Davy K.'s Profile

To be fair to Wharo, I need to break this out into sections, and then also explain the circumstances. I'd just fasted for two days, and was waiting for My Lovely Girlfriend (tm) - [it's like My Little Pony, only taller and with a dog.] to get home. Really I wanted the Kogi bbq at Alibi Room, but she was dithering for too long and it was way too late - if you don't get in there early, it's SRO. (That's "standing room only" in theater-geek speak)

So I'm starving, and craving Korean and she says she wants steak, and Wharo is right around the corner. We'll try  it. We get the "all you can eat" special, which comes with all the usual attendant sides, as well as a green salad.

I'm totally anxious to eat. I inhaled the kimchee and whatnot, and was practically butt-dancing off the seat when the meat came out and was on the grill in the middle of the table. Screw it, bulgoki is beef, beef is good rare - I'll try it half cooked. Hey, it's not bad. I proceed to fill my belly to bulging, like an overfed goldfish.

Even so the food was only mediocre. Breaking it down - the tasting dishes beforehand were all fresh and delicious. My Lovely Girlfriend (tm) got a pear shoju martini that rocked her socks even though it didn't taste very strong. The main attraction, however, wasn't all that great - the chicken was flavorless, and the pork belly - which ought to be amazing since it's straightforward bacon, basically - was tough and had no flavor. The bulgoki was quite tolerable, but then it's sauced with an inch of being ...umm, something very saucy indeed. For some reason some little rings of calamari bloomed up out of the grill while the other stuff was cooking, and it was pretty rubbery. Like you'd expect. The other steak was forgettable and bland without marinade.

We had to ask for rice, and overall the service wasn't fantastic. Additionally, the little trays of marinades for the meats were awfully small, and went very quickly. And there was no garlic cloves to put on the grill, either!

So you know, some stuff was amazing, other stuff was only so-so. But if a man who hasn't eaten for two days can barely make a dent in the "all you can eat" special, you know it must not be something particularly special.

I probably won't go back, unless someone has a serious desire for Korean bbq.

we were walking along Avalon Ave with our totally awesome superdog, looking for a place to get a drink after taking a perilous dinghy ride from Moonstone Bay. There were oodles of drunken rednecks hollering and misbehaving everywhere, like something out of "hot chicks with douchebags" only without the hot chicks. I said, "There's no chance we're going to find a classy, quiet place to have a drink that will let us sit outside with Blink. (the dog)" And then we found a quiet, classy place that let us sit outside for a drink with Blink. I mean, not that we gave the dog a drink, we just sat with him.

I was torn whether to give this four or five stars - but I think part of how happy I was with the place was its contrast to other Avalon businesses - head and shoulders above their competition, but in mainland terms, not quite perfect.

That said - they happily let us sit with our dog (outside), which other businesses wouldn't let us do, even outside. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable about everything on the menu, and gave superb recommendations. He was also very informative about other places in the area, and enthusiastic about the green/organic credentials of C C Gallagher.

They had a fantastic beer selection, and when one of the beers we selected had a problem with the tap, our waiter recommended something similar that turned out to be fantastic. They had delicious pastries and a comprehensive wine list, too. We made the mistake of going elsewhere for dinner, since they had light fare like sandwiches and panini and the like. We should have stayed there, where the service was superb the food was excellent and they were so accomodating and helpful.

If I ever go back to Avalon - and given the Riverside-by-the-sea vibe that it has, I'm not very tempted to do so - I'll make this my first stop for drinks or meals. Or just a respite from the crowd.

I have a new goal in life now. To invent a time machine. So I can go back in time to stop myself from eating at Coyote Joe's. Failing that, I'd like a device that would magically suck all the "nutrients" that ever entered my body from this "restaurant" as well as returning my money and erasing my memory of the experience.

We have a dog, and he is a rock-star dog  - people literally stop us and ask us to take his picture. So Coyote Joe's had a patio where we could tie up the dog, who is well-behaved and, as mentioned, awesome. That's why we "ate" here. The service was terrible - slow and surly and I think the waitress was drunk. The manager kept coming out and saying mean things about our dog - he was a mustachioed asshole. I hate him. I want to punch his stupid mustachioed face.

The food was devastatingly overpriced, and terrible. I had a carne asada burrito that was more like beef jerky or a slim jim than carne asada - it was shrivelled, hard and dry. And the margarita I had shouldn't have been called a margarita - it was literally a little bit of cheap tequila in a glass of water with some lime squeezed in. I didn't detect ANY sour mix or gran marnier. It was fucking awful. The worst margarita I have ever had. I mean, I've had margaritas out of the bottle of pre-mixed stuff at the supermarket that were infinitely better than this "margarita".

Throw in the drunken Riverside rednecks that were in constant shouting matches right in front of the patio - this was the worst meal I've had in a restaurant in many a long year. I hated it, I will never go back, and I will actively campaign to make sure everyone is spared the experience of eating here. Awful - avoid.

Can I give it zero stars? Negative stars? Negative stars would be great, to take away the stars any other reviewers gave this place. I hate it so much.

