I’ve driven by this restaurant and its adjoining market every evening on my way home from work. Occasionally, I’ve seen smoke rising up from the building and recently made a mental note to check it out sometime soon.
I was actually attempting to try Asia Kitchen’s super cheap lunch special but despite the sign saying it was open at noonon Saturdays, the lights were off and the door was locked at 12:12.
I looked for cheap eats on Yelp and saw this place listed. I realized it was the market I had seen previously. I drove by and drove into the first residential street west of it and parked. I walked through the alley and made a quick turn right into the restaurant.
It has 4 four tops and 3 deuces and an aquarium and is immaculate. Since several yelpers raves about the carne asada, that’s what I ordered.
To say that this is the best carne asada I’ve eaten in my life is an understatement. The beef is so incredibly tender, lean and moist. The black beans and Spanish rice are the perfect accompaniment and though the portion is quite large, I somehow accidentally and yet deliberately ate all of it, except for the cactus salad because it seemed far too healthy. I did taste a bite of it and it had a slightly sour taste. Maybe when I’m feeling the need to eat a more balanced meal with greens, I’ll sample more of it. Right now all I’m focused on is the amazing quality of this beef which is now promoting me to visit the adjoining market to browse their offerings.
This place is definitely on my neighborhood gem list and I will be a frequent visitor going forward. Thanks for a delicious meal!
Don Felix Taqueria
3987 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.fiftyonekitchen.com
I had seen Wall Street Pizza on my many jaunts to Costco. Its cross street is Inglewood Blvd and is next to Payless Shoes in a sleek, contemporary building with a nail salon and a yoga studio. I decided to try it out the night of first round of NFL playoffs. I ordered at 3:30 p.m. for a 5:15 p.m. pickup by my husband. What drew my husband’s attention was the Bull & Bear Pizza which is macaroni and cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, bacon and parmesan cheese. Since it was going to be our first sampling of their menu, we opted for the Crash Pizza which is a 50/50 split of two of their specialty pizzas. When I called in my order, I asked for a recommendation on what would pair well with the Bull & Bear. I was given 3 recommendations but opted for The Put Pizza which had breaded chicken parmigiana cutlet, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
At 5:02 p.m., my husband messaged me and asked me to DVR the Rams game for him and that he was en route to pick up the pizza. I was in the middle of a mani and pedi while watching Batman vs. Superman which I had never seen. At 5:50 p.m. my husband was not yet home so I called and apparently when he arrived, the pizza wasn’t ready but he was finally on his way home. When he arrived, I lifted the pizza box to take a picture and discovered it was not the pizza I had ordered 3 hours prior and I asked how much he paid with tip. He told me $34 and considering it was essentially an 18″ Neapolitan cheese pizza which cost $16.95, I lost my marbles and called the restaurant. To add insult to injury, my call was picked up but I was on hold for quite some time. I handed the phone to my husband and changed from pajamas, nails wet and got in my car. Luckily, the rain had subsided so en route, I called the restaurant and advised the girl who answered that the wrong order had been given to my husband and she apologized and said that order was meant for Postmates and that if I wanted to come pick up the correct pizza, she would throw in some garlic knots. I arrived and advised her that I was there to pick up the correct order, that I wanted her to make it right and credit us the entire $34 since I was inconvenienced in having to drive there with wet nails and she mentioned that we had already been credited. She then asked what else she could do to make it right and whether I still wanted the pizza. I was already livid but tried to calm down since I knew they were losing money twice over on us and I refrained from pointing out that she had promised to give me a new one when I called her in the car.
I spent the 15 or so minutes waiting for the correct pizza checking out the restaurant. It’s actually quite nice. They have a contemporary roll-up garage door that opens up to an outdoor heated patio. There is a small beer and wine bar and a few tall tables with stools as well as a few deuces and four tops. Kaelin who was the cashier and Keith the bartender both apologized to me profusely and to Kaelin’s credit, she maintained her calm after I put her through the ringer and took responsibility of not checking the orders.
