Esther "kimchi" K.'s Profile

It was probably not the best idea to come here for lunch on Mother's Day, but that's what my mum and I did. Street parking was relatively easy to find, we just parked a block away in the residential area (thank goodness this area is not permit only!). And the wait was not bad at all--we didn't have a reservation but we were waiting for approx. 10 minutes.

We were seated in a cozy booth and quickly given chips and salsa. What was NOT quick, however, was the speed in which we got our water. As soon as our server came, I told her that we wanted two waters and I also gave her our order: chicken chimichanga (me) and green corn tamales (mum). I wasn't expecting our food to come out quickly since they were really busy, but c'mon, water? It's pretty much the easiest and quickest thing to serve! But nope, while we were munching away on our chips and salsa, I could see everyone else getting their fancy drinks, but no water. I asked our waitress again, and she assurred us that it was coming soon. Lies! Right when I was about to ask AGAIN, our waters showed up. Finally!

I was okay with my chicken chimichanga. I had come here before and ordered it, and I feel like it was so much better that time. Maybe I had just built it up in my head, but this was disappointing. I think maybe some sour cream might have helped? No matter, I still liked it for the most part.

But the green corn tamales? That was a whole 'nother story. They had a poster in the waiting area that called them "award-winning" and I saw that they had been well-reviewed on Yelp, so I figured they had to be good, right? Nope. They were pretty lacking in flavour, and as my mum put it, they were "halmoni" (Korean word for grandma) food since there was literally nothing to chew. No substance whatsoever. Just mushy corn, cheese, and little bit of chile. We asked for hot sauce, but that didn't help either. My mum couldn't finish even one, so I had to finish it for her (I'm a sucker for corn and cheese, even when it's not very tasty).

All in all, this place has mediocre food, slow service, and high prices. My mum would rather go to Acapulco, and I would have to agree.

I participated in this event for the first time this year. Being the VERY un-athletic type, it never occurred to me to do anything like this. But my aunt passed away earlier this year from cancer (after having fought and survived two previous battles with it) and I wanted to do this for her.

Overall, the event was well organised. The website was easy to navigate and it answered most of my questions. It was very easy to sign up and fundraise. And for the most part things went smoothly the day of. I got there with my friend (who was walking it with me) and my mum around 6:45AM, and we had no problems with traffic or parking (parking is $10). It was very obvious where to go and we picked up our t-shirts and our goodie bags easily. I also picked up a tribute sign as well. We then checked out the expo for the next hour or so and got lots of free goodies :)

Opening ceremony started at 8AM, and that's when things weren't so great. I understand that there are a lot of sponsors and that they want recognition, but there were so many people talking and they were all saying the exact same thing. I was getting so tired just standing there! (If only it had been Matt Bomer speaking the entire time... ;P) Although I will say that it was very encouraging to hear that in the 19 years they've been doing this, over 65 million dollars has been raised for women's cancer research and that there has been quite a bit of advancement made in research/medicine as a result. We ARE making a difference!!!

Anyway, the schedule clearly stated that the 5K RUN would start at 8:45AM and that the 5K WALK would start at 9AM. I thought this made perfect sense because obviously you would want the runners to start before the walkers so they don't get stuck behind us. Isn't that the whole point of registering as one or the other? Except we all just congregated in the street for the opening ceremony and they never mentioned separating us. And because the speakers went on and on and on, the "ceremony" didn't end until 8:55AM, when they just told us all to go. I felt so bad for the runners because they would start jogging, only to get stopped, and then they would try zigging and zagging but we walkers were everywhere and constantly in the way. Sorry runners! So I feel that the event was not well-organised in that aspect.

Thankfully, my friend and I were pretty close to the front so I can't complain too much, but I would have been really unhappy if I was farther back because I had a time limit for myself. And it seems like people were still going through the starting area over 40 minutes after the run/walk started. Eek! But I wasn't, so I finished in under my goal time, and I got my medal for finishing! YAY! And I definitely plan on doing this again :)

What I learned from dining here: I do not like savory crepes. Either that, or savory crepes are really hard to do well.

