Jacob "Don't Ask" Y.'s Profile

So...being from Chicago, I was asked to come to LA for client meetings on a huge project (yup...that better mean a HUGE bonus too!)...and who would not want to come to Sunny Southern Cal when the midwest weather is living up to its expectations in the Windy City right?

Hence, 3.5 hours on a plane...more miles on my account...and VOILA...the city where traffic is the most common thing!

So...being slammed at the client's site for a few days, I asked a few the guys from my team to pitch in...and they did GREAT...therefore, I offered to buy them lunch...(I know I know...I am the most awesomest boss there is!)

Now, we were in Wilshire...and my number one rule when traveling....NEVER EAT AT A CHAIN...and that was my only request...only exception...if I can't find it in Chicago.

So...as we ventured down Fairfax on the way back to the office looking for a lunch place, we stumbled into the Farmers Market on Fairfax and 3rd...and nestled in it....Du-Par's.  With some encouragement from the guys...we went there.  Oh...and if you do have time, look around the Farmers Market...Fresh produce, meat and seafood on display...little shops here and there...very old school...and I kind of miss that, since we live in the days of Wal-Massive Mart...

For drinks...I ordered the freshly squeezed lemonade...very refreshing!

For lunch...I HAD to get the Monte Cristo (especially since Bennigan's went out of business...I kinda miss that sammy!).

One word...WOW...fried to perfection...sprinkled powder sugar...and loaded with turkey and ham....and to top it off...the fresh raspberry jelly to dip it in.

The other guys were very pleased with their orders as well too...which made it a very good lunch break!

Last week while there visiting with my cousin, her and her friends were staying one block away from Hells Kitchen...therefore, that was the obvious place to go, considering it is lined with restaurants in that area...oh...and also because we were HUNGRY!

So...as we were strolling down 9th Avenue looking for a place, the words GUMBO and OYSTERS written on a red cornered establishment made us all drool...needless to say...we ventured in!

The decor of this restaurant...very NOLA style...wooden floors, festive environment...with Mardi Gras posters hanging.

Once we got seated we were promptly attended by our waiter.  He was friendly, and responsive...so that's good.  He just seemed a bit out there as if he was in his own little world.  But then again...so long as i get served properly, who cares, right?

The food...extremely tasty.  The first thing they brought to our table...a basket of jalapeno rolls and corn muffins.  It's a good thing I stopped eating them...I would not have eaten my dinner otherwise.

For my entree I ordered the fried oyster po boy.  Although I paid $13 for this sandwich...it was very good...and they give you A LOT!  My friend ordered the shrimp creole, and she was on cloud 9!  My other friend ordered the country fried chicken, and that was outstanding.

Overall...great meal, great friends, and awesome atmosphere...what else can you ask for, right?

I just got back from NYC where I was there working and touring with my cousin this past week.  Now, I have been there one other time, and with consideration that Guantanamera is within walking distance from the hotel they were staying at...it was an easy suggestion for dinner.

BONUS for dinner?  LIVE band that plays some of the most popular Latin favorites.  I must say it does add to the ambiance.

Then, we are onto the mojitos.  Because there were 6 of us, we got the pitcher.  Although they are $50 a pitcher...I will tell you this...It's WORTH it...because it is LOADED with rum...I was even a bit tipsy after the first glass!  I must admit it was delicious...

The food...SPECTACULAR and excellent.  For appetizers we got, jamon serrano (cured ham) that came with cheese and pieces of toast...scrumptous.  We also got the fried yucca (aka cassava) and that was out of this world.  And because we were REALLY hungry...we got the calamari sauteed in garlic...WOW!

For dinner, my cousin and I split the churrasco steak, which comes with a chimichurri sauce, along with white rice and beans.  DELICIOUS.

I also tried my friend's roast pork...outstanding!

Overall...a great time.  And because we were celebrating one of my friend's birthday...they give you a free tres leches AND they sing to you in Spanish along with the live band...Oh...and the cake came with its own version of fireworks!

I went to Fizz last night because a couple of my friends bought tickets to an 11 o'clock at night show at the stage that is located on the second floor of Fizz.

Considering last night was the night before Halloween, we found out that Fizz was one of the last stop for their Halloween Pub Crawl.  In addition to that, there was also another show at said stage earlier that night, so needless to say, the place was PACKED!

As far as the place, the first floor of Fizz consists of one main bar on the left side when you enter.  The place in itself was very long and narrow, with many high top tables along side the bar (which has stools) and a group of tables at the end towards the back.  

Thankfully, when we got there, the first show was about to start, so that cleared a good number of tables for us to sit at.  We originally wanted to get some food prior to our late show, so we opted to sit toward the back where the tables were.

First thing we noticed...the service.  Despite the fact that this place was PACKED, they were very attentive and friendly.  The server was awesome and responsive; and so was the busboy.  

Foodwise, I highly recommend the artichoke and spinach fondue dip.  Be careful, the plate is sizzling when it came out but it was outstanding.  We also ordered the "bottle caps" as a starter (which was fried jalapeno slices) and that was good as well.  

For dinner I ordered what they called "the after school" which consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich (which was very good) and a side of tomato soup (which was tasty).  I also ordered a side of the "fried potato salad", and that was not bad, except I would have ordered the sauce (I think it was thousand island) on the side.  The sauce made the fried potatoes a bit soggy...and I am not a fan of soggy potatoes.