Luckily for the restaurant, all the pizzas are actually quite delicious in their own special way. The Neopolitan pizza had an even tomato base and had a smoky cheesy flavor with a thin crispy crust. The Bull & Bear was exceptional. It was gooey, with a smokey bacon creamy flavor topped with al dente penne pasta. It was the only pizza with white sauce which was evenly coated in every slice. The Put Pizza was equally delicious and was possibly my favorite because the chicken was moist and tender and yet it was breaded. I think if both pizzas could be combined over white sauce, that would be the solid winner.
Despite the inconvenience of having to go back for the correct pizza, we will be returning to possibly request the Bull & Bear and Put Pizza combo.
I believe in giving a new business with great promise the opportunity to work out its quirks. We won’t make the mistake of not checking our order the next time so kudos for making it right, a pat on the back for maintaining their cool and applause to the cooks preparing the food in the kitchen. Hopefully, on our return trip, it will be a 5 star review.
Wall St Pizza
11955 W. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
https://www.wallstpizzallc.com/
Massis Kabob is my absolute go-to in the bustling food court at Culver City mall. It’s right next to the super busy Panda Express which is great if you want greasy fattening diet busting fast food. However, if you’re not interested in eating all of your daily calories in one meal, then Massis Kabob should be on your short list of food court eats.
Massis Kabob prides itself on serving healthy Mediterranean food with no preservatives and additives. I have eaten several entrees from their menu: chicken barg, chelo kabob, Argentinian skirt steak and my current favorite, the gyro plate. Each entree is served with either a plate of rice or fries, if you request a substitution, as well as either a cucumber and tomato salad or regular lettuce salad served with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. On the plate is also one roasted tomato and several pieces of pita. The portions for the rice or fries and the salads are quite generous.
Though the tenderness and moistness of the chicken or the beef vary depending on the day, my newest foodie find, the gyro plate is deliciously lean and tender each and every time. It’s lightly seasoned and carved in long, thin strips and placed atop either a bed of rice or fries. It is the least expensive meat plate that they offer, currently priced at $8.25 and with tax is only $9.08!!
For a healthy, well-balanced budget friendly meal, Massis Kabob will always have my vote!!
Massis Kabob
6000 Sepulveda Blvd, #3266
Culver City, CA 90230
My love affair with fried chicken began when I was about 6 or 7 years old. There were a few months we lived with my grandparents when I was a kid and my grandfather loved to cook fried chicken. I asked him how/why it tasted so good and he told me his three secrets: he marinaded it in Sprite, seasoned it with MSG and fried it in lard. I remember my cousins and I would sit around the kitchen table and eat piece after piece, almost in a race to see who could eat more. Lucky for us, we were rail thin and had super fast metabolism. I asked him where he learned to cook and that’s when I first learned that he was in the army. He said his job was too cook for hundreds of men so he learned to cook in bulk but with flavor because apparently men in the military at the time were very opinionated about food.
Decades later, I still crave a crispy perfectly seasoned fried chicken. Luckily, Honey’s Kettle moved into my neighborhood. It’s one of my usual haunts I frequent shamelessly once or twice a month. Today’s meal, however, was exceptional. By some stroke of luck, there was no line at lunchtime on a Saturday! It turns out their credit card reader wasn’t working but lucky for me, I always carry cash. I was quoted 5 minutes though it actually took about 10-12 minutes. As the expression goes, some things are worth the wait.
The three chicken thighs were just right out of the fryer. The skin was unbelievably crispy and the meat was piping hot with steam rising as I peeled off the outer layer. It was so hot, I had to let the thigh sit naked. As the inner layer was cooling off, I munched on the skin which was so crisp I could hear it crunching and crackling as I chewed. The equally freshly fried potatoes had the perfect ratio of salt, black pepper and rosemary. The just-out-of-the-oven buttermilk biscuit had a slightly toasted outer layer which melded flavors of butter and salt as I bit into the moist, flaky center.
Eating the delicious fried chicken at Honey’s Kettle always brings me back to my childhood and though my grandfather is long gone, he would appreciate the deliciousness and perfection that is Honey’s Kettle.
Honey’s Kettle
9537 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
http://honeyskettle.com
We had heard several reviews about how sensational the Newport Mastros Ocean Club location is so we chose my husband’s birthday to test it out. It took an hour and 10 minutes from LA to drive to Newport.
