Madanzsae Korean Barbecue

City: Lakewood, CA.

Address: 21004 Pioneer Blvd, Lakewood, CA 90715

Food type: Korean

Price range/person: $10-20/dinner

Wait time: None usually; Longer for large parties.

Service: Hurried, unorganized. Hard to get attention of servers on busy night – pushed “call” button several times, but still had to wait several minutes.

Ambiance: Jovial, lively, casual.

Dish Focus On:

Side dishes and dipping sauces - sides include kimchi (traditional Korean fermented dish), macaroni, potatoes, bean sprouts, pickled cucumbers, broccoli, seaweed, seasoned rice noodles, and spicy bean curd (I think?). Also served with plain rice noodle wrappers and daikon pickled vegetables to accompany the meat.

My favorite sides were the seasoned rice noodles, seaweed, and potatoes (which they ran out of!). Overall, all were pretty tasty.

BBQ buffet with beef rib, beef brisket, and pork belly.
Beef rib was the best of the 3 meat choices, but all were still very fatty. The pork belly looked like jumbo sized bacon. Definitely not the healthiest food option. No oil needed, as natural oils from the meat coated the grilling skillet.

Yummmy Factor: 3.5/5

Yummmy Rambles:
Some background from Wikipedia:

Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of select vegetables with varied seasonings, most commonly referring to the spicy baechu variety. Kimchi is the most common Korean side dish.

Kimchi is made of various vegetables and contains a high concentration of dietary fiber, while being low in calories. It also provides up to 80% of the daily required amount of ascorbic acid and carotene. Most types of kimchi contain common ingredients like onions, garlic and peppers all of which have well-known health benefits. The vegetables being made into kimchi also contribute to the overall nutritional value. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), calcium and iron, and contains a number of lactic acid bacteria.

Restaurant has a strong savory aroma, which you will smell of after the meal (don’t wear your favorite outfit here). Dining experience is fun with the “All-you-can-eat buffet”, as you get to cook unlimited meat. Meat was overall too fatty for my taste, but some may enjoy it (hopefully not every day)! Servers bring more tasty side dishes upon request. Rice is very good (only served upon request) - slightly sticky texture and appears to be prepared with red beans? Salad with a sweet and spicy dressing also served with our dinner. Cold rice tea served with meals. Dessert is a vanilla & chocolate soft serve swirl – in a Dixie cup with a pink Baskin Robbins spoon. Flat screen TVs available – they were playing the Lakers vs. Clippers basketball game.

The Original Pancake House

City: Anaheim, CA.

Address: 1418 E. Lincoln, Anaheim, CA 92805

Website: http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/

Food type: Breakfast: pancakes, waffles, eggs

Price range/person: $10

Wait time: 30-60 mins, especially during peak hours and weekends. Bring a newspaper or magazine to read!

Service: Extremely friendly, helpful, timely, cheerful.

Ambiance: Casual, old-fashioned, rustic.

Dish Focus On:

Apple Pancake - Oven baked with fresh granny smith apples and pure Sinkiang cinnamon glaze.















While this pancake may look a little funny, it will do wonders in your mouth! Perfect blend of apples, cinnamon and pancake goodness. Served piping HOT and fresh. Definitely no syrup needed.

Georgia Pecan Pancakes - Filled and topped with hot toasted pecans. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Served with whipped butter and hot tropical syrup.














A plethora of crunchy pecans embedded in 6 delicious pancakes, sprinkled with sweet powdered sugar. Served with a topical syrup - homemade with citrus fruits. Didn't taste the syrup because I'm not a fan of citrus, but I hear it's wonderful!

Yummmy Factor: 5/5

Yummmy Rambles: The ultimate breakfast place! If you are looking for pancakes, this IS the place. Open daily from 6:00 am - 2:00 pm. No more IHOP for me. While the wait may be long (even on a rainy morning), the food and dining experience are fantastic. Creative and very original pancake entrees, with specials being the “Apple Pancake” and “Dutch Baby.” Our waitress was very friendly and eager to show off the house specials. She refilled our coffee at least 4 times. Family friendly place as well, with special toys and activities to entertain the kids. Parking lot available in the back. Servings are large, so prepare to share, take leftovers home, or be extremely stuffed. Instead of to-go “boxes,” 2 large paper plates held together by a rubber band are used – you can microwave directly and eat off the plate later. Great idea! If the pancakes only are too sweet, order something salty (eggs, bacon) to make the meal more balanced.

