California Crisp - Pasadena

California Crisp
300 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 396-9992
Type: sandwiches / salads / pasta
Website
Map

Spent a little time in Pasadena a while back (in March to be exact). When I think of Pasadena, or any other city I think about, I wonder how their food culture is. Pasadena seems like a decent town for eats. So what do I do? I settle for the mall and find something there to quiet my stomach. Me being me, I at least made an attempt to skip the places I got at home (Subway and other places found everywhere). The mall is called Paseo Colorado and we end up on the second floor across the way from the movie theaters and a sushi restaurant to some spot in the corner called California Crisp.

This place didn't have exactly what I was craving for, but this particular meal was meant as a snack so we could save our appetites for something better at night. This place had sandwiches, salads, pastas, and I forgot what else. It's a healthier food place that I'm guessing caters to the yuppier crowds in Yuppiedena. Since it's a healthy spot, you know you gotta pay a little extra for those fresh ingredients. The well-to-do can afford to stay healthy, while I and many many others have to settle for heart disease, high cholesterol, and carpooling.

There was a good amount of people inside cuz I think it was lunch time for the working bunch. I remember I had a little trouble deciding what to get. Not much seemed that appetizing to me. I settled for the half veggie sandwich with one side ($6.59). I picked the pesto pasta for the side. The sandwich was cool. I don't remember much. I just know that their ingredients were fresh. Their pastas are served cold.

yuppie snack


My girl ordered the grilled chicken breast panini and 1 side ($7.29). She said it was okay as well. I don't know where the picture is but there's nothing special about it.

This place is just okay for us. I mean if you're on the healthy tip and lived in the neighborhood, you'd probably frequent this place if you could afford it-- and you're a yuppie. Just playing. I won't go here again cuz it's just not my style. It's not nasty though. So if you need to shed some pounds, this might be a good place to start. Fatty.

Niko Niko - Rowland Heights

Niko Niko
19705 Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(909) 598-7299
Type: Japanese food / sushi
Map



I remember the first time I had Niko Niko. That was in the beginning of my sushi career. I fell in love right away cuz their prices were decent for all the special rolls they had. I think the most expensive one is about $12. The one I tried was in La Habra. I remember one time I drove all the way from West Covina to La Habra just to get some rolls at Niko Niko!

Now, I've grown up, and I can say that I've been to a few sushi spots since then. But to this day, I still don't mind hitting up this place once in a while. Luckily, they have one closer to my stomping grounds in Rowland Heights. It's in the same plaza as Happy Wok, Boiling Seafood, and Albertson's. This time, we went here for my girl's bday. My mom treated us.

I used to love their dynamite appetizer ($7) here. I don't know what happened, but the taste for this has fallen off for me the last few times I ordered it. I probably won't get it again. It was just lacking in taste and I didn't want to finish it. When I say that, it must be ultimate wackness.

dynamite appetizer-- my ex-friend


My mom and bro got the combo meals cuz they don't eat rolls or sushi. My mom got the salmon and beef combo, and my brother got the calamari steak and salmon teriyaki combo ($10 something each?). My mom said her food was okay and my brother said the calamari didn't have much flavor. I wasn't too interested in what they ordered anyway.





I think my girl and I were extra hungry cuz-- or it might have been cuz my mom was paying, but we ordered a good amount of food. We got the Sapporo roll ($10.99). It was yellowtail on top of spicy yellowtail with crab inside. That one was good.



The baked spicy lobster roll ($10 something?) is usually a hit with me. This time around was no exception. I put "very good" in my notes so it must have been..... very good!

can't go wrong with Niko Niko's baked spicy lobster roll


Nowadays, salmon sashimi or sushi is like rice for me when I go to a sushi place. I always have to order it. The 7 piece salmon sashimi got a nod from me. It was fresh-- even though it was late night. I don't know if that really matters.



To round out our sushi selection, we got the 2 piece yellowtail sushi ($4 something) and 2 piece albacore sushi ($4 something). Both were good. The yellowtail was fresh, and best of all, they were fat pieces. The albacore had some ponzu sauce in it which luckily wasn't too tangy.



I've mentioned before that I've been here already. I think I've been to Niko Niko restaurants about 5 or 6 times. A couple times in Rowland Heights, a couple in La Habra and a few in Long Beach. They're all about the same. They're usually consistent with their stuff so I'm not worried about going to any other of their locations. It won't be my first choice, but I won't whine if we have to go there.

