Amanda P.'s Profile

A bit pricey, but what can you expect from a 4th St. boutique, and where else will you go to fulfill your random "must go get a tiki god key cover now" urge. A tiny little dig, and the owner is super cool. They have an assortment of knick knacks. I am still gushing over my Tiki god that lights up from the inside- one of my awesome Christmas presents. If you're doing the Retro Row crawl, don't leave without stopping in here. This place has heart.

I love this place more and more each time, and it has rapidly become one of my favorite LBC dining spots. The ambiance is like a dimly lit jungle. Upon entrance I almost feel like I'm getting in line for a Disneyland ride; the inside is complete with dark woods (coasters!) and a long mahogany bar that spans the length of the oceanfront window.
The cuisine is basically Asian- California fusion, and everything is artfully and beautifully presented. I really don't get the overrall sub-par reviews for this restauraunt; Tantalum is fantastic. Every time the waiter brings a plate I feel like I'm being presented something on an episode of Top Chef. Perhaps the prices sway some people away, but they do have a great happy hour, I believe all is half off. The calamari is always a favorite, served with aioli sauce and cashews and these super spicy peppers. My dinner recommendations: Loch  Duart Salmon served over crispy zucchini, the Seared Ahi Tuna, and by far my favorite- the Pan Seared Diver Scallops. The wine list is super extensive and you will receive helpful recommendations by the waiters as far as what pairs best with which entree. But be wary of that $47 bottle of 337 wine; unless you know better, which my counterpart did not before ordering, that is a $12 bottle at Ralph's. Cheers to the chef; Tantalum is a long awaited delight  that I just got privy to in the past year, after I realized it wasn't a cheesy nighclub.

I have been to Shanghai twice and each time I had my hair done by Christina. Both times I was pleased; she spends a long, I mean a LONG time on your hair; she definitely takes pride,  and seems to have perfected the art of the A-line or just straight up bob.
If you are ready for a nice clean bob, often very similar to how her hair looks, then she's a good one to go to. If I gave a 3 year old crayons and had them practice coloring every day, eventually they would master the art of drawing inside the lines so- the girl has definitely practiced. A bob. Over. And over. She always seems to have a pretty good idea of what she is going to do the moment you sit in the chair (more or less the exact same thing she did to your hair the last time.)
The one thing that I did find slightly off-putting, was when she asked me to write a review, thanked me for doing so, but then repeatedly asked me to change things in it... "don't forget to mention free fringe trims" "make sure you say my last name." It seemed a bit contradictory to the spirit of Yelp, where my words should be my own, and if you do a good job one can only hope people are gracious enough to write a review for you. It is not something I felt should be altered at someone's request. But she was an aquaintence and I really liked the job she did the first time, so of course I obliged. If you are looking for a classic bob, you will likely be pleased. But you should check out their website as well- you can view the different stylists and see who is on par with what you are looking for; one can't have a bob forever right.

This review is based on solely one visit, to an Evening Flow Vinyasa class. The place itself offers alot of beauty/skin services (they have alot of Dermalogica and some Epicuren; Dermalogica meh) and I'm sure at some point in the future I may go here for some skin care services they offer. As for the yoga- sorry, I am just a Core Power addict! A drop in class is $10, you can do an unlimited week for $20, and they dont really offer a wide array of classes. They have one at least every evening at 7 then a few scattered weekend classes; well you can check their schedule online. For me personally, it was just too small of an environment to really get into it. There were a total of 5 or 6 students, myself included, and I had to maneuver to avoid wacking the person next to me, or smacking the wall on the other side of me. It also reminded me of how boring yoga can be- It was a good session, but it was all that ethereal calming music, with the instructors whose voice you can barely hear. Plus I love mirrors all around so I can gauge my poses and what needs to be adjusted. No mirror here. I've been spoiled by Core, by their mirrored walls and the instructors that compile music mixes that go with the session and who are upbeat loud and enthusiastic.