We arrived 30 minutes before our reservation and managed to find parking without having to use valet. The restaurant was in a shopping center with Trader Joe’s and a few other stores. We noted that I was parked in a green painted spot which ordinarily means short term parking. At first glance, the shopping center was reminiscent of Manhattan Village and the exterior of Mastros looked like Tin Roof Bistro. When we entered, the interior appeared to be a mash-up of the rustic farmhouse style with the sleek and neon Miami Beach style of the Malibu location so it felt familiar and bizarre all at once. We checked in with the hostess desk which had five young women, all in black reminiscent of the Robert Palmer video, minus the slick hair and red lipstick. Much like the video, most of them appeared to have no purpose and were just standing around and not really engaging with guests. I only observed the thin, petite South Asian/Middle Eastern hostess truly working. Upon entering the lobby, she was on the phone. I noticed that of the five hostesses, she was the only one who actually addressed the guests as they entered. Three other parties, a party of 2 and 2 parties of 6 were seated and there was no communication with us whether we could be seated sooner or if our reservation time was to be our seating time. Suffice it to say, at least 3 of the hostesses were a waste of space and uselessly unnecessarily employed. My husband had to ask 3 times whether we needed to move my car when one genius finally said that it was fine to park in the designated Trader Joe’s parking space. Since none of the hostesses appeared to have any intention of giving us an update about our seating time, I decided to be proactive and ask the obvious question on our minds and again, only the worker bee provided the information that tables were not yet available for us to be seated.
We took that opportunity to explore the bar. There appeared to be half a floor to ceiling wall display of all types of liquor. The bar was at full capacity and yet the bartender found us quickly and asked for our order. The service we received from him was exemplary, very much how we are accustomed to being treated at the Beverly Hills and the Malibu establishments. We shared a Chopin martini since I knew the drive was far from home and we would likely be drinking with dinner. Sharing a martini actually equaled 2 full servings of a martini as the typical Mastros martini is supersized. We meandered to the piano bar and noticed that the female singer was quite accomplished. Her range of vocal styles was fairly expansive and somehow suited to many different genres of music, which was perfect for the varied generations of clientele. Sipping our martinis, we listened to a few songs and wondered when we would be seated.
At 6:53 p.m., one of the other hostesses found us and took us though an indoor covered patio dining area and led us to a much quieter heated outdoor area. There were probably 6 tables or so. We could still hear the pianist and singer but without the hustle and bustle of the restaurant.
When we sat down at 6:54 p.m., we realized the hostess had not left us with any menus which was quite different from our experience at the other Mastros locations. However, our server shortly arrived and he brought the menus for our review. We didn’t waste a moment and placed our order a few minutes later.
Looking around, we realized that we had a view of nothing but the dark skies and that parallel to us was PCH. I was under the false assumption that the Newport Beach location was beachside. Despite being outdoors, our view was only of the patio.After we came to that realization, another thought crossed our mind. We had not received our bread basket. Sixteen minutes after we were seated, at 7:10 p.m., our bread arrived.
After that, the service rotated back to what we have come to expect from Mastros. Everything was served in a timely manner. The lobster bisque was sheer perfection. It was thick and creamy with just the right amount of saltiness. There appeared to be a bite size piece of lobster with each spoonful. Unlike the other locations, the bisque came with a side accompaniment each of chives and sour cream. The spicy mambo salad was lightly coated with a very mildly spiced dressing and some sprinklings of parmigiana. The romaine was crisp and fresh. The add-on cracked pepper rounded out the spices.
The 12 ounce filet was cooked medium, tender, pink in the middle but strangely inconsistent with its seasonings. Some bites were salty and others had no flavor. It appeared that the seasonings were only on the perimeter of the steak and omitted completely from the midsection.
Fortunately, some of the side dishes had evenly distributed flavors and seasonings. The garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and each bite had the same consistent garlicy butter flavor. The gnocchi had some crispy, almost toasty bites but had an even portion of cheese which was perfectly melted throughout. The creamed corn had super sweet kernels but otherwise was fairly ordinary in flavor. The green beans were perfectly cooked but had an overly oily glossy exterior.
The happy ending at all Mastros celebration dinners was the butter cake. It was piping hot with the perfect ratio of butter and sugar in each bite. As per usual, it came a la mode so the coldness of the ice cream quickly melted and penetrated into the hot crevices of the cake.
