Think Pink… Pink Pepper, That Is

Thai food doesn’t get much better than Pink Pepper in Hollywood, my friends! I’ve been going to this restaurant for 6-7 years and can only remember one meal that wasn’t up to par. Like Zankou Chicken, Pink Pepper is one of the biggest things I miss about living in La La Land.

Upon first glance, it’s easy to be wary of dining here… it’s tucked away at the bottom of a parking structure with staircases that, up until recently, reeked of urine from drunk nightclub goers. (The club is under construction right now, thank God). Once you get inside, you can relax in the nicely-renovated, Asian-inspired (of course) restaurant. They also have a large enclosed patio where you can almost forget you’re right on a busy street.

But honestly, forget the inside: the food is what rules here. They serve traditional Thai dishes here, from beef or chicken satay with a peanut sauce to crying tiger (grilled rib eye, which I’ve never tried before anywhere but hear is fantastic).

Appetizer-wise, I love the Pink Pepper rolls, which have mixed vegetables, rice vermicelli, tofu, and sweet basil wrapped in a rice sheet ($5.95). I also love their House Salad, which is really filling and just $6.95! It’s grilled chicken breast and a hard-boiled egg on a mixed green salad, served with Thai peanut dressing. Perfect for a light, flavorful meal.

As for their main dishes ($8-$13), gosh, try everything!! In most cases, you have a choice of white or brown rice, and tofu, beef, chicken or seafood, which can bring out different flavors in the same dish. A few of my favorite meals include their Spicy Spinach (with beef) and Sweet Basil Eggplant (with tofu). Their Pad Thai Noodles (with chicken) is also amazing as is their Yellow Chicken Curry. They have 5 curry varieties (red, green, Panang and Pineapple) but the yellow is my personal fave. Portions are very reasonable although they were much bigger before the fancy remodel a few years ago. I remember always having leftovers… now, not so much BUT you will not go home hungry at all.

I honestly haven’t had better Thai food elsewhere yet. Not Natalee Thai, not Thai Dishes. They also have great lunch specials! For $7-$11, you get a meal served complete with salad, rice and egg roll.

The entrance to Pink Pepper is on La Brea, just south of Hollywood Boulevard, and parking is free with validation.
Pink Pepper
1638 North La Brea Ave
Hollywood CA 90028
323 461 2462

Thank You, Zankou!

One of the worst things about living in El Segundo is that there’s no Zankou Chicken nearby. When I lived in Hollywood, the original location on Sunset Boulevard was one of my favorite places for cheap, yummy food. I was in the area last week so I had to stop in for a bite — and made sure to pick a wrap up for my roomie who also yearns for a Zankou closer to home. She is forever and ever (and ever) in my debt.

The owners are Lebanese so, as with tradition, the meat is stacked on a spit and grilled to perfection – whether you get steak or chicken, it is so moist and juicy — and inexpensive! For about $5, you can get one of their oh-so tasty chicken (or beef) shawerma sandwiches, wrapped in pita bread with their signature garlic sauce and tomatoes with a side of pickled turnips and chiles. YUMMMMMMMMMM! Their plates, which range from $6 to $8.50, are also fantastic deals and, for the most part, come with hummus, the garlic sauce, pickled turnips, chilies and pita bread. Plate choices include falafel, chicken and steak.

The owners opened locations in Anaheim, Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, Van Nuys and West LA. Alas, the West LA location is closest to me but still a good 20-30 minute drive away. C’mon, Zankou!! We need one in the South Bay!!!!!

Terroni: Un Tavolo Per Due (Per Due, Per Due…)

That’s Italian for “a table for two,” which I learned that while I was at Terroni — in the bathroom of all places! Instead of elevator music or tunes by Sinatra, they play an all-too-trendy “learn to speak Italian” cd in the restroom that’s set to an electronic beat. It’s quirky but hey, I remember the phrase, didn’t I?!

This few-months-old Italian restaurant on Beverly Boulevard near The Grove in Los Angeles serves upscale pastas, pizzas and appetizers. The cozy atmosphere almost makes you feel like you’re eating in mama mia’s very crowded, open kitchen. It was packed with people sitting at tables, at the bar and waiting around the bar. They don’t take reservations so be prepared to wait or get there before 8 p.m. They have an extensive wine list (200+, I think) and a full bar so you can get your swerve on while you wait or watch the movie that’s projected over the dining area (The Godfather was on when I went).