I Yelped what was good to eat in San Clemente and La Galette Creperie immediately caught my eye. I love crepes! And it's right by the San Clemente Pier so the location is pretty perfect.

My mum and I found parking in the public parking lot up the street from this place and then we walked to it. It's pretty small but they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. And they have a clean bathroom! The decor of the place is interesting, to say the least. Some of it is cute and quirky, and some of it is just... why the heck is that here? o.O

I ordered their Croque Monsier, the crepe version: hand carved ham and melted swiss cheese topped with bechamel sauce. Also got their Citrus Press drink because it sounded refreshing. It was, but it was too sour for me. Which actually ended up being somewhat helpful because it helped with the heaviness of the crepe. When I first got the crepe, I enjoyed it... but after a few bites, not so much. There was just too much ham in it for me (I know, I'm probably alone with that complaint). But ratios people, ratios! It completely overwhelmed the cheese and sauce. And it wasn't yummy ham either. Not a fan.

My mum ordered their Sunday Brunch: smoked salmon, fresh dill, crème fraîche and slivered red onion, "the spirit of Sunday Brunch any time of the week". It was fitting because we came here for Sunday lunch! She had the opposite complaint as me--too LITTLE salmon. She couldn't taste it at all. And after one bite, she immediately added Tabasco. It was that kind of crepe. She made it very clear during lunch that she did not enjoy her crepe.

The two ladies who were working while we were there were quite nice and we were seated pretty quickly, but then they took forever to come take our order. And they took a long time to give us the check as well (but it came in a little bucket, cute!). Please note that this place is cash only.

I'm sad to give it two stars, especially when there are so many other high reviews on here, but that's how I feel about this place: MEH. But it could be because I didn't give any of their sweet crepes a try...

Came here for lunch with a couple of colleagues and I can see why it's so popular at work. It's pretty close to work, easy parking, and the service is fast and friendly.

While the parking is easy, I don't really like their small parking lot. But my colleague tells me that it's almost always empty when he comes, so it's never been a problem. I'm not really sure how this place stays in business if it's always empty, but it seems like a lot of the reviews are for take-out so maybe that is where their revenue is coming from. The venue is clean and organised. The tables have paper tablecloth, they provide chopsticks on request, and the noise level is very low.

Our group of four all ordered the yellow curry lunch special with chicken. Three with brown rice, one with white rice (me!). We all enjoyed our meal. The chicken was tender and I liked the carrots and the onions that were in it as well. They also include two potstickers. The salad that they served before our meal came out was nice and refreshing. But to me, the meal wasn't very memorable. I preferred my meal at Gindhi Thai, but my colleagues will argue that this place is preferable due to the parking situation plus the speed of service. And the price here is definitely more reasonable.

But the taste buds want what the taste buds want. So I'm giving this place three stars instead of four. Sorry! But my colleagues will continue to eat here 2-3x a week so everybody wins. Oh, and they also have happy hour here if you ever want to check it out after work...

Came here yesterday with a few friends and enjoyed my meal... well, most of it.

For my lunch, I ordered their Signature Tomato and Fig Sandwich. Roasted tomatoes, marinated figs, taleggio cheese (so nicely melted!), pesto mayo on roasted garlic bread. The bread was pretty hard, but overall I loved this sandwich. The pesto mayo was so yummilicious, and it went so well with the tomatoes and figs. The sandwich also came with a mixed greens salad, which I enjoyed.

I also got their Watermelon Mojito Italian Soda. Eh, it was just okay.

My friends ordered the Signature Tomato and Fig Sandwich, the Ultimate BLT, and their Signature Mac N Cheese. We all enjoyed our meal.

If only it had just ended there. But alas... we had been eyeing their desserts since we came in, so we ordered one of Lemon Lavendar Bars, Bread Pudding, and a slice of their Red Velvet.