Based on the distance of the location, the confusing and contradictory exterior/interior design of the restaurant and the uselessness, intellectually challenged and lazy hostesses, I would give this location a 2. For the exemplary service of the bartender, our server and his helper and the amazing pianist and singer, all deserve a 5 star rating. The food was fine but some did not hit the mark so for the cost, I would give the quality, taste and flavor of the food a 3.
Overall, for exemplary service, attention, intellect, communication and quality of food, Beverly Hills cannot be beaten. They are in the thick of the entertainment community and have achieved a level of service that is unparalleled. Malibu is a close second though the snobby attitudes of their hostesses could use a serious readjustment. Newport Beach is unfortunately going to be a hard pass for us going forward.
Mastros Ocean Club
8112 East Coast Highway
Newport Beach, CA 92657
I had driven past the restaurant many times before but had never been until this evening for a Yelp Elite event. I read on the invite it would be light bites so I had assumed nothing substantial would be served. I was quite wrong.
The evening started off with a glass of either white or red wine. I opted for the former and was told it was a very dry wine which is just perfect for me since I don’t gravitate towards sweet drinks. The first batch of food served were the mini empanadas. There were two different versions served, the beef with olives and the spinach with cheese. It was quite good, had a flaky crust and the proper ratio of meat to dough. Next were the cebiche amarillo which was yellowtail ceviche served in shot glasses. What was unique about this dish, besides the presentation, were the crispy yucca chips which added a depth of texture to the slightly spicy ceviche. The tagliata, or grilled skirt steak, was served next with a healthy portion of creamy mashed potatoes. There was a bit of peppercorn gravy on the side of the plate which added a layer of flavor and coating to the steak skewers. The rolled eggplant, or envuelto de berenjena, was an incredibly pleasant surprise. It was served piping hot with lots of cheesy goodness, reminiscent of a mini-lasagne. The last entree was the choripan which was a chorizo slider. The buns were a bit thick and I normally don’t eat bread anyways so I used the toothpick to pierce the meat in the middle. It was a thick slice of chorizo, not overly spicy but seasoned just right. There were several rounds of these heavy appetizers which were served before the finale of panqueques de dulce de leche. They were thin crepes filled with a bit of dulce de leche topped with bananas and strawberry. It was light, not overly sweet with a creamy filling.
This Yelp Elite members only event was a lovely way to spend a few hours and I met some great friendly and funny people. I can now officially recommend Malbec as a must try place in Santa Monica. Their food definitely had the perfect combo of flavor, texture and a bit of creativity.
Malbec Argentinian Cuisine
2628 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
http://malbeccuisine.com/santa-monica
I decided to bring my group of friends to Sushi Ippo because it was 5 minutes from the Marciano Art Foundation where I had tickets for the Yayoi Kusama Exhibit and it went with the Japanese theme for the evening. The museum tickets were free so I didn’t want to end up having the group pay an extraordinary amount for their dinner. I checked on Yelp and it averaged 4 stars and it said they take reservations but upon calling, I was told that reservations only apply to parties of 6 or more Monday through Thursday but at 6 p.m. when we were planning on arriving on a Saturday evening, we would have no problems. I also read that there was metered parking and a parking garage so off we went. It’s on the south side of Wilshire and the parking garage is off of Western which shares a parking garage with Wiltern guests. We were asked by the parking attendant where we were going and after I told her Sushi Ippo, she let us in for free. Upon walking out, we noticed that Wiltern guests had to pay $10. The entrance to the restaurant was accessible through the garage. We arrived a few minutes before our friends and the restaurant had a handful of guests dining at the time.
Once our friends all arrived we were finally seated. None of us had ever eaten at AYCE sushi let alone this restaurant so it was a bit of adjustment trying to come up with a strategy. Truth be told, we over ordered in our first round. We were more conservative on our second round but threw in the towel before the third round. There was a sign that hot and cold sake as well as beer was buy one, get the 2nd 50% off though our receipt comped us for the second sake. Also, there was a sign that if we tagged Sushi Ippo on Facebook and Instagram we would get a free macaroon or green tea ice cream which a few of us did at the end of our meal.
