder roasts which didn't require additional sweetening. (Diedrich himself was heavily influenced by the Illy style from Trieste.) Nevertheless, for various reasons the Southern dark-roast style became more influential in North America post-WW2, and is still common in the big chains. So I can't blame someone for pouring sugar into a Starbucks espresso, because it tastes like drinking out of a dirty ashtray.
But at a better coffee house, with good beans, a milder roast, and a barista who doesn't over-extract the grind or scorch the milk, there's really no reason why you should have to add sugar.
Planning a Sunday Casual Mexican Crawl
If you decide to drive back to Anaheim south on the 110 to the 105 east, then by all means stop at Plaza Mexico, where you can go from La Huasteca to Guelaguetza to Birreria Jalisco to El Gallo Giro without having to re-park the car. (You might want to include a bit of walking though, just to work some of that food coma off... ;-)
Craft cocktail bars in the OC
While enjoying a double macchiato yesterday at Kean in Newport Beach (which, I've gotta say, kicked all sorts of butt over the last few I've had at Intelligentsia...) I picked up a copy of the latest OC Weekly to peruse the cover story on OC's best craft bartenders:
http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-03-08/food/orange-county-bartenders-cabinet-jason-schiffer-gabrielle-dion-matt-robold-ricky-yarnall-felicia-chavez/
In addition to 320 Main, it mentions Broadway (Laguna Beach), Two 40 South (Brea), and Memphis @ the Santora (Santa Ana). Make of that what you will, but it's not a paper you could accuse of mindless boosterism: the article has the obligatory OC Weekly disclaimer about their fair county being about 2 years behind the curve on the latest trends...
Little Bear - new "Belgian Beer Cafe" downtown arts district
I can't wait to try this place as I love Belgian food and beer, though perhaps it's worth waiting a few weeks for them to shake some of the bugs out? (From your review it seems that too many items are over-sauced)
There's a story about them on the Beeb, of all places:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120306-las-belgian-inspired-gastropub
LA's Oldest Still-Thriving Restaurants
Mijares (Pasadena) - Founded 1920, though not sure when they moved to present location
The Derby (Arcadia) - Since 1931 in present location, opened in 1922 as a pub closer to race track
Breakfast in Arcadia
The Monrovian is serviceable (and seems to have as many regulars as LeRoy's), but it's not as good as Peach Cafe or Nano's, or even Mimi's for that matter.
Rod's has been going downhill for years; it has its retro charms but that's about it.
On the "grungy but cheap and good" side are Doe Jon Station (Taiwanese) and Tall Pines (Mexi-coronary)
As a general rule of thumb in the northern SGV, you're better off eating breakfast in Monrovia and lunch in Arcadia.
Ex-LA hound returning home - Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes & San Pedro for Kids?
Second the recommendation for Martha's. Very good casual chow and family-friendly. If your kid gets too antsy, there's a beach swingset right nearby.
Unfortunately, my favorite spots on the Redondo boardwalk (Naja's for beer, Bincho for food, Gambrinus for kinda-sorta-beer-and-food) are not at all kid-friendly. But the huge arcade and alfresco seafood joint on the south end could be fun.
In PV ...hmmm. There are several dining options in the luxe new Terranea resort, the more casual of which seem fairly family-appropriate. And you shouldn't miss the Croatian pizza at Pavich's on Western (not sure if it's technically in SP or PV). On a sunny clear day, get it to go and eat it at Point Fermin near the lighthouse or the big Korean friendship bell - great views and lots of roaming space for kids.
[Gratuitous non-chow tip: Not sure how old your kid is, but the park in Redondo Beach on the corner of Rindge and Farrell has a pretty awesome new-ish mega jungle gym; one side for 5].
Lunch and dinner near Norwalk, Ca
Some of my favorites in that general area would include:
Renu Nakorn (Norwalk) - Outstanding Isaan-style Thai; family connection to Las Vegas' legendary Lotus of Siam
Radjhani (Little India, Artesia) - Possibly SoCal's best vegetarian all-you-can-eat (brought to your table in waves, not in steam tubs)
Bottle Room (Whittier) - Great salads, flatbreads, gourmet burgers, rare beers selection
Golden Triangle (Whittier) - Burmese; their tea leaf & ginger combo salad is a must
Dal Rae (Pico Rivera) - When you want to kick it OLD school style; the adjectives follow the nouns (steak diane, lobster thermidor, oysters rockefeller, cherries jubilee, bananas foster...)
URGENT HELP REQUIRED: Lunch in Upland
If you have time to drive to the Claremont village and back (probably 2-5 miles each way depending on where exactly you are in Upland), then The Back Abbey, The Press, and Eureka! are all good lunch options. Lots of folks here would add Walter's to the list, but IMHO it's gone downhill a bit.
On edit: if by "urgent" you mean "today", then the Back Abbey and The Press won't be open at lunchtime, and Walter's will be on the brunch menu. Good burgers and beer at Eureka! though.
Straight dish on the food truck scene?
Agree completely. There are a few good trucks and a lot of trend-surfers (most of which are trying to come up with the umpteenth conceivable combination of carne asada, bacon, duck fat, Sriracha, steamed bao, sweet potatoes, aged cheddar and saag paneer).