One of my friends ordered a side salad with an order of nachos, and talk about a HEALTHY portions of nachos (it's enough to feed you and a few friends...and was great).  My other friend ordered the three cheese grilled cheese with roasted peppers and bacon, and that looked awesome.

Overall a good meal.  And to top it off, the burlesque show we went to upstairs was out of this world funny...definitely a good way to end the night!

I was in Milwaukee for work this week and because of the meetings we had were in Waukesha, we went there for dinner last night before I drove back to Chicago.

Yokoso is a Japanese restaurant, tucked away in what seems to be a series of strip malls on Bluemound Road.  From the outside, these strip malls seem to be victims of the current recession...many empty storefronts made it look like a ghost town (including the abandoned movie theater right behind it!).

When you walk in, this place is very nicely decorated, in contrast to what is going on outside.  Very modern looking, Yokoso is a very nice place indeed when it comes to decor.

The hostess was very friendly...and the waitress was as well.  The menu is also very extensive, with a wide variety of appetizers, sushi and makis to choose from.

That is where the magic stops.  Foodwise, I found it very disappointing.

I started my meal with an overly salted miso soup.  And here I was thinking how can a REAL Japanese place mess that up!  Given that fact, I did not finish the soup.

The second thing that was disappointing...they were out of the oyster appetizer, which I ended up canceling (probably a wise choice, considering the meal was below average at best).

For dinner, I ordered an assortment of sushi (tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, tobiko) and a soft shell crab maki (aka, spider roll).

The sushi was passable...just not very tasty.  I know I know...some of you are wondering how can raw fish be tasty, if at all; however, if you have eaten sushi as long as I have, they can be quite exquisite, and you learn to know the difference between the different types of fish.

The maki...extremely disappointing.  In Chicago, I get big pieces of spider rolls, with the ends usually displaying a set of nicely fried crab legs.  The ones that were served to me were the size of supermarket bought sushi to go and were overly fried and salty.

Overall, decor...good.  Service...good.  Food...not so good.  Considering that I go out to eat for the food and not the decor...I would definitely not go back next time I am in town.

One a cold rainy day not too far long ago, not only was I tired, but I was in no mood to go out and find food.  So I decided to order some delivery to satisfy my craving...and thankfully, I live in Chicago where delivery restaurants are plentiful.

So...I picked up the phone and the first place I called was very disappointing.  We ordered from Risque Cafe (after having a great order of food from them in the past), and to my dismay, and wasting 2.5 hours WAITING, we came to find out that they COMPLETELY forgot our order and nothing was put in.  No apologies either from the restaurant, which is the reason why I don't order from them at all anymore when it comes to delivery.

Which is where Chicago Joe's came to the rescue.  A friend of mine found them online on grub hub...and they saved me from total starvation in less than 30 minutes.  The ordering process online was also soo painless that it was very convenient for me to click and order.

Onto the food...the burger was very good and tasty.  The onion mounds...a tad disappointing because they came a tad soggy (but I bet they were AWESOME when they were fresh!).  The chili fries...delicious.  

What is even more?  Because they were brand new on grubhub, they gave us a $10 discount coupon for my next order.

I am glad to at least see that some people get delivery right...and don't forget their orders (which before this night's experience...I thought was not possible!).

If the Blues is what you are into, you MUST visit Kingston Mines.  Authentic, jamming, and full of energy, this place knows how to book some of the creme de la creme as far as Blues is concerned.  Non pretentious, and with a crowd that was really into the moment, this is one of my favorite places to go chill from one stage to the other.

First off, you heard me right.  They don't have one but TWO stages, and one was performing awesome blues, while the other was playing more classic rock music.  And bouncing from one stage to the other was in itself an experience.

My one regret...did NOT try the food.  Gives me now an excuse to go back one of these upcoming weekends.

The only reason why I venture into the Oakwood?  It's open REAL late (or early depends on how you look at it) and right by my house.  Yup...no other reason.

I heard they sell food...but from the looks of it, I am not that adventurous to even go there.

Drinks however, can't be messed up too much, especially at 3 am on a Sunday morning right?  

Given these facts, don't expect much.  This is definitely the place where you get one more for the road and call it quits.

When people think about breakfast, they usually think of Denny's or IHOP.  Well, not in San Diego!

Nestled on Park Avenue in University Heights, Cafe on Park was recommended to me by my colleagues when I was in SD for a business trip.  

And talk about a restaurant that has ambiance.  On nice days, ask to sit outside...they have an awesome patio area that is great for people watching.

Be forewarned...this place can get extremely crowded (as was the case when I got there).  Instead, and because I was by myself, I sat at the bar, where the bartender gleefully took my order.

To drink...Mimosas...and wow was it good.

To eat...try any of the scrambles.  I had the spinach and mushroom one and it was fluffy with chunks of shrooms and a healthy portion of spinach, with feta cheese.  I know there is no meat...but it did NOT need it.

The service was great.  The food was great.  What else can you ask for?  They need to open one here in Chicago!

The first time I went to Cullen's as far as I can remember, I just graduated college (more than 10 years ago...sigh!), had a job downtown, and my colleagues insisted one night to come to Southport for happy hour instead of the usual places downtown...namely because it was the same pour for more money downtown.

From the happy hour perspective, there is a good selection of beer.  They also have a full bar for those who don't drink beer.

I have been back since, and one time we stopped in there for lunch.  I ordered a Reuben sandwich...and although it was not bad, it was not good either.  I found the food to be quite bland based on that experience...at least the fries were edible.

I must say the bartenders and staff are quite friendly and social.

If I were to go back, I would stick to my liquid diet!