Joe "i am legend" L.'s Profile
DateSan Diego, CA 92117
La Princesita Taco Truck 2
Category:
Mexican
Neighborhood: Clairemont
1 Previous Review:
-
10/15/2009 First to Review
About F#$%@N' time someone parked a taco truck anywhere but south of SD!!! HELLLL YEAH!!!! I'M SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!! We're so close to the border yet these taco trucks are so scarce unless you're in the hoood of SD. Thought I'll miss the journey and adventure of going to the hoood, I'm ecstatic that I won't need to travel far for these delightful little tacos that I love no more!
The taco truck carries 6 or 7 different types of meat and serves them up in the form of tacos, burrito, tostada and tortas. Since tonite was my first visit I had to order up the 3 items that I always judge these taco trucks by: al pastor taco, lengua taco and cabeza taco. The tacos are priced @ $1.50 a pop and are loaded with meat so it's really quite a good deal. The pastor was tasty, moist and crispy all at the same time, but it still pales in comparison with Tacos El Gordo (the holy grail of al pastor). The lengua was mediocre and nothing worth noting. The cabeza was the real winner here for me, the flavor was nice while not too salty and it was so tender and greasy. I can still smell the cabeza on my fingers *sniffs fingers* as i type this....awesome! They have two types of salsas (verde and red), the red sauce was definitely better than the verde sauce here and also your other typical fix-ins. I'm no germaphobe and I've got an iron stomach, but I really wish that they would keep their salsa bar covered since they're parked up right at a corner of a major intersection.
I've had many experiences with taco trucks, though this is not the best but it will certainly do the trick. They're open daily from 4PM to 11PM, if i were them I'd open till 2 to catch the drunk crowd coming back from PB ;-)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-8464
Rei Do Gado Churrascaria
Categories:
Brazilian,
Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Gaslamp
The meat selection was plentiful, I think for lunch they have about 8 different types of cuts and for dinner they add on a few more "select" meats that warrants the added price. The fruit/salad/soup bar is awesome, I actually wish that they would do a lunch buffet option just for this alone without the meaty goodness. The quality of the meat was actually good and everything we had was marinated well and cooked to the proper temp. I ended up eating a plateful of salad bar items, a bowl of soup that tasted like minestrone (with bacon), probably two plates worth of meat (i think my favorite was the top round or the beef ribs), and a plate of fresh fruits. Yes, call me fat, but I'm certain I got my money's worth.
I'd definitely come here for the 16.95 lunch buffet probably on a bi-annual basis, but no more than that. I definitely won't do the dinner here again in the forseeable future, because the premium you pay to me is really just not worth it compared to the lunch prices. Also at ~30 bucks ahead for dinner, I can do fine dine at a much higher quality.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 365-9292
Soowon Galbi KBBQ Restaurant
Category:
Korean
Neighborhood: Koreatown
The meat quality of Soowon is unrivaled from anywhere I've been to for Korean BBQ and trust me I've been to a lot. Granted that you do pay a slight premium for quality, it is worth every penny and if you're not willing to pay for quality, you're not worthy. You can always judge the meat by the marbling and tenderness and Soowon has some of the best. They serve up the meaty goodness with ~8 different types of delicious (not to mention endless) panchan along with moo and duk. I also really appreciate a Korean BBQ spot that uses charcoal cause you really just can't replace the flavor generated by a real fire (besides it makes me feel manlier cooking over real fire)
On this visit, we ordered up Combo A (this meat platter is serious food porn) between the 5 of us along with 2 bottles each of soju, baek se joo and mah goh lih. The combo from I recall comes with chadobegi, kalbi, pork neck, rib eye steak and marinated beef. Though the rib eye seemed a bit leaner (and tougher of course) than usual on this visit, everything was still delicious and we chowed down and left no meat behind! We also topped off our meal with the korean styled chawanmushi (steamed egg), which is a must have IMO. I was kinda sad that we didn't order my two personal favs here this time around: the thick cut samgyeopsal and the cow tongue..but oh well, it gives me a reason to come back.
Soowon, though it's only been one day since I've seen you...I'm a mess without you. I miss you so damn much. I miss being with you, I miss being near you. I miss your scent; I miss your musk. And btw those two young ladies(think they might be sisters) that greets me everytime I walk in when I visit aren't so shabby either ;-)
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 242-3442
Hookah Lounge
Categories:
Lounges,
Hookah Bars
Neighborhood: Glendale
1) The nice big enclosed outdoor/patio area is sweet and comfortable with all the heatlamps and fireplace
2) The energy of the place seems pretty fun and laid back, the ppl (bunch of hipsters, i think they all shop at Urban Outfitters together) who work there look like they enjoy themselves
3) The music selection...mostly pop/hip hop music and electro, felt like i was at a club..lol
4) Big screen TVs everywhere and a decent selection of beers
5) Service was great..the coal dood came around frequently to swap out the goals to ensure the hookah was smoking good, the waitress came around frequently to check on my water supply
6) I actually felt like I fit the target demographic or what i think the target demographic is (i'm 27/m/asian/extremely good looking...for serious), but this definitely didn't feel like an Armo only bar (no offense)
We had the Aladfkjalsdfkljasdf White Grape flavor, for some reason this flavor was not considered regular nor premium, and was priced right in between ($16)...all by itself, so I just had to try it. The tobacco tasted pretty good, but the condition of the pipe was a bit lackluster. I also had the Armenian Coffee, which I've never had before so I can't really tell you if this was good or not. But after doing some research online, I realized that my coffee was not properly poured, with the foam on top, which makes me kinda sad. I must hunt down a place that serves Armo Coffee proper to get the full experience now.