Monsieur Marcel

City: Santa Monica, CA

Address: 1260 3rd street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Website: http://www.breadwineandcheese.com/

Food type: French, wine & cheese, fondue

Price range/person: $20-30/dinner, depends on how much wine you desire!

Wait time: None

Service: Polite yet disorganized.

Ambiance: Elegant and romantic, yet also disturbing, loud, and rowdy. Yelling from people on the streets was not pleasant.

Dish Focus On:

Salade d’endives au Roquefort - bitter belgium endives with apples, walnuts and crumbled roquefort cheese, with a homemade walnut vinaigrette


Fresh apples, crunchy endives, and creamy crumbled roquefort cheese make a scrumptious combination. Dressing is tangy and terrific. Best dish of the night.

Penne al checca (sp?) with fresh tomatoes and basil – house special of the night. Added chicken.


Fresh tomatoes and flavorful basil decorate the almost boring penne. Added chicken for only $3.50, and boy, did we get our chicken! Tons of white chicken chunks - although slightly dry, still worth the extra money. Made good leftovers.

Steak sandwich, served with fries (or salad) – house special of the night.


Hot and steamy meat, smothered with melted cheese, and served on fresh bread. Fries were thin, tasty, and had a nice crunch. No ketchup? I guess it's a French thing.

Yummmy Factor: 3.25/5

Yummmy Rambles: Place has potential. Menu has great options, food is decent, and place is easy to find. Huge wine menu available. Restaurant has mostly outdoor seating in the middle of a busy shopping street (3rd street Promenade) - not a typical indoor restaurant. While you have clean linen tablecloths and candle-lit table tops, you are still outside. When crazy shoppers and loud teenagers yell on the streets, you hear everything. While space heaters give warmth on a cold evening, they are constantly being moved around the already crowded seating area. Some guests beside us even got in a fight over a portable space heater. So, I’m not jumping to go back here quite yet. Fresh bread is served before meals - while we got 2 kinds of bread the first time, when we asked for more, we only got one kind. Biggest boo-boo: they served our hot entrees before the salad... so we couldn't enjoy the cold crisp salad before our main dishes! Who does that?

Urth Caffe

City: Santa Monica, CA.

Address: 2327 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Website: http://www.urthcaffe.com/

Food type: Coffee, juices, boba, sandwiches, salads, desserts.

Price range/person: $4-6/drink; $9-12/food

Wait time: 5-10 mins to order in line; 15-20 mins for food

Service: Hurried, bustling.

Ambiance: Cheerful, bright, lively. Perfect place to “people watch.” Indoor and outdoor seating available.

Dish Focus On:

Spiced Chai Latte
A warming cup of tea latte. Cute leaf design created in foam – which was thick and creamy. Wow.
Apple carrot juice
Truly fresh and refreshing – healthy too!


Yummmy Factor: 4.5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Definitely a popular and crowded café! Place was bustling and full of energy. Only stopped for the drinks, but salads, sandwiches, and baked goods look heavenly! HUGE boba drinks available. Known for their “Exclusively organic coffees and fine teas.” Coffees and teas available for purchase. A bit pricey, but perfect for an afternoon tea, snack, or break from reality!

Honda Ya Japanese Restaurant

City: Tustin, CA.

Address: 556 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780

Food type: Japanese – sushi, noodles/rice, yakitori

Price range/person: $15-25/dinner

Wait time: 15-45 mins. Arrived 20 mins after restaurant opened for dinner and wait was still 15 mins. A long wait is likely, but DO IT!

Service: Courteous, prompt.

Ambiance: Casual, Asian influence. Traditional Japanese décor jazzes up the room.

Dish Focus On:

Yummmy Dish's item ranking:
(#1 - best, based on our orders only)
1. Eel
2. Crab Shumai
3. Meatballs
4. Hearts (Chicken)
5. Beef tongue
6. Nikujaga (served in pot)
7. Special Hearts (Chicken)
8. Wings (Original)
9. White meat
10. Wings (Spicy) -I'm not a big spicy fan
11. Spinach garlic (House special)
12. Beef

Nikujaga – beef, assorted vegetables in broth


Deliciously flavored broth, slightly sweet yet still savory. Tender beef slices and refreshing veges. Special house item.

Crab Shumai - freshly wrapped and topped with crab


Amazingly fresh and original. Stuffing inside wrapper was light, fluffy, and hot! Likely some kind of egg? Crab topping was meaty and tasty. House special item.

