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.

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Visited my best friend aka sista from other mista and motha aka Alexis in beautiful Venice, California awhile back to enjoy the beautiful cloudy day on the beach, grab some good grub, and eat some good grub! We walked all over Abbot Kinney in search of our cravings (mine was some sort of protein and hers was anything because we were just hungry!) and finally decided to stay at one of her favorite places, 3 Squares Cafe. 3 Squares Cafe is wonderful, creative, and simple but not simple. For the area, the food was reasonably priced, surprisingly and had many options on the menu to choose from. Finally sucked it up and just ordered because deep down, I knew what I wanted!

Alexis ended up ordering a coffee and the Chicken Hazelnut Salad which looked wonderful and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

I ordered a Mint Lemonade, which was just so wonderful, mouth puckering, and oh so refreshing.



I was told I must try the Pretzel Burger with Swiss and Caramelized Onions. And my opinion, this is my favorite combination on a burger besides my Blue Cheese Bacon Burgers. Even better, the hamburger is on a pretzel bun, which is what 3 Squares is known for, or in general, more for their pretzel creations. The hamburger was so much better with a pretzel bun instead of the usual hamburger bun. I absolutely loved it. Juicy. Filling. Satisfying. The fries that came with it were a perfect size and crispy. The meal was definitely a hit to me.




And lastly, before we left, we decided to get an Apple Pie to go so we could enjoy while watching the movie she created in completion of her Masters Degree! The pie was wonderful but at the same time, just okay. I wished the apples were firm and not too soft and mushy. It just depends on how you like your pie and there is nothing wrong with that.

So in the end, I do recommend everyone go and check out 3 Squares in Venice. And even more, I recommend you try one of the pretzel burgers. You will surely be pleased. The one thing I regret was not trying the Avocado Fries. Yes. Avocado Fries. I'm really interested in this concept. OH WAIT! I just remembered I do have avocados sitting in my fridge! Hmm, I'm going to have to try this now.

And since I'm writing this post on Fathers Day, HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the wonderful dads out there! We all appreciate you and everything you do!

Fig Tree Cafe and The Sidewalk Cafe

Lucky me, I got the two-for-one deal in Venice today when I got to try two restaurants that I have been interested in trying for years! Spent all day at the beach today. Beautiful day, not so much the wind though! Great entertainment too by a local doing kickboxing moves in his speedo on the beach. So hilarious, I wish I had the video to show! Apparently thrusting is part of the kickboxing workout? Couldn't stop laughing and it still cracks me up right now! Anyway, good relaxing day, in which I needed it bad due to work and our upcoming Open House in which I'm doing everything by myself. A little stressful but excited to get it over with! So pardon my quick reviews of both restaurants considering I have been exhausted all week and still have half a week left of this, but wanted to write something down for what seems will be the only time I'm on my computer for the next week. Then I have a three day mini vacay in Illinois this weekend so look out for a special edition post: Chicago. So here we go, two different restaurants in one day..

Fig Tree Cafe
Right on the boardwalk lies the Fig Tree Cafe and I have wanted to go there only because I love the name of the restaurant! After looking over the menu, I pretty much was satisfied with the selection to choose from. Of course at the same time, I was having a hard time because I wanted almost everything! I did settle on the Grilled Salmon with Brown Rice and Grilled Vegetables.



Perfectly grilled salmon. Perfectly grilled veggies. Perfectly cooked brown rice. Loved the scallion-butter sauce. Combination--flawless.

Chef got the Grilled Ahi Tuna Salad with the usual and added capers, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette. The only thing I tried was the ahi tuna and that was perfect to me. I see no complaints here.



I give the Fig Tree Cafe 4 hearts: ♥♥♥♥. Prices pretty decent for being a beach restaurant, portion was pretty decent, service was good, and flavor was there. I'm planning on going back to try the other dishes I was craving!

Second restaurant, The Sidewalk Cafe. The one restaurant I have wanted to try for 9 years and I FINALLY try it out! Don't know why it took so long but glad I finally made the jump!

So I ended up getting the Pasta Basil with freshly chopped tomatoes, basil, and garlic. I decided to add goat cheese to the mix as well. I enjoyed it thoroughly, including the flavor. I LOVE fresh basil! The tangy goat cheese paired along with the entire dish.