We ordered a variety of appetizers, salads, soups, sushi and nigiri. Having vacationed in Japan recently, every Japanese restaurant is cursed with the unbeatable comparison to the quality, freshness and flavor of sashimi and sushi in Japan. The quality of the fish at Sushi Ippo was around a 3.5. The peppered fish had some flavor. The rest of the fish was fine but lacking in the creaminess and butteriness that exists only in Japan. All the fried options were around a 2. They just tasted fried with no real distinct flavor. The sesame chicken was unfortunately flat out horrible and chewy, possibly either overcooked or expired because my husband and I both got sick early the next morning. On the upside, the vanilla macaroon was melt in your mouth good.
All in all, Sushi Ippo was a fine experience. The service was a 4, seafood was a 3.5, non-sushi/seafood items were a 2 but the desserts were a 5. It’s a good value for a fun casual outing with friends. I would have no issue recommending it to people who aren’t as familiar with Japan, sushi and sashimi or those who eat for volume rather than quality. I would definitely pass on all the fried food and any chicken dish because it’s a waste of calories and space in the belly.
Sushi Ippo
3800 Wilshire Blvd, #110
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Working in Santa Monica, I’m always on the hunt for delicious, inexpensive lunch options. I found Greenview Thai on Yelp. It only has 3 stars but after looking at their menu and the photos, my gut told me I would enjoy it.
On my first visit, I ordered the chicken with garlic and black pepper from the lunch specials. It came with a small salad, crispy fried vegetable egg roll and fried rice. With tax, it was $10.95. I had vacationed in Phuket in 2016 and everything I ate except the Americanized salad, tasted like the authentic food of Thailand.
A few days later, a coworker was craving Thai food so I returned and ordered fried chicken from the regular menu. It was different, not like the buttermilk or southern fried chicken I expected. It had a tamarind flavor but it was fried perfectly with a sweet dipping sauce. I was surprised again at how much I enjoyed it.
My third and most recent meal, I once again took a gander at the lunch special menu. I debated ordering a traditional Thai dish. I asked my server what he recommended. He said orange chicken. I was doubtful that a Thai restaurant could pull off a solid non-traditional Thai dish. I was 100% wrong. Just like my first visit, my lunch came with a small salad and the freshly fried and crispy vegetable egg roll. The combination of the fried rice with the perfectly crispy, not overly sauced orange chicken was the perfect addictive combination. I couldn’t quite understand or believe the deliciousness of each bite. After eating half of the dish, I felt my waistline expanding and asked for a box. While putting the leftovers in the box, I ate a few more small bites of the chicken and the rice. When I came back to work, I almost immediately started eating the rest of the meal until it was all gone. So much for leftovers….
Three times is a charm for my food experiences at Greenview Thai. Everything I have eaten has left me wanting more. It’s a terrific value especially at lunchtime. Everything is cooked on order and perfectly fresh. The service has been exemplary for all three visits. I am crowning it my go-to for my lunchtime getaways and any group lunches.
Greenview Thai
11870 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
I’ve eaten at locations on Pico, Sunset and Robertson over the last 15+ years. It’s not a restaurant I crave but every time I visit, I remember how solid the food is and how reasonable the prices are.
This time, we went to the Robertson location on Halloween. It was close to the WeHo Halloween festivities had outdoor seating. When we arrived around 6:30, we were able to be seated right away in the covered patio area so we were able to see people passing by in their Halloween garb.
I ordered a salmon dish and my husband ordered a chicken pasta dish. My salmon was super flaky, perfectly marinaded and cooked. The black beans I ordered as a side was a perfect contrast to the crispy fries I ordered as my second side. My 3rd side of roasted vegetables was a pleasant surprise. They had a smoky flavor but weren’t overcooked. My husband’s pasta dish was creamy but not overly sauced and the chicken was tender and nicely seasoned.
Equally as good as the food was the fantastic service which was so prompt and attentive. The restaurant never quite filled up while we were there so it seems like a good choice for a nice, casual, relatively inexpensive weekday meal and is great for people watching.
Bossa Nova is a solid choice for a casual, healthy or hearty meal and is easy on the wallet.
Bossa Nova
685 N. Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Grace Gambin
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