All in all, I think this is a good spot to chill if you're into a hookah night but if you're a hookah aficianado, this may not be the best place to go.
San Diego, CA 92120
(619) 284-3268
Pho Xpress
Category:
Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Grantville
The food itself was a bit on the pricey side, $7.50 for a large bowl and i think $6 for a regular bowl of pho. The Bun Mi (sandwiches) are $4 a pop. The pho itself was mediocre, the broth was on the bland side and the noodles were overcooked. The portion of the pho was the most disappointing though. I got the large bowl, but it's really more like a regular sized bowl just with more broth added. There were literally 6 pieces of meat in my large bowl AND they were also pretty sheisty with the herb/veggies garden (sprouts/limes/basil/jalapeno)..tsk tsk!
Though this wasn't a positive review, I'd still come back since bad pho is still better than no pho. The convenience factor alone will ensure that they'll be getting my repeat business as it's the only walkable vietnamese restaurant in the area. For those of you who don't have time to wait, it might make more sense ordering take-out.
Suggestion to the owners:
- get a sign-in sheet for the guest waiting outside so we have an idea how many ppl are ahead of us
- make more aisle space so you can push a cart thru instead of having the waitress/waiter walk 1 thing out at a time
- put napkins on the table so you don't have to waste time bringing napkins to the table
San Diego, CA 92117
(858) 565-1661
Bismillah Restaurant - CLOSED
Categories:
Indian,
Pakistani,
Buffets
Neighborhood: Clairemont
Most of the reviews for this place is a direct reflection of their buffet, I, for one, have never eaten the buffet at this place nor do i really care to. I also do not care for service and cleanliness when coming to a restaurant like this. This is certainly not a 4 star or 5 star dining experience, and seriously, I don't expect it to be. Like most good chinese/mexican restaurants, a common theme I find with Indian/Pakistani restaurants is that the more ghetto it is, the better it taste.
I've been to Bismillah many of times now (the first time was a result of us noticing their neon lights when we left Buga Korean BBQ), and never have I left the restaurant unsatisfied. The service is always subpar, the ambiance is sleazy, but the food is always on point. On this visit we had channa massallah, chicken korma, nahari, lamb chops and several orders of naan & parathaa. The channa massalla, korma and nahari were all crazy delicious and spicy, just the way pakistani food should be (i'm no paki, but i sure love my paki food). Every bite takes you one step closer to fire ass, but your belly will keep beggin for more punishment! The naan/parathaa are also really good here, the naan is not of the thick doughy variety that you get from most restaurants down here and is perfect for scraping up all the curry sauces. One hint for all other Yelpers is to make sure you order some Lassi to pair with your food to wash down the spices to keep you going!
What about the lamb chops you might ask?!?! Well, this entire paragraph is dedicated to the lamb chops.. if you love lamb, I'll tell you right now, they have the best lamb chops I've ever come across regardless of the cooking style!! It's worth a visit to Bismillah for these lamb chops alone. These chops are a godsend or shall I say Allah-send, it's seasoned to perfection and it's cooked masterfully in a tandoori grill. The lamb is ultra tender and flavorful, I have friends who don't like lamb who love this dish. For those who prefer the gamey-ness of lamb, I'm sorry, because you will likely disagree with me. The lamb is not gamey here whatsoever, and the onions on the sizzling plate beneath the lamb is absolutely fantastic. The owner of the joint even aired out the recipe to me once when I asked him. But he knew that I can't emulate it at home without a tandoori grill so I'd have to come back for more. The lamb chops here are om nom nom nom delicious, we couln't resist but to double up the order!
Bismillah is operated by the same family who own one of the more popular paki restaurants in OC, so you know their ishh is legit! The food does take a awhile to prepare so be patient, and it's totally worth the wait. One other thing is to make sure to call in advance, sometimes they only do buffet or they don't have lamb chops, be sure to stay away on those nights and come back when they can serve you proper! Top your meal off with some chai tea, and you'll be ready to fall into a deep slumber.