Myung Dong Tofu House - West Covina

Myung Dong Tofu House
1025 S Glendora Ave
West Covina, CA 91790
(626) 338-0414
Type: tofu / Korean food
Map

Soon after Yogurt Space, we hit up some new tofu restaurant in the same plaza. It's called Myung Dong. Now I could easily turn that name into something inappropriate, but my young dong is bigger than that.

We went on a Sunday night just an hour or so before they were closing. There wasn't much else to eat at that time, especially tofu spots near my house. So no matter what was on the menu, we were eating there. Nothing fancy or unique about the place (not that I care-- as long as the food is good). So anyways, the tofu soups here are $8.99. About standard price I guess. It's been a while since I've been to a tofu house. I got the the seafood tofu soup. My girl got the shrimp and scallop + tofu combo ($13.99).



So the first question I would ask anybody who went to a tofu spot is, "How was the sides?" If you don't know already, you usually get free side dishes when you eat at Korean places. I think it's called banchan. (This might be the last time I explain this) For me, I have two or three different restaurants I compare other tofu spots to. On the upper end of the spectrum is Jeun Tong in West Covina, and Tofu Village in Garden Grove. They have consistently the best sides and the tofu is always good. On the lower end of the spectrum for me would be BCD. I'd say their sides are the wackest, but maybe that's cuz we only go there late night. I don't know if they serve better stuff during the day. Myung Dong's sides are just a little bit higher than BCD's. Not a good sign.

2nd rate sides


I've said before that it's hard to eff up on your tofu soups. Most places I've been to are pretty consistent. Even BCD's is okay for me. Myung Dong.... you gotta step up your game. The soup was noticeably lacking in taste. Of course I still finished it though. I was hungry.

looks good doesn't it.....


...it wasn't


The shrimp and scallop also looked better than it tasted. They only gave 2 scallops. The sauce it came with was eh-- that I remember.



I probably wouldn't go here again on my own will. But I don't know anybody else that really eats tofu soup as much as us. Maybe we'll go here on a Sunday night if we're too lazy to drive anywhere else and we're fiending for tofu.

Yogurt Space

Yogurt Space
993 S Glendora Ave
West Covina, CA 91790
(626) 338-1578
Type: yogurt bar / dessert
Website
Map



Damn. I'm so behind on my reviews! I went to this place in March. Who knows if this place is still open? Nah. I think it is. It was decently busy when I went.

So Yogurt Space is pretty much like Yogurtland. I smell some biters! It's located in the Hong Kong plaza where Krua Thai and World Buffet is. The decorations inside is nothing different from other young/hip/teeny bopper places. If you've been to Yogurtland, you'll notice that it's the same self-serve style. There's not as many options for yogurt as Yogurtland, and I'm not sure how their toppings compare, but just as long as they had mochi balls, I was happy. You can bring your laptop here and connect to wi-fi. I don't know if they charge though.

teeny boppers welcome...


I don't remember what I got on mine. I think I may have mixed one or three different yogurts, then topped it with some Cap N' Crunch cereal, some kiwis, maybe some strawberries, and of course mochi balls. I don't know what my girl or my cousin got. I paid for all three cups and the total went to $14.92. So about 5 bucks a cup. I'll tell you a secret. If you want a lot of toppings, don't put a lot of yogurt. If you put a lot of yogurt, there's no space for the toppings. I usually fill up my cup about 2/3 of yogurt, then pile on the toppings.



Because Yogurt Space is so close compared to the 10 or so miles to the nearest Yogurtland, I'll go back here. The yogurt was good. They got mochi balls. It's all good.

BJ's - West Covina

BJ's Restaurant & Brewery
2917 E Eastland Ctr Dr
West Covina, CA 91791
(626) 858-0054
Type: Californian / restaurant / bar / pizza
Website
Map

Another chain restaurant. Yes. Indeed. BJ's in West Covina in the Eastland Center mall is one of many BJ's restaurants nationwide. This is the one my girlfriend and I went to. I would compare this place to a Yard House or TGI Friday's. I've been here many times before and I know I'll end up going here in the future.