Hearts (chicken) and beef


Yup - chicken hearts on a stick! Crisp yet tender meaty texture. I preferred the regular "Hearts" over the "Special Hearts." Beef on a stick was OK - slightly tough, but still flavorful.

Eel and meatballs


Two thick slabs of eel - YUMMMY! Sweet, salty, tender, and perfectly grilled. Love it! Meat balls are steamed first and then grilled to perfection. Both were tantalizingly good!

Wings (chicken)



HOT and tender wings. Available with spicy sauce. YUM!

Yummmy Factor: 5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Fantastical! We probably had the best seats in the house – right in front of the Yakitori grilling station. We watched the chefs put together and grill fresh ingredients over piping hot coals. Each item was freshly prepared and carefully infused with flavor. Seating options: bar, booths, tables, Tatami floor mats (no shoes). My stomach was not big enough to try all that the menu had to offer – cannot wait to try the udon, sushi, and other yakitori items! House special items are indicated on menu. Yakitori items range from about $1.75 - $5.00 per skewer. Preferred Yakitori here over that from San Diego's Yakitori Yakyudori. So excited to go back again! Sake isn’t bad either. Wine/beer options reasonably priced.

The sticks from all our orders, next to an empty bottle of “Aladdin” sake – smooth, warming, and yummmy.
















Our exciting dinner view - only a window was keeping me from grabbing the food...

Happy Valentine's Day

Made by someone who shares my love for good food.

Oreo chocolate cheesecake - oreo cookie crust, topped with chocolate and oreo cookies.















Looks a little funny on the outside, but it's what's on the inside that counts. What a treat. YUMMMY! Love it. Thank you J.

Mario's De La Mesa Restaurant - Update #1

See post from January 27, 2008.

City: La Mesa, CA

Food type: Mexican

Price range/person: $10-15/lunch or dinner

Wait time: None if you come early; 15-30 mins during busy times

Service: Once again, extremely FAST, cheerful, pleasant. Server was delightful and sweet.

Ambiance: Casual, home-like, festive. This time, Valentine's decor was brightening up the room.

Dish Focus On:

Chicken Mole - Not pictured
Surprisingly, this dish was not as spectacular as it was the first time. While the mole sauce was delicious, the chicken was not as tender and the meat was much fattier. Beans, rice, and chips still great!

Beef burrito - served with rice, beans, and topped with fresh tomatoes and sour cream.















Large burrito stuffed with shredded beef and yummmy filling. Meat is fantastically tender and tasty.

Fun educational placemats! Want to learn some Spanish?
















Yummmy Factor: 4.25/5 (down from 5/5)

Yummmy Rambles: Disappointed with my 2nd visit here. Not only was the chicken in the Mole dish not quite as good, but my blended strawberry margarita didn't have enough ice - it melted too fast. Although the food is still superb, it didn't live up to my expectations from the first experience. However, I would still go back!

The Cottage in La Jolla

City: La Jolla, CA

Address: 7702 Fay Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037

Food type: American, breakfast, "Southern California Cooking"

Restaurant link: http://www.cottagelajolla.com/

Price range/person: $15/breakfast

Wait time: 0-20 minutes

Service: Prompt, professional, pleasant.

Ambiance: Cheerful, casual, cozy.

Dish Focus On:

Carne Asada Eggs Benedicts - special for the day. On English Muffin with Poached Eggs & House Made Hollandaise Sauce











Tender slices of carne asada, fresh avocado, and perfectly poached eggs, all topped with a creamy hollandaise sauce. Superb breakfast combo! Cottage potatoes seasoned and cooked nicely.

Cottage Oatmeal Pancakes - Light & Fluffy with Whole Wheat Flour & Oats, with strawberries and bananas

Soft and fluffy pancakes. Added the bananas and strawberries to the dish. Some of the strawberries were bruised on the side and they weren't the sweetest, but I guess it's not strawberry season? Fun plating with a berry compote swirl on the side. Served with butter and syrup.

Stuffed French Toast - Our Country Style French Toast stuffed with Strawberry Compote & Marscarpone Cheese

Gigantic mounds of stuffed french toast. Thin layer of citrus marmalade (I think?) with bits of orange rind spread inside folded toast. Not a huge fan of oranges, so this wasn't my favorite dish, but my eating buddies sure loved it!

Omelettes - Various types, with Cottage Potatoes and English muffin

Didn't taste this one personally, but looks great! Yummmy filling is hidden below the fluffy layer of egg.