Everything we ordered was very good and very mild flavor-wise, which I can appreciate since none of the flavors or spices overpower each other. I really like this place because our server was Italian and everything she recommended was spot on. I hate having waiters who are clueless about the menu.

We ordered their mushroom appetizer, which was divine. Sliced mushrooms in a light balsamic vinegar that are lightly-lightly fried and served over a bed of arugula. So amazing. Their lasagne bolagnese was a nice -sized portion and was perfectly baked with a creamy texture that just melted all together in my mouth but it was a little too mild for my taste (my girlfriend loves it though!). Their pizza was awesome and had a thin, crisp crust. We ordered one with roasted potatoes, rosemary and sausage, which brought back memories of the rosemary chicken potato pizza at California Pizza Kitchen that was taken off the menu. The sausage has a little spice, which added a nice flavor. Seriously though, if you go, share a pizza and a pasta — even if you’re on a date. The pizza is large and I felt kind of sorry for the women who had to eat one by themselves while their date ate something else yummy off the menu. Share, people!!For dessert, we had the panna cotta (cooked cream), which was nice, light and served with blueberries and raspberries. We also ordered a a couple dessert wines, a muscato and one that was like a rose, which complimented the dessert perfectly and in different ways.

For those who want to add a little kick to their food, they serve crushed red peppers and sliced red peppers soaked in spicy chili oil with your meal. The one thing they don’t serve: balsamic vinegar. No ifs, ands or buts! I’m assuming it has something to do with taking away from the authenticity but it’s kind of annoying and pretentious – I just wanted some with my bread (which was the least authentic food in the joint)!!

Terroni
7605 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (323) 954-0300

Kifune Sushi Bar, Marina del Rey

Kifune Sushi Bar used to be on my daily commute to Malibu but Thursday was the first time I ate there. It’s spacious on the inside and for a Thursday night, it wasn’t that crowded. The decor is kind of cheesy because they have Christmas lights strung up everywhere (multi-colored and plain white). Half of them don’t work.

There isn’t anything really special about the place and I thought it was a little pricey. Of course, at Kifune, I was having a semi-serious catchup session with a girlfriend who’s moving back East so I think our moods were somewhat subdued. I think Naked Sushi, which is a little further west on the opposite side of Washington Boulevard, is much better and has more unique sushi choices. Kifune offers a lot of fully cooked menu items for those who aren’t into sushi (think: baked cod, chicken teriyaki, beef bowls, etc).

The tuna nigiri was really fresh and melted in my mouth, which I’ve found to be rare in my experience with the fish. The spicy tuna handroll was okay but the seaweed wrap had absorbed too much moisture so it was a little hard to take bites. I hate having to pull on the sushi. The shrimp tempura roll was edible but nothing to write home about. The mussels (an appetizer) had good flavor from its broth but they were slightly overcooked. The green tea mochi was great but probably from Trader Joes.

Kifune gets rave reviews from its regulars, which I don’t get. Maybe I ordered the wrong things but I think our choices were fairly standard. All in all, I doubt I’ll go back although I heard their scallop dynamite is fantastic. I just don’t think it’s enough to draw me back in.

The Farm Shack: W-O-W

That’s the only word I could say when our food arrived: WOW. Over and over again until our server said it one last time on my behalf. Wow. Portions are large!

Farm Shack in El Segundo is such a find and, once again, I can’t believe I’ve lived in this city for 3 years and didn’t eat here until yesterday! The casual restaurant calls itself “urban country cooking,” meaning that it brings together the best of American, French, Mediterranean and Italian countryside cooking and gives it a “city” flair (El Segundo is far from one’s typical definition of a city!). It’s definitely not “country cooking” as in southern comfort foods. I was very happy with the service, food recommendations, presentation, portion sizes and, of course, the meal itself!

We happened to go there on a Tuesday, which offers half-priced bottles of wine. After asking for a recommendation from our French-accented server, we settled on a $14 riesling from Monterey. Sweet, light and delicious. The perfect compliment to our meal and much needed after the stress from work!