BJ's has a little special place in my heart though. I was maybe about 22 or something. Ironically, I actually started drinking alcohol after it was legal for me, unlike 98 percent of my friends who started in high school. But in the beginning, I only liked the hard liquor shots, and--promise not to laugh.... Smirnoff Ice. Everybody clowned on me for drinking the "girly" stuff. I didn't care. I was kind of laughing to myself thinking you guys are the ones drinking that nasty ass beer. How can you like that stuff? I had my first sip of beer when I was probably in 1st grade. Stuff was nasty. And I thought so for about a decade and a half. I tried taking sips many times to see if it would grow on me, and I was still sticking to the Mike's Hard Lemonade. Then, I went to BJ's with some friends. They were all drinking their beers. I think I wanted to get buzzed that night, so I forced myself to drink it. I got their famous hefeweizen. Damn. It was all over from there. Their hef was just so light and smooth and tasty that it just pulled me to the dark side never to look back. I've probably tasted maybe 30 or so different types of beers since then, and I still try new ones whenever possible.

So getting back to the present, we ordered the BJ's beer tasters. We each got the 7 tasters for $8.95 each. It's just 7 of BJ's own beers in thin glasses. I don't remember what they had, but I know by the 2nd glass, we were a little tipsy. I'd get that again cuz I like the variety.

party line


When you drink, you gotta get something to snack on. In Tagalog, we call that pulutan. It's just a must. Onion strings were great. It's just a little too much just for two people who still ordered a pizza!

onion strings


We ordered the Great White Pizza for about $20 for a medium. Bad move. Not the pizza itself. That was good. It was deep dish. Fluffy but crispy on the outside. Had alfredo sauce and it's good with ranch (what isn't?). But we just let our buzzed hunger order for us. We only got like 1 or 2 slices each. Oh well. Leftovers.



I pretty much said what I needed to say about this place. Nothing really wrong with it in my opinion. Good place to go for an occasion. Loudish. Oh, it can get crowded during peak hours. And, uh... that's it.

Toi On Sunset - Hollywood (Los Angeles)

Toi On Sunset
7505 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 874-8062
Type: Thai food
Website
Map

My girl and I were in Hollywood on a late weekday night. We went to a bar/lounge to watch her friends' band perform in remembrance of their friend that passed away recently (R.I.P. Mike). It was late when the show ended, so I had to go on my other blog (Club N' Grub-- which I haven't been updating lately) to find out what was open nearby. There's a lot of things to choose from, but we decided on a trendy Thai place called Toi (on Sunset) on Sunset Blvd.

It was maybe around 1am or 2am when we got there, so there wasn't much people. There isn't a parking lot that we saw, so we had to park at a nearby street. That's Hollywood for you. Inside, the place has a music theme, with rock memorabilia on the walls, loud rock music playing, a psychadelic wall on one side, and a lounge on the side. You know, your typical Thai joint.



Their menu wasn't extensive, but there was a good amount of deciding to do. They have a decent amount of vegetarian items because again, that's Hollywood for you. And good for me! I ordered the tofu, pumpkin, and eggplant dish ($10.95). I don't remember if you had to order rice separately, but I know you can choose from white rice or brown rice. We got half and half. My girl got the shrimp pad see ew ($11.95). Yeah, this place isn't cheap.

My tofu, pumpkin, and eggplant was good. The sauce or sautee was good. It came with bell peppers and mushrooms too. Everything was good except the pumpkins. Ironically, that's what attracted me to ordering it cuz it sounded interesting. We both agreed it was the wackest part of the dish. Not sure if I'd order it again.

my camera phone says this is the tofu, pumpkin, eggplant dish


The pad see ew was pretty hefty, although it only had 5 shrimps on the whole thing. Well, atleast they were good-sized suckers. It had a lot of garlic in it which we liked. We ended up taking some home cuz it was more than enough.

no, I'm not gonna use a real camera next time


Toi is surely a good go-to place on a late Hollywood night. Even though it was good, I would just go here at night cuz there's so many other places to try. I'd take out-of-town guests here if we went to a club before. It'll make it seem like I'm cool cuz I know "the spots."

Taps Fish House & Brewery - Brea

Taps Fish House & Brewery
101 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 257-0101
Type: seafood / bar / steakhouse / dining
Website
Map



We went here in late March (I got a lot of reviews to catch up on still) for my friend's and his girlfriend's birthdays. I was told this place was good but pricey. My girl and her best friend-- which is my friend's girlfriend with the birthdays usually go here to eat. I never been here so I was excited to hear what all the hype was about. Taps is located in the city of Brea near the Brea mall. More specifically, it's near the shopping area away from the mall where you'll find Eddie Bauer and Fatburger and Old Navy and stuff. When you walk in the place it looks like it's a huge sports bar kind of place, but when you go off to the left into the formal dining area, the scene changes. Everything got classy all of a sudden.