Yummmy Factor: 4/5

Yummmy Rambles: “The Cottage” is a beautifully remodeled historic building from the early 1900s. Gorgeous location close to the beaches. Popular place for breakfast. There may even be samples of freshly baked goodies in the waiting area outside. I had 2 pieces of their delicious coffee cake! Outdoor seating is nice, especially on warm sunny mornings. Opens at 7:30 am daily. Unfortunately, they do not take reservations, so come early! Supposedly known for their homemade granola – didn’t get to taste it this time, but I look forward to it in the future. Can't wait to try their lunch and dinner as well.

Only a short drive to the spectacular La Jolla shores, where you can enjoy adorable (and slightly stinky) seals!

La Dolce Vita Ristorante

City: La Jolla, CA

Address: 1237 Prospect St., Ste. P, La Jolla, CA 92037

Food type: Italian

Restaurant link: http://www.ladolcevitaristorante.com/Ristorante.htm

Price range/person: $15-30/dinner; Prices up slightly from online menu listings

Wait time: None

Service: Humorous, friendly, fun. Server was helpful and entertaining – brought a smile to my face with his jokes.

Ambiance: Quaint, elegant, comfortable. Romantic wall paintings, candle-lit table tops.

Dish Focus On:

Calamari Fra Diavolo - Sauteed Calamari in spicy tomato sauce.





A change from the typical fried calamari. Pieces were fresh, smooth, tender, and not chewy at all.

Cannelloni de Carne - Homemade cannelloni filled with ground beef and eggplant served in a mushroom Bolognese pink sauce.
Fresh pasta stuffed with tasty savory beef. Sauce was overflowing with mushrooms. Very rich and creamy - maybe a little too rich.

Lobster ravioli with scallops in a cream sauce – house special of the night.















Six homemade ravioli in a rich cream sauce - again, maybe a little too rich. Scallops were slightly overcooked and tough. Lobster flavor not distinct, but seafood taste definitely there.

Tiramisu



Large serving of delicious cake. Creamy on the outside and moist on the inside. Yummmy way to end a nice dinner.

Yummmy Factor: 4/5

Yummmy Rambles: Fresh warm bread with a DE-licious dipping sauce served before meal. Dipping sauce is tangy and sweet, with what appears to be seasoned sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. Sauce is so good that it is available for take-out at $8.00/lb. Restaurant is tucked away in small alley, so look carefully! Street parking tough on weekends and busy weeknights. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Place is small, but space is utilized effectively. Cabernet Sauvignon was delicious and went well with the rich pasta dishes.

Happy Chinese New Year!

A FAB dinner with family. Thank you to my aunt and uncle for cooking!

What a table of FOOD...
















A huge slice of sea bass. Wonder how big the entire fish was?
















A concoction of savory ingredients: Ribs, mushrooms, beans, and spices.
















One of my favorite Chinese dishes - Shrimp and eggs.



Until next year!

Kitima Extraordinary Thai

City: La Jolla, CA

Address: 8008 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037

Food type: Thai

Price range/person: $15-25/dinner

Wait time: None

Service: Attentive, respectful.

Ambiance: Enchanting, colorful, precious.

Dish Focus On:

Sidewalk Noodles: A Thai specialty. Soft rice noodles meld with an abundance of chicken, spring onion, broccoli and herbs and spices.

Warming noodles to satisfy a hungry tummy. Soft flat noodles are silky, slightly sweet, and make a great contrast with the crunchy veges on the side. Finished the whole thing!

Drunken Noodles: A spicy mixture of soft pan-fried noodles sauteed in a special garlic chili sauce, with chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sweet basil.






Yes, this sure looks similar, but no, this is not the same entree! Although similar in appearance, taste is unique and bursting with flavor and spices. Kind of too spicy for my taste, but perfect for those who want a kick!

Yummmy Factor: 4.25/5

Yummmy Rambles: Reviews for this restaurant said that the place was often empty. So, not surprisingly, we were the ONLY customers in the entire place upon arrival. However, 3 more parties showed up before we finished eating. Décor is impeccable, with beautiful wall murals, paintings, flowers, and art pieces creating a very charming environment. Adorable pillows line the seating against the walls. Restaurant has gorgeous location right alongside the beach. Incredible detail given to check folders, table settings, decorations, and even the bathrooms! Indoor and outdoor seating available. Street parking may be difficult at times. Any dish can be made vegetarian.

What a beautiful wall!
















And right by the water...