We almost passed it by because the outside looks like a Mexican restauraunt. Happy Hour is daily during the week from 4-7 I believe; however, during Monday night football HH lasts until the game is over. So thank you, Brett Favre, for taking the Vikings into OT last night. We ordered a couple of things off the HH menu (sake and beer $1 off, Spicy Scallop, Spicy Yellowtail and Spider Roll, all $5.) Honestly, the HH menu is the way to go, because otherwise this is SPENSY. I did have to splurge for the Viper Roll ($18!!), which was Spicy yellowtail with cilantro and avocado, topped with sea eel, unagi sauce and
jalapeno oil. Hot damn. Even more hot damn, and highly recommended by our awesome server Sloan, was the Jalapeno Yellowtail Sashimi; it was wonderfully melt- in- your -mouth fresh, sprinkled w/ jalapenos, ponzu sauce, and once again that awesome jalapeno oil sauce. I would for sure come here again, but not necessarily on my next trip to the hood- there's too many other places to venture to.

You know you love it here. It is less hectic than the ones at the mall and I never walk away without an accessory or 5.

I'm only a first timer so far, so I think we need to get used to each other, or he needs to get accustomed to my head, so I cant say QUITE yet that its "as good as it gets," becasue we need to keep going to see how good that can be! But he was great. Soft spoken and funny; the vibe here is definitely cool. Awesome music playing on the turntables set up in the back, fun friendly staff... Alex utilized an artful combination of shears and razor cut, and I looked very damn close to the picture I showed him (yes he looks at pictures. I have run across some elitists that do not.) On top of that, his prices are a steal. I think it was only $50! I will be back; I've found a great local spot.

Best Sangria I've ever had. I eat here on a pretty regular basis, and we love to take our friends and treat them.  The atmosphere is lovely, and I am insistent about sitting on the patio so that you can witness the bustle of Pine Ave and really soak up the atmosphere. I shall cut right to the chase, and tell you what to order.
The calamari is damn good, and we usually get that along with the Humitas Chilenas. If you only choose one, you MUST get the latter, Never have I tasted anything quite like this. It's a sweet corn tamale, stuffed full and oozing with shrimp and corn in this incredible cream sauce. I am also a fan of the Pescado Negro (blackened butterfish) which is served over their infamous jalapeno mashed potatoes. (say whaaaaa???) Also a gem, the Salmon con Whiskey, which is covered in a roasted bell pepper whiskey sauce and served atop the jalapeno mashed tatoes and a bed of spinach. The Solomillo (filet mignon) is delectable and ALWAYS cooked to your perfection; it also accompanied by sauteed spinach and these potato cakes that are crispy and to die for.
For your first time, order one of the appetizers I mentioned, and perhaps start with their paella. The only one I ever get is the Del Oceano, and its enough for 2 if not more. They have flamenco dancers, salsa dancers, even salsa classes here. And the owner/manager Sonia is such a doll. In fact, the service here has never been less than stellar. So go now, order what I told you to, then thank me,

Waaay crappier than the one on 7th. Its always dirty inside, the staff is often times rude, short, and not helpful. The one on 7th doesn't deliver to my place, but this one does. (I was whip-less for awhile.) They charge $3 for delivery!!! Come ON! When he arrived, he forgot my ranch and didn't even bother to bring parmesan packets. Sorry but that should be pretty standard. Z is known for being a healthier pizza chain, and you can tell. It's lighter and less greasy. The website states the fat content and most of it is very low- 7 and lower, for the most part. This location? It almost tastes like a completely different place. It's greasy as HELL. I used at least 6 napkins and it kept soaking up. And I would like to re-iterate: the staff is made up of a bunch of MORONS.

It's all about eating on the patio. The breakfast menu is extensive, and covers all the basics, from the omelette lover to the scramble fan, to the waffle and pancake aficionado. It is reasonably priced, service is usually quick, but overrall it's not a must go to die for spot. It's just decent breakfast food. They get docked for not offerring unlimited mimosas. We end up looking like the lushes because we end up having to just order a bottle. It would really behoove them to start doing unlimiteds. The main draw of this place is for the joy of outdoor dining on a lovely So Cal day.