But anyways, in the beginning we waited for everybody cuz everybody has to lag and make an entrance. So we waited at the bar area on the right and ordered some beers and watched Golden State vs. the Lakers. I think the Lakers lost that game. But atleast L.A. got Baron Davis now! Taps serves their own beer as well as the known brands. I ended up getting their hefeweizen beer. It was good. Smooth. It had a good after-taste, especially when you burped. Kind of like a berry after-taste. After all that though, BJ's hef might be better still.

makes your burps taste good


So after the Lakers lost, everybody arrived and we got seated. Time to order and eat dammit. People have been waiting a minute or 60. My girl ordered some raw oysters ($12) she split with her friend. No thanks. They liked it. I liked it cuz she was a little touchy later on........ Nooo.

oohh baby I like it raw!!!


i forgot to mention free bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar


I ordered the Chilean sea bass ($31). Good lord it better be good. I liked it. It was light and flaky. The rice was good. There were some sweet peppers on the side that were good. For 30 bucks was it worth it? Hmmm. It was cool. better than anything I've gotten for half that price.

Chilean (kick his ass!) Sea Bass


my friend got some pasta thing or something. It was good.


We also got the Hawaiian style ahi tuna tartar ($13). I think it was cool, but by the looks of it, the price was in the design.



After everything was put away, there were mixed reviews about the place. I liked it and I wouldn't mind going back for another occasion. I just gotta make sure not to eat out for about a week before-hand. Some of my friends said it was okay. Some even said Yardhouse is better. They might be in the same category for me. Although Yardhouse does have a lot more beers and maybe a bigger menu. I'll still go back here though.

Inka Grill - Lake Forest

Inka Grill
23600 Rockfield Blvd Ste 2K
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 587-9008
Type: Peruvian cuisine / dining
Map



Finally. Some Peruvian food! I tried making a post here a while back asking about any spots anybody could recommend, but I got nothing. Thanks a-holes. Just kidding. But not really. No, just kidding. I was down in Irvine with my girlfriend, and we were both fiending for some Peruvian. The trusty internet led to a somewhat far spot down the 405 and 5 freeways in Lake Forest. The place was Inka Grill. I think it's a chain with a few stores open here and there. It was a Sunday afternoon when we got there, and the whole plaza where Inka Grill was located was dead. I mean there's a Panera Bread place off the side, but I don't even think there were that many cars parked in front of it. Inka Grill was no exception. We were the only paying souls in the joint. Not a good sign.



Oh well, I still wanted me some encebollados fish ($11.95-- and I know that's not how you say it) and some fried plantains. Gotta love that salty and sweet combination. So that's what I ordered. Before that arrived we got some free bread. Always a good thing. I love the free breads at the Peruvian spots. They give you butter and their secret weapon-- the green chile sauce. I looked it up just right now and I believe it's called "aji" (pronounced like ahi tuna). It's pretty much good with anything: meats, veggies, bread, maybe soups, seafood, chocolate, ice cream......... so. If I'm smart, I'll eat a bunch of it til I get a little tired of it, then move on to my main dish, and I'll surely have leftovers. Money in the bank!

a meal in and of itself


So my fish dish came. It's served with a grip of caramelized onions, some veggies, rice, and fried fish. Simple. Nothing fancy. If made correctly, good seasoning. I think it's cooked in some kind of sauce or something cuz it ain't dry. This particular dish was great. Some places season the hell out of everything on the plate and it's a little too salty-- even for me. Inka Grill's was just right. Thinking about it makes me speechless. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.......................................................


My girlfriend ordered the jalea ($16.95). I think it was the half plate or something. It was still a huge portion though. All the seafood in it was deep fried. We both thought it was good. I can't remember who's dish was better, but it was probably mine. Sorry. I can't help that I got good ordering skills.

this is what they consider a half plate. thanks guys.


For me, probably 95% of the bites I took had the green sauce. The bottle was full when we started eating, and it was just squeezed dry by the end. Luckily for us, there were leftovers. We asked if we could get some green sauce to go and the lady said they have to charge us $5 for a bottle. Damn. Here's five bucks. I needed it to finish my meal properly.

It ain't a Peruvian meal for me unless I got my fried plantains


Lake Forest is pretty damn far from West Covina. I can't say I'll be back for sure. If I'm in the area, it's very possible. I gotta find out other Peruvian spots near me. I know there's one in Brea so I'll check that out one of these days. Hopefully more people patronize Inka Grill cuz it wasn't looking so good. Tell them the guy behind whereweeating.blogspot.com sent you. They might hook you up a little somethin somethin. Nah, they won't.