At Rocky's you have a choice between 1/3lb or a 1/2lb patty and cheese or no cheese and that's all you need to know. The burger is served on a nicely toasted hamburger bun with a smear of mayo along with green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and red onions. The thick and juicy burger patty is perfection within itself. I suspect the patty was made by lightly dusting salt n'pepa over fresh ground chuck (incredibly high fat content 30%?) and formed by loosely packing the meat together then finished over an aged flat grill to give it the awesome flavor. Whatever it is that they do, they need to keep doing it! Ketchup, mustard, chilil peppers are available at the tables, but after a bite of the crazy deliciousness you'll realize the party in your mouth really don't need any of that. The fries and beers are nothing special to come for, but this burger itself earns Rocky's a 5 star review.
Don't get me wrong, I love the contemporary take on the "gourmet" burger, but the old fashion burger is like a lost art and Rocky's got it down to a science. Eating here was a breath of fresh air, no hidden menus, no customizations, simply a great burger!
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 565-6750
Phuong Trang
Categories:
Vietnamese,
Chinese
Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
This place used to be my go-to spot for Vietnamese food because it has a huge menu since it's a full-on Vietnamese Chinese restaurant rather than just a Pho spot. Though Pho was never the star item of the place, but it's the one item that has most noticeably gone down the stinker. The broth is not what it used to be and now just taste like MSG water, I think that there's enough MSG to blind a lab rat. The noodles are consistently overcooked and the rare steak is never rare when it hits the table *tsk tsk*
There are two constants at this place, the staff and the egg rolls. For some reason, the turnover is really low for a restaurant, they must pay well or maybe it's voodoo magic. The egg rolls are 10 kinds of DELICIOUS here, they use a different kind of rice paper to wrap these bad boys that makes it blissfully crispy. The egg rolls are bigger and badder than most of the other joints I've been to and simply a joy to eat. I think could eat these egg rolls and die a happy man.
All in all, still a good spot for many things, but the Pho breaks my heart.
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 584-6244
Super Cocina
Category:
Mexican
Neighborhood: Normal Heights
1 Previous Review:
-
12/6/2008
I love this place with all of my heart! I've been here several times now and each time is like the very first time, love @ first bite ;-) The food is superb and the owner and his staff is courteous and gracious. The place is located right down the street from my other favorite mexican joint Mariscos German. I was turned on to this place by an ex-coworker who hails from Nogales, AZ and she said this place made her feel like home so I had to try and she was damn right!
Like other people pointed out, you get to sample anything you like in the hot case, which is the best part cause you know you'll be satisfied with your plate. Every sample cup is like a flava partay in yo mouf, which makes it extremely tough to just pick 2 for your meal. There are a few dishes that are staples but there's usually something new to try that I haven't seen from previous visits. On this trip, we shared two plates, these gimongous plates are priced around $7.50 each, which is a great freakin deal in my opinion. The plates comes with rice n' beans and 3 corn toritllas. We had the spicy pork (a MUST TRY is you like spicy and pork), huevos in tomato based sauce (didn't ask for a name, but i'm guessin it's their take on huevos rancheros, also delicious), fish soup/stew (excellent with some lime, cilantro and onion fix-in), and stewed chicken leg/thigh (fantabulous). We also shared a chicken sope which was pretty good.
Couple knocks on the place that I personally don't mind is that it's not the cleanest establishment, parking is tough and it's cash only. But I've never walked out this place disappointed and without a happy belly. But this visit was especially great, we need a little bit more rice for our leftovers and the owner graciously hooked me up with rice and turned down my offer to pay. As I walked out I saw a family sharing a few dishes and also sharing a mexican style fruit pico de gallo, so I couldn't help but stop and ask where they got it from, turns out it's been right around the corner this whole time! We immediately left to cap off the awesome meal with the perfect dessert @ another great gem called Fruitilandia.
This place is special to me because it marks a couple of firsts for me: catching a fish and catching a lobster, but i'm sure it marks a different kind of first for all the high school students in the area ;-) Another plus to this place is that it's close to some good SD dives to eat at such as Hodad's, Chris's Liqour Store and South Beach Bar & Grill.
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"Fat and Happy!"
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107 Useful, 81 Funny, and 89 Cool
San Diego, CA
Yelping SinceAugust 2008
Things I Lovenoodle soup, watermelon, the lakers, long walks on the beach
Find Me Inthe club? bottle full of bub?
My HometownTaipei to Torrance to SDeezy
My Blog Or Websitei don't blog, i yelp
When I'm Not Yelping...i'm doing who knows what, call me mr. restless
Why You Should Read My Reviewsi enjoy food more than the average person
The Last Great Book I Readwas in high school, many many moons ago
My First Concert@ some rave?
My Favorite Movietitanic
My Last Meal On Earthdelightful little pieces of crisp watermelon
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...my pinky toes don't touch the ground
Most Recent Discoverynoodle soup is quite possibly the best thing ever invented
Current Crushnoodle soup