LA/OC Eats and Beyond - Part I

I've been in the OC (and LA) a lot recently and have tried a lot of tasty eats so I thought I'd share with you all the things that have made my stomach happy. And yes, all these pictures were not taken with a camera. I've been slacking in that department. It's all about taste for me anyway.

 

Vitello's Restaurant, Studio City, California

 



 

 

Enjoyed the Lobster Ravioli and the Chicken DaVinci. Both were real treats. Also had the calamari but it was oily and had me a little woozy. A great place to hang with a few friends or go on a date. Heard the pizza is good here so we discussed coming back here for the pizza next time. I'm sure some of their other dishes wouldn't disappoint as well. I left not feeling well so wasn't sure if it was the food or not. Service was absolutely great. Atmosphere was very cool and relaxed. I'd say it deserves 3/5 hearts: © © ©

Paradise Cove, Malibu, CA

Lobster tacos. I'm a lobsta lover. Enough said. Pricy but whatever. Get them. 5 hearts: © © © © ©

 

Kagura Downtown, Littly Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA

 

 

Fresh fish. Affordable for the area. Would definitely make it back there --which you should, in my opinion, stick to a sushi place once you find a good one. Raw food isn't something to play with and get sick! I give Kagura 4/5 hearts: © © © ©

 

Tokyo Delves, North Hollywood, California

  

 

 

 Came here for the first time for a friends Dirty Thirty party. Sushi wasn't that great. Didn't taste fresh to me. And quite pricy. Entertainment was just okay. Tokyo Delves gets 2/5 hearts: © ©


Jae Boo Do, Koreatown, Los Angeles, California

 

Jae Boo Do is known for their Seafood BBQ. Not the typical AYCE Korean BBQ. I enjoyed this very much so, though my lungs did not! And major chest muscle pain but that had nothing to do with the food. There are 4 options to choose from here and we (4 of us) went with Option C, which came with:

Various Korean side dishes, Shrimp, variety of Clams, Green Mussels, Oysters, various Scallops, Abalone, Baby Octopus, Hag fish, Sweet Potato, Potato, and a warm soup to end the meal.

I enjoyed wrapping the Hag fish in the sesame leaf and eating it with a piece of garlic, onion, and ssamjang, a typical Korean eats. Seafood was fresh here. We left feeling really full but not overly stuffed to the point that we couldn't walk. The bill will be cheaper if you pay in cash. Friendly service. I'm already thinking about my next visit. 5/5 hearts: © © © © ©
 
 Miss Coffee, Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA

After all that seafood, we were in the mood for ice cream! In this HUGE measuring cup, we had green tea ice cream, ice, strawberries, sauce, malt, and all sorts of things in this concoction. Great for 4 friends to enjoy. Interesting experience. I'd come with a group. Fairly priced. I give it 4/5 hearts: © © © ©

To be continued!

Restaurant Crawl

While waiting for my camera charger to return so I can post all the goodness I ate in Guatemala, here are some delights to enjoy on the Venice Beach Boardwalk and surrounding area of Venice, California. Forewarning: Pictures were not taken with a camera!

Hawaiian Style (no rice) Ahi Poke at Poke Poke

Fresh tuna right next to the ocean. Poke Poke may not be that fancy shmancy seafood restaurant most people prefer but don't judge a book by its cover. I love this gem on the boardwalk. Grab your cup of ahi poke with any ingredient that you want, sit back, relax, and people watch. I ordered the small ahi tuna poke with the additions of seaweed and masago.

And I give it four hearts: <3<3<3<3. The flavor was explosive, the vibrant colors in my bowl were visually appealing, and the perfect amount. Just not five hearts because I felt the fish could have/should have been a little more fresh. I'm guessing it tastes better the earlier you go but still it was fine. If it had not been fresh, of course that's another story. Since you are going raw, it better be held to high standards.

Next, We wanted shrimp tacos but sadly the boardwalk front kitchen was closed. Can't tell you the name of it but look for a taco place with a counter near muscle beach gym and you'll see what I'm talking about. And you'll love it too.

Which led me to remember my favorite burger place on the boardwalk. It had been an awfully long time since I had been there so decided to go and show that place some love. It's a long walk down the boardwalk but well worth it. It's a little bit after that whole creepy 'freak show' building. You have to look in every small alley until you find it. Eventually you'll come to one that has a few shops but at the end, you'll see a Chinese massage place and a burger place. The cafe you've been looking for -- Sean's Cafe.

Yes, Sean's Cafe. That's where you'll find the best burger on the boardwalk. Hands down. And well worth the wait. Because yes, it does take a while to get your meal but good things come to those with patience. The best part of this burger: Simple and fresh. It tastes the same every time. Haven't felt a downgrade with quality in the burger there ever. It consists of beef, mixed greens, and whatever else you want on it. I keep mine simple, with just ketchup and mustard. And the fries that go with them. Mmmmmm. Enough said. Get yours.

I don't really eat much on the boardwalk but I'd say the best place to get a greasy and huge slice of pizza would be at Big Daddy's. Pizza is great there but wasn't planning on ordering it. I got sucked in to the chocolate covered banana. Oh the chocolate covered banana! Always gets my thoughts going in the brain (I'm not the only one!) AND satisfies my frozen treat cravings. It was just okay for me. I prefer 45-70% (semi to dark) chocolate for anything I eat. And they use milk chocolate here. You'll like it if that's the chocolate you crave.

And lastly, we were going to split a burger on a pretzel bun at Three Square Cafe on Abbot Kinney but we were done, so we went next door to grab a pretzel at the adjoining cafe. Just needed that salt to counteract the sweetness of the milk chocolate banana.

It's a good day when you can relax on the beach for half the day, order different things at different places, split with friends, and be able to walk, not drive, on your restaurant crawl.

There are plenty of options to choose from that I've been to, but not mentioned above, when your at Venice beach. And pretty affordable too.