Zagat rating just a fee away?

So my friends and I went to some Thai place called Palms Thai. If you've been there, you're familiar with the singing Elvis' they got on stage every now and then. We drove all the way here just to eat cuz it was my friend's birthday. He picked it, so I got high expectations cuz he usually knows the spot. Before we walk in, we see the Zagat Rated badge. I was like, "Oh yeah. We're grubbin tonite!" After all was said and done, it wasn't that great. You'll probably think I'm biased, but I'd way rather save gas and eat better food near my house at Banana Bay. If you're in town for other stuff, then by all means.

But here's what I'm getting at. My homie's spot (Banana Bay) isn't Zagat Rated. Our whole party thought B-Bay was better (we're just being nice Jim. just kidding!). Truthfully. I asked my friend how you get a Zagat rating. He said you just pay some fee and that's pretty much it. Now I know that's probably not all there is to it, but if that place was Zagat rated, I know other places that could put that badge on their windows.

On a side note, I was talking to my boss about the BBB (Better Business Bureau). I asked him how you get that certification, and he pretty much said you gotta fork over a few bucks and you're cool.

So if anybody knows. Is this true? All you need to get that credential and possibly more people coming to your restaurant is money? Somebody fill me in.

Wasa - Newport Beach

Wasa
1346 Bison Ave
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 760-1511
Type: Japanese food / sushi / dining
Website
Map



Every time I drive to my girlfriend's house out in Newport Coast, I pass by this place. I always look at it while driving. Eventually, I couldn't stand just looking at it. I wanted in. So my dining partner-in-crime (girlfriend) and I went here on a weekday night I believe. There was a few minutes' wait, but who cares. I'm trying this place dammit.

Inside, the place is pretty damn small. This isn't a very intimate place to eat as there's probably only 3-5 booths. The rest, you're sitting next to other customers so you can easily peep out what their fat asses got and they can see what your lard ass got. Okay, maybe not the best term for a sushi place, but we always order a lot, unless we're restaurant hopping.

Being in Newport Beach, I was afraid to look at the menu for one reason. The prices. I mean, this is the land of Benzs and Bimmers and Botox and mansions and millionaires. The average person here probably makes more in one day than I do in a month. Seriously. Sadly. But the menu took off a few weights off my chest. The prices-- they weren't that bad. They weren't cheap or a great deal that I recognized, but not bad. This place is also Zagat Rated. There's a small army of 4 sushi chefs working for that room.

Even though the prices as I explained weren't that bad, this wasn't a special occassion (actually it was, cuz I was with my girl. 2 points), so we still had to be a little choosy with what we ordered. This is what we came up with:

The baked dynamite appetizer ($8.95?) was small but good. I didn't put any descriptions on it under my notes, but I think it was.

baked dynamite


We got the Garlic Ponzu Treasure ($9.95). It came with 3pcs of salmon, yellowtail, and toro (fatty tuna). All 3 were seared. There was a little wasabi in it which I usually hate, but this wasn't as strong. I'd get this one again.

Garlic Ponzu Treasure me matey!!!! yarr!!!!!


We usually throw some hand rolls in the mix. Newport Roll ($4.50) and Spicy Scallop Roll ($4.25). Both were good but the scallop was a little better. I don't remember what was in the Newport Roll, but don't be scared about ordering it.

Newport Roll and Scallop Roll did their thangs.


I've been having some bad experience with "nice" places and lobster rolls. Like the time we went to Zipangu and ordered their most expensive roll the Maine Crunch Roll. Wackness. The lobster roll ($15.95) here.... no thanks. Plain as a Boeing 747 but it wasn't fly. Get it?!

strike two for "nice place's" lobster rolls


Last up, the Ninja/Spider Roll ($9.95). It was 6 pieces of "had it before and wouldn't get again." It pretty much tasted like any other spider roll that wasn't super great for me. Actually, come to think of it, I rarely get any spider rolls that are super bomb.... note to self.

soft shell crab (spider) roll. just a filler.


So 3 of the 5 orders were good. I'd still go back some time-- possibly. Just probably no more cut rolls unless they're used as fillers to get me full. There's too many damn sushi places around that this is not a place I would get attached to. My girlfriend still prefers Sankai which is like 4 miles further down the freeway. So do I.