The menu warns you that the portions are large so you shouldn’t fill up on the bread. Nonetheless, we got the bread (whole wheat with olives and white bread with a sesame-pepper crust), which comes in little slices. Not that filling. My friend Estelle ordered the ground chicken and I got the chicken walnut pomegranate stew. The sweetness of my dish was offset by the mediterranean salsa it comes with, but I do wish it came with vegetables. It was basically just chicken, rice, salsa and sauce. The chicken was very tender though. Estelle’s dish came with a lovely ground chicken that was lightly spiced and served with roasted vegetables, mediterranean salsa and a lentils/rice/something mix. Very nice, very large.

The best part, however, was the tiramisu. O-M-G. The portion was ridiculously large (enough for two plus leftovers), the ladyfingers weren’t soggy and it has little pieces of pistachios in it, which added a nice little crunch to the creaminess of the texture of the dessert. Having different textures in one dish is a total treat for your mouth!

All in all, a very favorable experience. Of course, we came here after working out at the gym so we basically cancelled out all the exercise and calories burned. We pretended it was a healthy meal though, since nothing was fried. Oh well, it was completely worth it!

Farm Stand

422 Main St
El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 640-3276

www.farmstand.us

Honor Thy Father’s Office

Seriously, Father’s Office in Santa Monica has THE BEST burger I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. I’ve only eaten at this pub three times and have only ever ordered the burger and sweet potato fries (they have other stuff on their menu, FYI). Consistently amazing and delicious each time. The dry aged beef burger ingredients are set in stone (caramelized onions, arugula, gruyere cheese, blue cheese and applewood bacon compote): no alterations allowed to this juicy creation (unless you’re deathly allergic, I’m sure). The sweet potato fries are sweet and crispy and served in a mini shopping cart and enough for 2 people to share. It comes with a garlic aioli that’s a little too mayonnaise-y for me, but it’s THE ONLY condiment you’re allowed. No ketchup in this place, people!

A word to the wise: Space is limited at Father’s Office and it’s ALWAYS crowded. Don’t be surprised to see a line out the door most nights after 7:30 pm so arrive early and be prepared to wait for a table/counterspace or stand. It’s worth it though!!

Oh! And they have a GREAT, eclectic beer menu too. Don’t be afraid to ask for a recommendation from your bartender.

Father’s Office
1018 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 393-2337
www.fathersoffice.com

Happy Any Hour! Tony P’s Dockside Grill

First of all, the view from the enclosed, outdoor patio at Tony P’s is awesome on a clear, sunny California day! The restaurant sits on the marina in Marina del Rey so all you see are boats, water and blue skies. Second, the food, atmosphere and service are pretty good here too. It won’t change your life, but I haven’t been disappointed when I’ve eaten here for lunch, dinner or happy hour.

I had lunch here last week with a friend whose dad owns a gorgeous 101-foot yacht so he really appreciated the view of the harbor. We shared a spinach artichoke dip for an appetizer and I had their lemon chicken breast with vegetable penne. I think the chicken was slightly overcooked but, otherwise, it was a nice, light meal. Large portion but I was starved! My friend ordered the Louisiana Seafood Creole with fish, shrimp and mussels. It looked good but there were a lot of pieces of broken mussel shells in the dish so he kept having to spit them out. Kinda gross.

I came here for dinner a few months ago and the patio was nice then, too. Beautiful sunset followed by the lights from the marina. I ate their pulled pork plate from the smokehouse barbecue menu, which was delicious!

Happy hour inside their tavern is great, too, although there’s no view of the marina at all. They have a lot of televisions throughout the bar area so you can watch every game imaginable. Happy hour is from 3-6pm with discounted appetizers and drink specials. It’s not cheap but it’s a great spot to go to with friends or coworkers for great atmosphere and a decent crowd.

Tony P’s Dockside Grill
4445 Admiralty Way
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310)823-4534
Website: www.tonyps.com

GaGa for Gu Gu Sushi

I really think this sushi joint has gotten better over the years!

I’ve been going to Gu Gu Sushi in Hermosa Beach for a few years. It’s a block or so away from where one of my girlfriends lives (next to a Big Lots) so whenever she and I get together, that’s where we eat. (I don’t see her that often). We usually have a glass of wine or two before heading out and then start knocking back the sake! On Monday, we started off with a large bottle of cold, unfiltered sake (the milky kind) and then ordered the small one. I don’t remember the names or brands, but if you go and want try the unfiltered sake, definitely go for the smaller bottle. It’s not that much smaller (9.5 oz vs 12 oz, I think) but it tastes a bit better, more smooth.

