Don "Dipped in Sauce" L.'s Profile

Jennifer doesn't take on clients, she takes on collaborations. She offers insightful personal suggestions when bereft of ideas and helps you hone your own ideas.

First off they have made a hell of a place out of a location I would have sworn was on top of an ancient Indian(feathers) burial ground. Chef's Choice Noodle Bar is nice while riding the line of stuffiness without really crossing it. The service is good and... really, why am I wasting your time.

Let's get down to brass tacks. The food. The Thai dishes are solid offerings, the spicy dishes aren't condescendingly mild and actually bring the heat. I'm a particular fan of the Drunken Noodles(Pad Kee Mao) in general and Noodle Bar does it up right. In an indecisive pinch I can always count on the house special fried rice to fit the bill.

Why then only 3 stars. Well, I suppose you could go up a half or full, but I have trouble getting over my disappointment in the non-Thai dishes. The pho, is well, it just isn't right. Maybe I'm being judgmental, but pho is a trip into my childhood and this path seems to lose it's way. Not quite beefy enough broth and the flavor just isn't pho. Also, I've found a love of ramen in the last few years and well, while getting the closest to the real deal in Bakersfield deserves some kudos, it just doesn't quite get there. A worthy effort I suppose but I still have my Little Saigon for pho and I suppose I'll have to wait for out of town trips to feed the ramen need.

There are certainly admirable things going on at Benji's. First off this is the only French food you'll find in Bakersfield. That should mean something. French cooking has long been the cornerstone of fine dining. But this place throws fine dining out the window and has found a niche instead of being an old school Bakersfield comfort joint. They don't really knock anything out of the park but I wouldn't say they're bad. Where else in Kern County will I eat Sweat Meats or see frogs legs on the the menu? It stands boldly by these old time standards of theirs. I must applaud that.

I do have a word against the Basque Set Up of theirs though. This is a favorite of regulars but could use great improvement. The pickled tongue is not pickled. The tongue is bathed in their ubiquitous Italian-esque dressing right before it hits the table. The salad and the tomatoes and onions are also dressed similarly. This would be fine but I just wish they'd call it dressed tongue and I wouldn't be so disappointed every time.

All in all not a bad place to go, but look a little harder and you can find better.

Yeah. It's just another Starbucks but goddamned it, it's my Starbucks. And as Starbucks go, it's not bad. Better than most. There are many regulars that will actually sit and enjoy not counting the artistic semi bums that inhabit some. Real workaday people having coffee or some such concoction. There's nothing wrong with that.

There's something to be said for simply being there for you everywhere. You may not be the best but you make up for the quality with an overcompensation of quantity. Thank you.

I'm loving the gastropub trend that seems to be finally getting some real steam behind it. Good beer with good food? I have no idea why this seems somewhat of a new thing. Located between Sunset and Hollywood Blvd, Stout is an oasis in the cacophony of LA being its LAist. Something about a good beer bar as opposed to any other kind of bar promotes slowing down and enjoying a thing for awhile. Being in Stout makes you want to linger. You look out at traffic and you say to yourself, "Self, it is better here. What's your hurry?" Being lulled by that seems easy.

The food is good. In true gastropub tradition the menu is uncomplicated and doesn't overwhelm you with too many choices. Doing a few things well rather than a lot with mediocrity truly warms my cockles. I had the Six Weeker Burger which focuses on the mildly sweet featuring a fig jam. This was well washed down with the Andygator from Abita Brewing. I also had an order of the sweet potato rounds, a nice take on the sweet potato fry.

I would definitely go back.

When I first tried this place I had my doubts. I'm always willing to give a fair shake so I came back and back again. I'll say that there is room for improvement but the place has definitely grown on me. So lets get down to the basics.

The eponymous Pho, though I see little resemblance to a hut, is good. No you hyperbole hungry masses, not the best Pho in town but good is not bad. In point of fact good is better than not bad. I've had better and think Little Saigon does a better job.

Spring rolls. I'm particular about my spring rolls and maybe thats because when I was a wee child my parents owned a couple Vietnamese restaurants and I judge how good a spring roll by its similarity to my parents. I'm less of a fan of the Spring rolls here. I think the ratio is off. Too much rice noodle by comparison with the other goodness. I'm not necessarily saying more meats and veggies but at least less noodle. The balance is off. Though I could definitely go for more meat and veggies.

The Bahn Mi or Vietnamese sandwich is damn fine. Maybe not exactly traditional but good nonetheless. Don't be a stick in the mud. Try it and enjoy.

I think thats it.

Yeah.

I really do like the Indian food here. They have a wide variety of dishes that satisfy. I remember when the place used to be a British beer bar and find some humor in the fact that it is now an Indian food restaurant. I've seen the other reviews and I'm surprised. I've been here a number of times and have only been partially disappointed once. I find the food to be well cooked and full of flavor. Really enjoy the lentil soup and often have the Palak Paneer. I know with real certainty that that was misspelled but prefer to look to the future rather than the past.  

Word of warning: The spiciness level can get extreme very quickly so when they ask you for spiciness on a scale of one to ten, shy on the side of caution.

There is some regret in this review. I regret that this place replaced the defunct Sandoggies. I mean, a hot dog place with reliably good hot dogs was a find. The Q Rib Shack is good. Damn good BBQ. They certainly know what they're doing with meat. I sincerely hope that this place isn't a cursed location. They deserve to make it. It is a small operation making food that is way better than their location.

If you love meat, and I know you do, come and enjoy. Bask in the fragrances of the grills and allow yourself to experience some damn fine BBQ.

Now let's get out there and eat!

This is not an unbiased review. I say that up front. I loved the now gone Grand China and mourned its lost. Hong Kong Restaurant was bought out by the Grand China people and its back. Eating the food is coming back home for me. The food is back and in a bigger place. Though, the location may be a tad bit dodgier I think thats a small price to pay for good Chinese food and a chance to see some familiar faces.

If you loved or liked Grand China, then live again my friends. They are starting over and must rebuild clientèle. Help rebuild the numbers that Grand China consistently pulled in. If you're new to all of it... well, you're welcome too. Do yourself that favor.

Thank you Yelp for helping me find Gruel. Let's be honest. Ireland as a whole is not exactly a foodie destination. The food for the most part is unvaried and a bit on the bland side. I have found real gems though and I'm sure there are many many more if you know where to look which, I did not. Gruel is a gem. Simple foods done delicious with some subtle interesting twists. They are not afraid of flavor. The Bangers and Mash which could easily have fallen into the bland category came through in spades with an onion jam that really kicked the flavor up. Why not treat yourself?