ericka "america's national flower" L.'s Profile
Date
i spotted this place and somehow knew they'd have my requisite mimosa. they did indeed, and it was good - they also made a mean bloody mary, of which i'm not normally a fan. it was spicy and my companion was nearly set ablaze when he swallowed a jalapeno seed.
the breakfast itself was serviceable; i didn't order the right thing. (do i ever?) as usual, i couldn't resist the lure of biscuits and gravy but no one ever does them right. they had italian sausage in the gravy and it made the dish unpleansantly greasy, though the biscuits weren't bad.
my companion had the sweet potato griddle; it was nice, but i'm more of a fan of savory (ha! no pun intended) fare for breakfast. he also got bacon and toast; their toast is actually quite yummy.
the coffee was okay and the fruit was tasty. service was really friendly and laid-back and the spot itself is pretty charming. i don't know that i'd be in any rush to come back, but i had a nice time, probably due to the company.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-4111
Gracie's Market - CLOSED
Categories:
Sandwiches,
Convenience Stores
i bought a cool box of vintage-style marvel postcards. i have yet to send any out but i do like to look at them. maybe i should buy stamps at some point.
two very great things about this place: right near the gold line metro stop in south pasadena, and connected to my sweet cupcake.
i love a french dip, and philippe's (where these were invented, *ahem*, cole's you lie on your menu) serves amazing french dip sandwiches. cole's serves, well, something vaguely similar: slices of beef without enough fat content on a dry, hard roll with a side of au jus. there's no majesty to it, nothing that would make it cravable. it's just a sandwich.
they serve kettle chips, of which i'm not particularly a fan, and i probably paid an absurd amount for them. their mac & cheese was a too saucy and didn't wow me at all.
thankfully i was in excellent company otherwise i'd have been mighty disappointed with my lunch here.
i saw the sign for this place as i was leaving a meeting and heading home and couldn't resist the lure of a big german bratwurst. the whole joint is decorated with german flair, little pictures of girls in dirndls and oktoberfest signs. in addition to a deli counter, there are lots of german items, from sauerkraut to a wide selection of german beer.
i ordered the turlinger (i think) bratwust, made entirely of pork; it was the only one they had that didn't have veal in it. the girl behind the counter let me sample the german and the swiss potato salads, both of which were delicious. the german one was warm and made with a little bit of bacon and i think vinegar? the swiss one was more my speed, more mustardy and quite delicious. i ordered this and the macaroni salad as my sides.
the macaroni salad was unfortunately pretty lacking in flavor, but the swiss potato salad and the porky bratwurst made up for it. i only finished half my plate and had to bring the rest home; that's a big sausage. i wish the mustard had been spicier but it was okay.
after i was finished, the girl brought me a free (!) sample of an apricot cake for dessert. it was tasty, moreso because it was free. the meal, including a giant bottle of water, was $8.90 (not including tip), a total steal.
i'm so glad i found a partner organization that i'll be visiting that is located right across the street from this place. oh, sausage!
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 449-5458
Old Mill Foundation
Category:
Landmarks & Historical Buildings
the old mill is actually a real old mill (imagine that) that was completed in 1816 as a grist mill for the mission san gabriel. for a time it was used as a residence. there are incredible wood beams and floors and the walls are five feet thick!
there is a small gallery with rotating exhibitions and the grounds, though small, are beautifully landscaped with pomegranate trees and succulents.
it's a gorgeous and isolated place that would be wonderful if you needed some solitude, quiet, and beauty. i believe you can also have private events here; the cal phil has played three small concerts there this summer, with the final one taking place tonight.
there doesn't seem to be any entrance fee but donations are welcome.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 405-9114
Brix 42 - CLOSED
Categories:
Burgers,
Gastropubs
Neighborhood: Pasadena
wendy and i ordered the baked goat cheese and pot roast in the appetizer portions (both also $7 each); the pot roast was actually more like an entree-sized portion and the goat cheese was plenty for two people. it could have easily served three.
unfortunately, the goat cheese was layered over tomatoes that looked and tasted like they'd just been dumped out of a can of diced del monte that hadn't been drained. the entire bottom layer was watery, which was pretty gross. the flavor overall was decent, but the appearance was really unappetizing. the pita chips were fine, but seemed like trader joe's pita chips from a bag.
the pot roast was tender, though a little salty; it did go nicely with the garlic mashed potatoes. both dishes were just over lukewarm when we received them and with the arctic blast of the a/c blowing down on us from directly above our table, they quickly became cold.
we also both ordered the sampler of the house beers (hefeweizen, pilsner, ipa, amber). not a single one was redeeming. the ipa wasn't hoppy enough for my taste, and the amber tasted somehow chemically. at $5 for four 4-oz tastings, it wouldn't be a bad deal if the beers were any good.
it would be nice they could figure out their identity - if they're a gastropub, then the food needs to be much better quality and maybe they don't need the televisions like a sports bar. if they're a brewhouse, then the beer needs to be much better quality and the fancy decor needs to go. i'm guessing if they can't address that issue, they won't last too long in this economy.