Chef orded the Dylan Thomas. Yes, a Dylan Thomas. They name their hamburgers after people. And I love it! The Dylan Thomas is a hamburger with Egg, Bacon, and Cheese. Quite interesting combination! No complaints with the hamburger. I would have liked to try it but I'm not a fan of the cheeseburger and "American Cheese". I'll only eat a cheeseburger if the cheese is Swiss.





I give The Sidewalk Cafe 3 1/2 hearts: ♥♥♥1/2. Would have been more but the service was terrible. This is ALWAYS a busy restaurant, but that doesn't mean you should never see your waiter. Besides that, prices were actually reasonable, good variety of food options to choose from, and overall enjoyed our meals.

Can never go wrong spending a day at Venice Beach! Something for everyone.

Sean's Cafe, Venice Beach Boardwalk, and the Factory

So yesterday, in the middle of January, I decided to stroll the Venice Beach Boardwalk for some good eats and the usual fun you have when being in this area. An area like no other in California! The vibe of Venice Beach has had me since the age of 16, so I may be way too familiar with this area!

So starting off is my favorite hamburger joint in Southern California, Sean's Cafe, which also made my list for the best in 2009: (2009: Through My Mouth)

If you are looking for a simple burger, this is definitely the place. The ingredients are so fresh. The fries remind me of home. And this is the ONLY hamburger I feel that I can eat and not feel gross afterwards.

Sean's Cafe is located on the boardwalk in the Gingerbread Court.





I was happy to see they finally opened up a room and you are now able to eat inside. Perfect for those days when it is too chilly to eat outside. Oh and my other personal reason...not having to be near all the bees that are outside and hanging out with the plants in that little shopping center!




There are so many different options to choose from here, including many hot and cold drinks that I hear are just fantastic and unusual. I just stuck to my usual hamburger combo for my purpose of showing you the best Venice has to offer!


So this is when you take your tray that holds your goodness together and grab a table outside the cafe. And then, of course, I saw the bees and decided to take this inside!

Much better!


Look at that hamburger! Loving the fresh tomato, onions, and arugula! Simple, yet so satisfying. Oh and I chose to indulge in this without the Thousand Island dressing and mayo that they use to flavor their burgers. I believe a good burger doesn't need all that excess stuff.


And those fries. The best fries I have ever had. Can't really describe why that is so you're going to have to try it out for yourself.

I give Sean's Cafe 4 hearts: ♥♥♥♥. It would have been 5 but there are only two things I must say about this place. One, it is slightly expensive here, though not as expensive as other eats on the boardwalk. You pay a total of $7.21 just for a hamburger, french fries, and a drink. And second, service is slow. You do have to wait awhile before your goodness is ready. Other than those two things, I do recommend you check out Sean's Cafe on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

Oh and for you ladies.......the owners are Australian! Sexy Australian accents! OoOoOoOoh!

Other enjoyments on the Venice Beach Boardwalk...











This guy is so awesome! You're lucky if he comes up to you and seranades you and I guess embarassing at the same time, speaking from experience (waaaay back in 2002)! He especially likes to do that for the couples that he sees on the boardwalk.


What Venice is also known for. Lacey got two tragus piercings. You can ask my hand how she felt. She nearly broke it squeezing so hard!


Ended up with a few hair accessories that Lacey made me promise to wear!

On the way back, we decided to make a quick stop at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Lacey got the Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken and Sun-dried tomatoes and I stuck to two small appetizers--the Beets with Goat Cheese and Ahi Tartare.

Beets with Goat Cheese

Fresh Beets, Goat Cheese, Apples, Baby Arugula, and Pecans tossed with a Citrus Vinegrette. Fresh, wonderful, and the perfect amount. I definitely would get again.

Ahi Tartare

Raw Tuna with Avocado and a Soy-Ginger Sesame Sauce; topped off with fresh Ginger. I preferred this without the chips that were served along with the Tartare. I loved this as well and would get again.

Around $10 for both dishes; great deal! A good day spent at the beach and at the Cheesecake Factory.