IN-N-OUT Burger, the place that everyone talks about and the place you have to go to if you are out West. Sure it has a nice little charm to it, brings you back to the 50's, and the staff seems to be all high school kids with the desire to really work here. The standard menu is short and sweet, the not so secret menu makes it a bit spicier and the secret menu I unfortunately can't comment on. Single, double, triple and cheese or no-cheese are your burger options with fries and a soda/milkshake. You can also order a 4x4 or as I heard one client mention to me once; a 20x20 which means 20 patties. Don't ask me how that is eaten....
I ordered the 2x2 cheeseburger with Animal fries and a coke. "Animal" in front of anything really just means that you want grilled onions, melted cheddar cheese and their secret burger sauce on it, a sauce that resembles the Big Mac sauce or 1000 Island dressing.
The burger was really good, like home made, but the fries could have been better. I guess it is one of those places you have to go to and now I have. I do recommend anyone else to visit a location as well.
Overall Rating: 3
Food Rating: 4 (5 if the fries were better)
Cost: $
27380 La Paz Rd.
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
http://www.in-n-out.com/default.asp
Sunday, August 30, 2009
RA Sushi - San Diego, CA
Late night dinner with a friend with no time to look for a place. We both felt like sushi so in passing we saw RA Sushi which also became the choice.
The menu is pretty extensive with a good beer list. Notable: Hand Rolls and Dynamite Scallop Roll (one of their signature rolls). The Dynamite Scallop Roll was a warm dish and a bit of a surprise when it hit the table. This is what i would call the the Japanese version of Italian Fettuccini Alfredo. It was creamy, rich and probably hit the 1500+ calorie count....but excellent!
Overall Rating: 3
Food Rating: 3
Cost: $$
474 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
http://www.rasushi.com/
The menu is pretty extensive with a good beer list. Notable: Hand Rolls and Dynamite Scallop Roll (one of their signature rolls). The Dynamite Scallop Roll was a warm dish and a bit of a surprise when it hit the table. This is what i would call the the Japanese version of Italian Fettuccini Alfredo. It was creamy, rich and probably hit the 1500+ calorie count....but excellent!
Overall Rating: 3
Food Rating: 3
Cost: $$
474 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
http://www.rasushi.com/
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Father's Office - Santa Monica, CA
As I asked the cab driver to take me to "my father's office" he sort of laughed in an polite way as my joke had probably been used more than once. I thought I was sort of catchy but after you hear that same joke over and over it probably gets old. The cab driver responded; Father's Office on Montana Ave. it is.
As I arrived it did not fail to live up to it's hole in the wall, jam packed, hustling and bustling gastro pub name it has earned since opening its doors. I was asked if I had been here before and i responded no. The host told me that try to find myself a place to sit and please order by the bar. (No table service here) No tables were available so I hit the bar and after some back and forth thoughts about staying or leaving on bar stool finally came available. The menu is very Spanish influenced with its Tapas created around Chorizo, Sobrasada, Jamon Serrano, Manchego, Piquillos, warm almonds etc. but I did not come for that. I came for the acclaimed 36 selection of microbrews, the burger and the fries with aioli. Don't bother asking for what comes on the burger or even adjusting what you want on the burger. The only question you are allowed to give your personal preference on is what temperature you would like the burger cooked at. Yes, there is no Ketchup in this place so don't even bother asking for it and if you don't like something that comes on the burger it is up to you to pick it off. I went with Medium-Rare and the sweet potato fries. Excellent choice I have to say....the burger was succulent and moist with a great sweetness exuding from the caramelized onions. Instead of lettuce I believe they use Arugula or Spinach. The sweet fries dipped in the homemade aioli were a great play on the sweet and salty marriage. The beer I had the bartender choose for me was excellent; it matched the taste I told her I prefer of strong ale with that Indian red bite.
I would recommend this place anytime but would recommend it for 2 people because any larger crowd can make this a very hard place to be accommodated in. Great ambiance with great food!