Anyhow, the sushi was better Monday night than I had ever remembered. I know the place switched owners in the last 6 months or so and maybe a couple times before that, too, but it’s usually been an improvement in terms of quality and taste. Regardless, this manager has got it right! We each ordered a seaweed salad, which was actually a little too large for one person (usually not a problem). It tasted great (not too vinegary) so I ate the whole thing but I was too full to finish my sushi — I actually took four pieces home! I’ve never done that before! The sushi was really fresh, pleasantly portioned and served with a smile. We even ate at the sushi bar, which I rarely do — I hate knocking elbows with the stranger next to me (unless he’s cute).

Here’s what I ordered:

albacore nigiri: Sooooooooo good! Good size, not too much rice, perfectly seared and melted in my mouth. It might have had a little more ponzu sauce than I like and the rice fell apart easily but bothers me, too.

spicy tuna handroll: Other people would probably LOVE this but it was too spicy for me. Too much chili paste! Still ate it though!

Uhhhh…: Frick! I don’t remember the cut roll I ordered but it was really good. It had crab, tuna and albacore and was wrapped in cucumber so there was no rice. Pretty healthy! There were six pieces and I took four home. Still good the next day.

One thing I’m learning by writing about this blog is that so much of the restaurant/food experience is dependent on your companion(s) and overall mood. I mean, I’ve always known it to be true but I’m even more aware of it now that I’m thinking about my dining experiences. Granted, great company won’t make the food taste any better but it can make up for a bad meal; Likewise, an uncomfortable dinner date/conversation can sour a good meal. That’s always a downer.

Gu Gu Sushi
1121 Aviation Blvd
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 374-6019

Let’s go to Su Casa! (El Segundo)

I’ve lived in El Segundo for three years and didn’t dine at Su Casa on Main Street until last week. What an great find! We ended up there by default since there was a 45 minute wait at Panchos and we really wanted Mexican food.

The place is small with a long bar on one side and two flatscreen TVs to watch sports. It was busy but not rowdy — you can have a good conversation there. They have an entire wall of different tequilas, totally affordable and big-portioned meals, and the best tortilla chips ever.

The chips are made from their tortillas, which are really thick. Fantastic for chips with salsa but too thick to be paired with the actual food in our opinions… it’s overpowering. Tortillas should be light and almost like a side dish to the meal; At Su Casa, it’s hard to get around the thickness and get into the flavor. (Does that makes sense?). Anyhow, next time, I’m ordering chicken or beef nachos! It’s all about the chips!

But other than the tortillas, the food is really good. I ordered the chile verde and tasted the carne asada and both were delish. Just the right amount of spice for me (meaning, not that much) and the meat was nice and tender. Like I said, big portions but we chowed down and didn’t have leftovers. Everything we ordered was under $13 and most menu items are under $10.

The margaritas, I have to say, were pretty weak. I had a cadillac margarita that tasted good but lacked the kick that I’m used to at most places. It was Friday night and I had a long week at work… I needed a drink, man!

But overall, Su Casa is my new favorite sit-down Mexican joint near my home (Chile Verde is my fave Mexican takeout). Definitely going back next!

Su Casa
403 Main St.
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310)524-9985

YogurBerry? YogurtBerry? Whatever, YUM!

From the logo, I can’t figure out if it’s YogurtBerry or YogurBerry. None of my friends agree on it either. It should be YogurtBerry, if you ask me.

Anyhow, whatever-you-call-it is fricken yums! Sooo much better than Pinkberry, which is just too sour, too tart for my taste. It’s not too creamy and actually seemed more like a sorbet than a froyo. I likened it to that milk-ice cream they have at the Sizzler buffet (yeah, I’m ghetto).

Anyhow, it’s all self-serve at the whatever-you-call-it location near my place so you can control your portions, toppings and how much you spend since it’s all based on weight! I only spent $3.06 on my melange of blueberry, mango, plain and strawberry frozen yogurts with Oreo crumbles. The mango is awesome but skip the green tea. I’ve yet to find a froyo place where I like the green tea, which is sad because I loooooooove green tea ice cream.

I still think my fave froyo joint is Ce Fiore, which I’ve only had once in Honolulu. Yum! They’re popping up here and there so if you find one near you, definitely check it out and let me know what you think.

YogurBerry
310 E. Grand Ave.#112
El Segundo, CA 90245