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 793-8181
Pep Boys
Categories:
Auto Repair,
Tires,
Auto Parts & Supplies
Neighborhood: Pasadena
well, i went into mazda today and they told me my battery wasn't holding a charge correctly. on the way home, i stopped by pep boys with my receipt, which i had in my glove box. robert took a look at it, told me the replacement would be free but that i would need to pay $14.99 for labor/installation. i asked if there was anything he could do about that, since the battery is only a bit more than six months old, and he immediately agreed and said he could waive it.
i pulled my car up to the bay and within 20 minutes, the new battery was installed and tested, no charge to me. yay! i still need a tire rotation/alignment, and based on this experience, pep boys will be where i go.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 465-6901
The Waffle
Categories:
American (New),
Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Hollywood
we all had the combo breakfast (a pancake or waffle, two eggs, choice of meat, and either fruit or hashbrowns) - i had a waffle with scrambled egg, bacon, and hashbrowns. though i'm not a waffle connoisseur, the waffle was pretty good; the hashbrowns were hockey puck-ish in shape and just okay. apparently well-done meant slightly burnt to the cook. the coffee was decent and service was prompt.
the serving sizes were just right, which was refreshing - i hate wasting a lot of food because restaurants feel the need to overcompensate for being mediocre by serving you huge portions. the mimosa that diana ordered, despite not being the best i'd ever had, was heavy on the bubbly and came in an old fashioned cocktail glass instead of a champagne flute. i actually thought that was a good idea, as once i get a couple of mimosas in me i tend to start knocking things over, especially glassware.
i'd definitely come back for brunch, but it's not a place i'd crave for breakfast food. the waffle fries, on the other hand...
1 Previous Review:
-
11/8/2008
The Waffle is super-convenient for a pre-show dinner before going to the Palladium. Nora and I went to go see the Kooks a couple of weeks ago and picked this place based on location. It didn't hurt that I spied waffle fries through the window when we were trying to decide; I guess it makes sense that they have them given the restaurant's name, but still, I was surprised and excited. Oh, how I love waffle fries!
The ambiance leaves a little to be desired. The color palette and furniture style are perfect retro '70s style; even the funk music was spot on. However, the high ceilings and the ugly industrial carpet (as opposed to say, brown linoleum or something more period-specific) kind of threw the look off.
Service was friendly, but also v-e-r-y slow. It took a while for our waiter - who I thought was the host since he also seated us - to come get our drink order, which he then mixed up, giving us both regular Coke instead of Diet Coke. He was apologetic and fixed it, but it took about 10 minutes because there were long periods of time where he never came by our table. It seemed like there were only a couple of servers for the tables inside and out, as well as the counter.
The food made up for the service, however. The waffle fries were every bit as delicious as I imagined they would be, and the Waffle Burger with cheddar and bacon...holy crap! The bacon was perfectly crispy, and the burger itself was juicy and flavorful. This was one of the best burgers I've had in a while. (Nora ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, which she said was just okay, but mostly because the bleu cheese was overwhelming.)
I would have loved to try dessert, but unfortunately, I ate the entire burger and was so swollen with meat that I couldn't have eaten even a wafer-thin mint. Total cost for a gut-busting meal: $40, including tip. Next time, I'll try the waffles.
P.S. Try taking the Red Line if you can - it stops just around the block from here!
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 403-5751
Nicole's Gourmet Foods
Categories:
Cheese Shops,
French,
Ethnic Food
i'm knocking off a star for the very french service (as in, service? what service?) and for forgetting my side salad, and for said side salad, once it finally arrived, being pretty meh.
oh, also, super-convenient location right off the gold line stop in south pasadena!
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Pasadena, CA
Yelping SinceJanuary 2007
Things I Lovediet coke, hoppy beer, good scotch, swingsets, my bed, biscuits and gravy, my iphone, my macbook, writing, biking, baking
Find Me Inflip-flops
My Hometownmilford, in
My Blog Or Website My Second Favorite Websitesadly, http://facebook.com, and it's not helping productivity any
The Last Great Book I Readbossypants by tina fey
My First Concertbeck
My Favorite Moviewaking life
My Last Meal On Earthsurprise me
Current Crushmr. sparkles
i wasn't starving, so i just ordered a mahi mahi taco and the boy ordered the mahi mahi taco combo; we chose a pitcher of fat tire to wet our whistles.
the place was packed with tons of cyclists (including us - yes, i ride my bike!) who were apparently all there to check out the vikings whup on the packers. i guess favre still has it. for game-watchers, there are lots of big honking televisions if you're into that sort of thing.
the food itself isn't anything spectacular, but the beer was fine and the employees were friendly. i'd actually consider bumping them up a star if they'd install a bike rack out front.