If you go to an event or location where there are a selection of food trucks handy (downtown, Eagle Rock, and Brewery art walks, SaMo, LACMA evenings, etc.), by all means do a little taste testing and have some fun with it. But I can't really fathom why in the world some people obsessively follow the Twitter feeds of some trucks, then drive 40 minutes so they can spend another 20 minutes in line for some $10 pork belly Oreos.
Yes, I'm getting old.
XLB Wars in the SGV
The new Huy Fong headquarters in Irwindale. Seriously, have you seen the size of the place? It's like the Sriracha Death Star...
Help I've lost my izakaya!
If you're willing to brave the 405 South, the closest approximation I've found for Terried's food, price point, attitude, and (lack of) atmosphere is Azuma, on Western and 162nd in Gardena. It's been my favorite "greasy spoon" ("greasy chopstick"?) izakaya in recent years.
Stay away from the monster combo plates (mostly rice and slaw, by volume) that all the college kids are ordering, and just pick a bunch of stuff off the a la carte menu. Don't expect any sort of culinary revelations, but they make some of the best cheap goma-ae, natto, salmon skin salad, mushroom/bacon sautees, okonomiyaki, broiled fish collar, etc. in town.
[Also, when your second pitcher comes around, offer a mug of it to your waiter and you'll find some other yummy bites start to magically arrive...]
Versailles
When you say "Redondo location" I think you mean Manhattan Beach (on PCH, a bit south of MB Blvd.) In my recent experience, the food and atmosphere there is pretty dismal compared to the Culver City and Palms locations (I haven't been to the Encino one yet).
So I'd recommend going with your family to the Culver City Versailles, but for Cuban food in the South Bay I'd suggest Havana Mania in north Redondo instead.
Sapp's Coffee Shoppe, on sunset.
It's actually on Hollywood, between Normandie and Western. The boat noodles are still great, though do try some other specials there too - lately I've really enjoyed the catfish, the green mussels, and the spicy crab noodles (with real crab, not that rubbery 'krab' stuff). The only thing I've had at Sapp that I didn't care for was the som tam (green papaya salad), mostly because I've had it much better elsewhere.
SGV 101 Noodle Express vs OC 101 Noodle Express
It's on Valley, but a couple miles east of Atlantic, near New. There's another SGV location in Arcadia (on Baldwin across from Din Tai Fung) which is actually a little bit better, in my experience.
Musha opens in Pasadena (Izakaya)
Can't wait to try it (have only been to Torrance Musha, not SM) and hope they do well, but given Old Town's reputation as the place promising restaurants go to die, I'd best not get my hopes too high...
KIma Gure and Ichi are both outstanding but as they're both south of Cordova I'm not sure they're technically in Old Town ... an easy enough walk, to be sure, but too far south to benefit from most Old Town foot traffic. (On the plus side, probably too far south to pay Old Town rents.)
Orleans Corner, Arcadia... anyone been?
The poutine place was Canadian Cafe, now long gone.
Devon is still good, but is pretty much stuck on 1997: more or less the same menu, same decor, same staff, same clientele. It found its comfort zone and didn't budge, for better or worse.
The name of the charming ice cream parlor on Myrtle (with some great vintage pinball machines) escapes me, but they were a victim of bad timing about 5 years ago. They had anticipated a lot of walk-in business from the Krikorian multiplex being built next door, but when the construction delays began piling up, they couldn't hang on long enough.
If you haven't been in Monrovia in a while (and from your references, it seems you haven't? Not trying to be snarky here, just an observation) some newer places worth trying are Shanghai Bamboo House, Pho Lemon, Market Grill, Oto-Oto, and Peach Cafe. Also, London Gastropub might recently have gotten its act together with a new chef; when I first went, the menu was hit-or-miss.
Orleans Corner, Arcadia... anyone been?
Looks intriguing; perhaps we can give it a try this week. We recently tried Oto-Oto (just across 5th on the Monrovia side) and it was actually very tasty, particularly the izakaya dishes. Most folks there, though, seemed to be going for the sushi, which was not memorably good or bad.
Nice to finally see a few decent restaurants open in what for years has been a gauntlet of dining tortures: Souplantation, Red Lobster, Claim Jumper, Olive Garden, Chili's, Acapulco, and whatever fresh hell is Jamaican Me Crazy.
On edit: one ominous sign on the Orleans Corner FB page: the mention of 15 craft beers with chilled glasses. You really shouldn't be icing the glasses of good beers...
REVIEW w/pics: Cactus, Moles and More at Juan's Restaurante
Thanks for the great review! I'd only been to Juan's for the Sunday brunch, which wasn't nearly as exquisite as your meal, BUT (and maybe this is setting the bar a bit low) was one of the few Sunday brunch steam-table buffets I've tried that wasn't A) extortionately priced, B) appalling, or C) both.
Is the tasting menu a regular offering, or something you negotiated privately? If it's the latter, could you give us some guidance on price, minimum party size, and advance notice?
Short Order
FWIW, my own burger cravings have less to do with red meat than with craving the whole burger experience: the right balance of meatiness, crunch, cheese, seasoning, moisture, breadiness, etc. (ideally with no single one of them dominating all the others). I'm not a vegetarian by any means, but I greatly prefer a really good veggie burger to a middling beef burger.
