palate

Shin-sen-gumi Shabu Shabu

   

I love shabu shabu!

Il Moro

Wilsons

Phoreign

I have LOW expectations when it comes to Vietnamese restaurants in the Westside especially since we regularly frequent San Gabriel just to eat Pho and and other Vietnamese dishes. (Too far to drive to Bolsa). We tried Phoreign one night when the hubby and I were both feeling under the weather. First, it can be viewed as either positive/negative since Phoreign is located in one of the Sawtelle food plazas. Positive - 1) If someone is curious, they will try the restaurant. 2) You're desperate for Pho. Negative - 1) Parking is horrible!!!

The outside of the restaurant has a display of some of the food that the restaurant offers in their menu. When you first walk in, there are about 2-3 tables to your immediate left and several tables for 2 on the left hand side of the restaurant. There's also counter sitting infront of the kitchen where you can see the chefs at work. Phoreign uses an "open kitchen" concept considering the small space.

The menu is not as an extensive in comparison to other Vietnamese restaurants. There's pho, rice dishes, spring rolls and dessert to name a few. The hubby and I decided to order their pho (standard test for Vietnamese restaurants in my opinion), a spring roll and 2 Diet Cokes. When our order came, the presentation of my Pho was pretty nice. Now comes the taste test.

In my opinion, it's like a "healthy pho". The soup base is not beefy enough. The ratio of the noodles and beef just seems "enough". As far as the other menu, they have several dishes using tofu... hhhnmmm. The spring roll we ordered was just average.

Service is average depending on what time of the day you visit the restaurant. At the time we went, there were only a few patrons.

Cost is reasonable. I guess I can't really compare it to the prices of other Vietnamese restaurants in San Gabriel Valley.

Overall, it's an alternative if you are craving Pho or Vietnamese food. I only hope that they improve their menu. Since Phoreign has the same owner as Blue Marlin, it's surprising to me that it's not as good as Blue Marlin since it's one of the places we regularly frequest at Sawtelle.

Phoreign

2123 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025

Telephone: 310-477-4885

Birthday Cake!

Ito Ay Atin

Posted Rating - "A"

We were on our way one weekend to my parent's house in Chino Hills for a weekend visit. My brother decided that he had a craving for Filipino food instead of Chinese. He stated that he's been going to this new
place in Azusa and Amar called, "Ito Ay Atin". So we detoured from the 60, exited Azusa until we reached Amar. The restaurant is situated where the old Goldilocks restaurant used to be.

When we got in, you're greeted by a few friendly staff asking what you want to order. The food are arranged under a warmer and a heat lamp, typical of a "turo-turo" joint, (mom-and-pop store). The first thing I checked was the quality of the food. Were the food sitting there under the heat lamp for a long time? Are there certain selections that people are not buying? The answer is yes and no.

Food: Most of the foods that were there appeared to be cooked recently. It may have been there for a couple of hours or freshly cooked. There were a couple items that looked like it's been sitting under the warmer for a long time that needed to be removed and changed. A few minutes later, after trying to decide what combo I want, a lady came out of the kitchen and removed the couple of items that looked old and replaced it with a newly cooked food.

Ambiance: Friendly. Many people ate at the restaurant after buying their food. The impression I got was that they're enjoying their food. The decor of the place is loud yellow. They may need a re-vamp in the future.

Price: Cheap and affordable.

Parking: Good. Plenty of spaces since it's located in a shopping strip mall.

** Recommended.

Location: 1559 E Amar Rd West Covina CA

R23

If you are not familiar with Downtown LA, you may never find this place or may get lost looking for R23. We've been to R23 for several years now and the restaurant has served good sushi consistently over the years.

R23 is located in the Arts District right by Cafe Metropol. The decor is minimalist in nature. I love the Frank Gehry corrugated paper chairs. Whether you're on a table or at the bar, the sushi is always fresh and the presentation is artistic. They also have specials.

I highly recommend making a reservation.

Address: 923 E Second St Los Angeles, CA
Phone: (213) 687-7178
Website: http://www.R23.com

Farmer Boys Downtown LA

If you're living in Downtown LA, you can't help but try the "Best Burger" by Channel 2 News. There are a few places in Downtown LA that's open 24 hours.

Farmer Boys prides itself that their food, especially their burgers, are never frozen. They are cooked to order and made fresh every day. This includes all the toppings - lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. I'm not a big burger fan but their burger is pretty tasty and huge! Along with the burgers, you can order the usual french fries, zucchini (my favorite with ranch dressing!) and onion rings (they're huge!).

They also serve breakfast such as pancakes, french toast, eggs, omelettes and breakfast burrito. The menu also feature Mexican food items such as tacos, taquitos and burritos.

Address: 726 S Alameda St Los Angeles, CA
Phone: (213) 228-8999
Website: http://www.farmerboys.com

Cafe Metropol

This cafe is located in the Arts District. It has become a popular spot among the locals that the hours were extended. The cafe was also expanded as well. The walls are decorated with works from a featured artist showcasing their talent. The menu includes gourmet sandwiches, grilled panini, mixed greens, Italian-style pizzas, and pastas. They also have tasty desserts.

Location: 923 E Third St Los Angeles
Hours: Monday to Friday 800 AM to 1000 PM. Saturday 900 AM to 1000 PM.
Phone: 213-613-1537.

Cafe Pinot

This was one of the restaurants that was up and running for our engagement / wedding reception. The hubby and I ate here after church at the Cathedral one weekend. The food was exquisite - it was one of the best restaurants I've been to in Los Angeles.

The restaurant is adjacent next to the LA Library. At the background is the LA skyline. The restaurant manages to create a romantic yet glamorous garden. The food is California French.

I highly recommend this restaurant. Service was impeccable.

Location: 700 W Fifth Street Los Angeles, CA
Phone: (213) 239-6500.