Overall Rating: 4
Food Rating: 5
Cost: $$
1018 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/11416036/santa_monica_ca/father_s_office.html#profileTab-reviews
As I arrived it did not fail to live up to it's hole in the wall, jam packed, hustling and bustling gastro pub name it has earned since opening its doors. I was asked if I had been here before and i responded no. The host told me that try to find myself a place to sit and please order by the bar. (No table service here) No tables were available so I hit the bar and after some back and forth thoughts about staying or leaving on bar stool finally came available. The menu is very Spanish influenced with its Tapas created around Chorizo, Sobrasada, Jamon Serrano, Manchego, Piquillos, warm almonds etc. but I did not come for that. I came for the acclaimed 36 selection of microbrews, the burger and the fries with aioli. Don't bother asking for what comes on the burger or even adjusting what you want on the burger. The only question you are allowed to give your personal preference on is what temperature you would like the burger cooked at. Yes, there is no Ketchup in this place so don't even bother asking for it and if you don't like something that comes on the burger it is up to you to pick it off. I went with Medium-Rare and the sweet potato fries. Excellent choice I have to say....the burger was succulent and moist with a great sweetness exuding from the caramelized onions. Instead of lettuce I believe they use Arugula or Spinach. The sweet fries dipped in the homemade aioli were a great play on the sweet and salty marriage. The beer I had the bartender choose for me was excellent; it matched the taste I told her I prefer of strong ale with that Indian red bite.
I would recommend this place anytime but would recommend it for 2 people because any larger crowd can make this a very hard place to be accommodated in. Great ambiance with great food!
Overall Rating: 4
Food Rating: 5
Cost: $$
1018 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/11416036/santa_monica_ca/father_s_office.html#profileTab-reviews
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
El Torito - Santa Monica, CA
After a long morning of meetings my last visit asked me to go with him to the local Mexican restaurant around the corner called El Torito. At first sight it seemed like any other large chain, currently 69 locations in California, Oregon, Arizona and Japan, yes Japan..., and as we entered the typical decor and huge space confirmed it. We had obviously missed the lunch crowd which made the space seem even bigger and the last buffet buckets were cleaned out. Buffet stations are another sign to lower your expectations. In the back a table with people congregating, most likely the staff preparing for dinner service and a couple of servers still on shift.
We sat down at a 4 top and the waiter hurried over to take our order. The choice of drink was a Tropical Ice Tea, house recommendation and it was really good. The dried up slice of decorative orange only plumped up once dropped into the tall glass of ice and tea. As I always like to ask the waiters what their choice of preference is I proceeded to do the same here. After the standard questions; level of spice, meat preference, level of hunger he proceeded to recommend the Mexico City Tacos. 3 corn tortillas with chicken, beef and carnitas sprinkled with cabbage, queso fresco, tomatoes and salsa fresca. On the side a portion of rice, frijoles de olla (spicy beans) and some home made guacamole. These tacos were just excellent and at one point I thought to myself; did my lunch guest notice that I devoured these like they were little amuse bouches or was he also lost in his lunch??? I guess you can ask my wife why this thought may have crossed my mind because I hear it from her every time I eat. My excuse: ever since having children I have adapted my eating to world record speed and mouthfuls’ not from this earth and I guess I sometimes forget that I am not in the house.
Overall rating: 3
Food Rating: 4
Cost: $$
3360 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
http://www.eltorito.com/menumain.asp
We sat down at a 4 top and the waiter hurried over to take our order. The choice of drink was a Tropical Ice Tea, house recommendation and it was really good. The dried up slice of decorative orange only plumped up once dropped into the tall glass of ice and tea. As I always like to ask the waiters what their choice of preference is I proceeded to do the same here. After the standard questions; level of spice, meat preference, level of hunger he proceeded to recommend the Mexico City Tacos. 3 corn tortillas with chicken, beef and carnitas sprinkled with cabbage, queso fresco, tomatoes and salsa fresca. On the side a portion of rice, frijoles de olla (spicy beans) and some home made guacamole. These tacos were just excellent and at one point I thought to myself; did my lunch guest notice that I devoured these like they were little amuse bouches or was he also lost in his lunch??? I guess you can ask my wife why this thought may have crossed my mind because I hear it from her every time I eat. My excuse: ever since having children I have adapted my eating to world record speed and mouthfuls’ not from this earth and I guess I sometimes forget that I am not in the house.
Overall rating: 3
Food Rating: 4
Cost: $$
3360 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
http://www.eltorito.com/menumain.asp
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