The red velvet and the lemon lavendar bar were both dry. The bar was also hard. The cake was not... but I was not a fan of the chocolate fondant layers. The cake also didn't really taste like red velvet, but rather like some dry cake that had red food colouring in it. We had asked them to heat up our bread pudding, which turned into a complete mess once they did so. Probably because it seems to be made out of croissant, which falls apart when heated up. But somehow the middle of our bread pudding still managed to stay cold. The flavour was fine, but the texture was not what we had waited for.

Unlike other Yelpers, I had no bad experience with service. Maybe it's because it wasn't a busy time, but the lady who helped us was very nice. The space is small, but clean, and there is always outdoor seating to utilise (if the weather is nice). I don't like their parking lot (too crowded and narrow), but it's worth the visit since you can go shopping afterwards (and burn off your meal!). Although the store is a bit too expensive for me so I just walk around wishing how I could buy everything and then I leave...

When I needed to do my taxes last year, I didn't know where to go so I turned to Yelp for help. This place seemed to come highly recommended so I checked it out and it was pretty good. I wasn't a huge fan, but I thought this place was okay. I came back again today to do my taxes, and I have been fully converted.

Today I worked with George Chovan, and he was wonderful. He is so nice and I was pleasantly surprised when he took the time to explain to me how my tax return worked and answered all my questions about deductions, etc. He is very knowledgeable and I really appreciated him explaining everything to me. Even with his attention to detail and time spent explaining everything, my tax return was done in under 40 minutes!

I highly recommend this place. Make sure to mention that you found them on Yelp because they will give you a discount. And even though prices on pretty much everything have gone up lately, he matched the price I paid last year so that was also really nice. Parking's a breeze here as well, so there is no reason not to come!

Came here late on a weekday and was relieved to find that it was still open. Parking is not an issue since they are located in a plaza with lots and lots of parking! The interior is spacious and clean and the staff is pretty friendly.

Ordered their Charburger with Cheese, a side of Sweet Potato Fries, and a soda. Total came out to $8.48, which is a bit pricey for a burger meal. They give you a pager/coaster thingy (like at CPK) that buzzes when your order is ready. That was unexpected.

When our orders came out, my friend and I were a bit taken aback at the size of our meal. The burgers and sides were smaller than we were expecting/used to. But you know what, it turned out to be really filling. The burger was good, and how can you go wrong with sweet potato fries? All in all, a satisfying meal. The only con is that we felt a little rushed, but that is our fault because we came really close to closing and didn't want to stay too late.

While I did have a good experience here, would I come back? Probably not, just because I'm cheap and would rather go to In-N-Out. But if you don't feel like waiting in the lines at In-N-Out (which always exist, no matter what the time) or you are fed up with In-N-Out's UNtasty fries, then The Habit is a pretty good place to go :)

My mum and I would always drive by here and wonder what it was like. There used to be crowds of people waiting in the front, which is always a good sign, right? So I finally took her here last night for her birthday. And you know what? We left determined to never come back.

I'm not sure what to say about the service. When one of the staff members is with you, he or she is really nice and friendly. But once they've moved on, it's impossible to get them back. Our server was nice, but he was never there when we actually wanted him. Our food also took a ridiculously long time to come out. We were waiting for half an hour for our food. And no complimentary bread! Sadness.

I ordered their Strawberry Lemonade and their Widow Maker Burger {Smoked bacon, handbattered onion rings, avocado, double-thick cheddar, mayo and red relish}. The strawberry lemonade was decent, but it tasted like flavoured lemonade and not lemonade made with real strawberries. But it's understandable since strawberries aren't in season. And I was happy with my burger. I had asked for the bacon on the side, and it came on a separate dish. I requested ketchup, and it came out on its own plate. The burger itself, while impossible to eat all put together, was still pretty good. My meat, cooked medium well per the menu, was juicy. And my fries were yum.

If that had been the end of it, I would give this place more stars. Well, maybe just one. I definitely don't think their food is worth the price. But three is still better than two!

Alas, that was not the end of it. My mum ordered one of their steaks--the Claim Jumper K-Bob {Marinated Certified Angus Beef top sirloin with mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, pasilla peppers and grilled potatoes. Served over rice pilaf}. She asked for it medium well. The menu clearly states "All Grilled Steaks are served with a Small Green or Small Caesar Salad, one side and one bread choice"... but this one did not come with a salad! Our server said it would be $3.99 extra. Whatever, that's fine. We don't need no salad. We ordered a side of mashed potatoes and garlic bread.

Her steak came out right after I got my burger and we were both busy looking at my food to pay attention to hers. Once we focused on her plate, we both noticed that her meat was burnt. Black. To a crisp. Unacceptable! Their menu even specifically states "Medium Well - Slightly Pink, Warm Center"... that does NOT equal burnt. But like I noted before, it's impossible to find our server when we want him. So she kept a look out while I started on my food and finally we were able to flag our server down. We pointed out how burnt the meat was, and he apologised and said he would have them make us a new plate. We asked that it be made quickly, since we were tired of waiting and my poor mum was starving! On her birthday! He promised it would be and whisked the plate away. A little later, the manager came by and apologised to us, which was nice. She also eventually brought the new plate over, and this time the meat was not burnt. Yay! Except they forgot to bring the garlic bread--again! (They didn't bring it out the first time either). So we asked the manager and she brought that out to us as well.

While the meat was not burnt, it was very dry. I could tell it was really dry just looking at it, which was a shame since my burger had been juicy. The garlic bread was also very meh, which was disappointing to me since I love garlic bread. Overall, my mum did not care about her dish at all. And I don't blame her.

I am giving this place two stars instead of one since it was not absolutely horrid. The location and parking are both good, the service is overall pretty nice, and at least one menu item is decent. But I'm definitely not coming back. There wasn't much on the menu that appealed to me, and after this experience, I wouldn't want to try anything else anyway.

This review is for their show "For the Record: Baz Luhrmann". As you can tell by my five star rating, I LOVED IT. In fact, I loved it so much that I came back two more times after my first performance!

Parking here is decent. If you're lucky, you can find street parking after circling maybe 2-3 times. If you're short on time (or luck), then there is valet parking behind the Dresden (just a block north of Barre) for $5. Or if you can't be bothered to walk a block, there's valet parking right behind Barre for $6.

The space here is small, but I like the intimate feel. It can get a bit crowded if there's a large party, but it still works. They did say that they're knocking down one of the walls so that it can be a room for 200 people, so I'm definitely looking forward to that. But the performers and the staff are so coordinated and agile and great at maneuvering between each other and the audience. The servers continue to bring out food and drinks and clear tables throughout the performance, which is quite a feat! And they do it all with a smile and such kind service. The automatically-added gratuity is more than deserved on their part.

There is a two-item minimum per person here, but luckily their menu is quite enticing. Items that I have tried:
{Salad} Arugula & Little Gem Lettuce: Meyer lemon vinaigrette, crispy shallots, walnut, goat cheese (got it with walnuts on the side)
-- This was decent. I didn't care for it much. Wouldn't recommend it.
{Shared Plates} Chicken and Cheese Empanadas: avocado dip
-- These were pretty good. They give a good amount and it's quite filling. You still need that second item if you're ordering this for dinner though.
{Shared Plates}Spicy Tuna Tacos: jicama slaw, taro root shells
-- Okay, so I didn't actually try this since I don't eat tuna, but I have heard great things about this. If you like tuna and taro, I would definitely recommend getting this. I've come here three times with three different groups of people, and this item was ordered every single time. And it was enjoyed.
{Shared Plates}Triple Dip: white bean hummus, red pepper Romesco, spinach artichoke dip, flatbread
-- This was also just okay for me. The hummus was the best one, but I didn't really like it, which doesn't say much for the other two dips.
{Shared Plates} Sweet Potato Fries: roasted red bell pepper dip
-- I get this every time I come. I love sweet potato fries. They're not anything spectacular here, but I do like the creamy dip that they come with.
{Shared Plates} Hot & Skinny Fries: tomatillo aioli
-- These were just okay. Not a fan.
{Entree} Goat Cheese & Truffle Ravioli: roasted tomato puree, pine nut pesto, basil, Parmigiano Reggiano
-- Why I ordered this when I don't like goat cheese is beyond me. I love ravioli so I thought that would make up for it. Nope. But the server said this is a popular item.
{Dessert} Apple Tarte Tatin: whipped cream
-- It tasted good... for a roasted apple. It seems like they just roasted an apple, sliced it, and tada! Dessert.
{Dessert} Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding: caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream
-- This was pretty good at first with the ice cream, but then it became just pure chocolate and that was a bit overwhelming.

Their drinks are pretty good too. I had their Quady Elysium 2005 Black Muscat and it was a nice sweet wine that I enjoyed. My friend ordered their Stoli Blueberry Lemon Drop and thought it was pretty good, albeit a little strong.

Now onto the performance. They perform all of "Romeo & Juliet" (9 songs), four songs from "Strictly Ballroom", and after intermission they perform all of "Moulin Rouge" (17 songs). They are in costume the entire time and it is absolutely wonderful. Their voices are AMAZING and their performances are SPECTACULAR as well. I loved their renditions of these beloved songs and I cannot get their performances out of my mind. I highly recommend this show to everyone (it's showing until March 4) and I'm confident that the other shows here are stellar as well.

I also recommend coming at least an hour before the show starts. This gives you time to eat and drink without distraction, as once the show starts you'll be too engrossed in the performance to pay attention to your food. This also gives you the opportunity to pick a good seat. While there are no bad seats here, some seats definitely require more head-turning and neck-craning than others. The performers really utilise the ENTIRE space--they're on the two stages, on the bar, leaning against the back wall, maneuvering between tables, and even going outside! You will most definitely love it!

Came here on a Friday night with a couple of friends and we were so disappointed.

First off, the waitresses are so not helpful! We walked in and there were no seats for us. There was one table that was empty, but it had full water glasses on it, so we assumed that someone was already sitting there. Instead of coming up to us and telling us that there's a wait, or trying to be helpful at all, the waitresses just ignored us completely. Finally a couple of guys who were at a table that seated four moved to the bar so that we can have their table. That was really nice of them.

So we're finally ready to order. I'm not the biggest fan of beer, and I have a sweet tooth, so I ask the waitress what their sweetest beer is. I already have the drink menu turned to the page that says SWEET BEERS. What does she do? She tells me that those beers are not sweet and then turns to some other page and recommends the St. Bernadus Christmas Ale (Belgian Strong Dark Ale). That doesn't really sound promising, but she's adamant that that's the sweetest, so I order it. IT WAS NOT SWEET AT ALL. AT ALL. My friend tried a sip and made a face. So that was most definitely a disappointment...

I think we ordered their Salt & Pepper Squid to start, and it was just okay.

One friend ordered their Fish & Chips "Truly the best in Old Town!" and she said it was also just okay. She was not a fan. It was not the best... anywhere. She also ordered a beer (don't remember which one) and she thought it was okay.

Another friend ordered their Bangers & Mash: two English pork sausages with mashed potatoes, peas and homemade gravy. She said the bangers were okay but the gravy was absolutely horrible. I tried some and I thought it was fine, but she refused to touch anything that the gravy touched.

I ordered their Traditional Meat Pie: Chicken & Vegetable: Homemade the old-fashioned way with puffed pastry crust, served with chips or mash, and peas. This was HORRIBLE. I ordered it without peas and that didn't make me like it any better. It was just... I can't even talk about it. I hated it.

Needless to say, we all were very disappointed by the service, food, and drinks at this place. For once, Yelp had let me down. Sad face :(