I've heard legends. Legends of things like Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness Monster, or of Kogi BBQ tacos. Apparently Kogi is nearly as elusive as the first two, because it's this magical truck that appears Brigadoon-like around LA, and then people wait for four hours to eat the food. They wait that long because they think it's worth it. (They might not be wrong.)

So imagine a tiny neighborhood bar, where you walk in and there's a big central bar, a few tables on the outskirts, and Bigfoot and Nessie are just sitting there, waiting for you! Can you imagine?

Well imagine no more, because that bar doesn't exist. But the Alibi Room does have Kogi BBQ on the menu. Any time you want! It is tiny and fills up fast, so go early or go off hours. But the three taco combo is amazing (of the three the Korean short ribs are the best) and the Kimchee fries are mouth-wateringly bad for you. Add in the scrumptious sliders and wicked fast service...and who cares that the place is packed with douchebags and the bartenders are surly?

I'm not the kind of guy that hangs out in bars or clubs. I'm kind of an overweight nerd-troglodyte ...but really good food will get me out of the house, and the Alibi Room was totally worth missing a night of leveling my Night Elf Druid in World of Warcraft. I bet they even have it to go!

P.S. They knew I didn't belong - when you order they give you a stand with a playing card on it. All my coworkers got kings, queens, aces and whatnot. I got a lousy face card. I ate in silent shame. Silent, happy, ecstatic, delicious shame.

I like monkeys. It turns out that real monkeys are really cool, but also kind of scary. But I like cartoon monkeys even better, because they have all the attributes of real monkeys that are funny, but without so much of the freaky strength, vicious fangs and poo-flinging. I picture cartoon monkeys as sitting in a palm tree, eating cocunuts - or if they're particularly anthropomorphic monkeys, wearing sunglasses and drinking a drink with a little umbrella and eating coconut-related cuisine. This imaginary coconut-related cuisine that imaginary monkeys eat, is, in my imagination, incredibly delicious and that's what makes the monkeys so happy-go-lucky.

The Jerk Shack has my imaginary coconut-related cuisine, but for reals. And it's just that delicious, so delicious, I feel like a cartoon monkey. I had the coconut curry chicken plate. It came with a generous portion of tender, slow-cooked chicken on a banana leaf, covered with the most succulent, lovely, savory, coconutty curry sauce imaginable. I just finished eating it, and my mouth is still watering thinking about it. It also comes with rice and steamed veggies - the veggies need a little salt, but that just means they're crazy-healthy as they are, you can always make 'em less healthy to suit your taste. I put the rice into the curry sauce after I ate the chicken to soak up the last of it's monkey-pleasing perfection, and it was delicious.

The decor is simple, fast-foody and island-shack-esque. The service was very fast, but then, they weren't very busy.  They do catering too, at a reasonable price. They also offer Jamaican beverages like ginger beer, which if you haven't had, it's like a smart hottie in a sexy dress; spicy, sweet, and very refreshing.

They offer traditional Jamaican jerked meats, too, chicken, pork, shrimp, burgers - and a bevvy of Jamaican or island-related sides like yucca, sweet potato, fried plantains, and lots of others. I look forward to trying them all - I swear just a bowl with some rice, veggies and coconut curry sauce would be amazing, it ought to be on the menu. The price was on the high side of reasonable, but well worth it given my newfound spiritual kinship with imaginary monkeys. I will be back.

I used to go to another comic book store in Santa Monica, but I decided I wasn't going to go back when I pulled up the day Captain America came back from the dead (My favorite super-hero) and rather than let me buy the comic, they closed the door and locked it just as I was putting my mitts on the handle. I showed up to give them money and they said, "No thanks!"

So I've been looking for a good neighborhood comic store. I spend more money than I should on comics, but ...and I hate to say this, I get hooked on the stories. I can take a minor detour on my way home from work to get to Dream World, so I gave them a try.

Best.Comic.Store.Ever.

First of all, they've got a lot of stock - trades, new releases, old stuff, indies, you name it. Collectibles by the ton! Also, the Bat Cave in the back is truly awesome - a real cave-like space full of Bat Collectibles. I'm not a Bat Fancier, but I still this this was super impressive.

But more than anything - I asked a few questions about the most recent Marvel events, and Oscar, the owner/manager/expert walked around pulling all the titles for the Secret Invasion plot line, told me what order to read them in - and then piled on a bunch of freebies on top of that - I mean a BUNCH just to get me caught up on the Dark Reign story. Because it's a great story and he's enthusiastic about it, and he knew if I got hooked, I'd come back and buy the rest.

And you know what? He's totally right - with a few freebies and an enthusiastic answer, he got himself a loyal customer. I'm starting my pull list next time I go in.

This is how a comic book store ought to be - the staff loves comics, and wants you to read them!

Bagpipe music. That's what oysters-on-the-half-shell is like. You either love it or hate it, but you never don't have an opinion at all. Me, I love 'em. Actually, pretty much anything that can be compared to bagpipe music I fall on the "love" side too - that might be a sign that I'm just perverse by nature, but I prefer to think of it as "adventurous". (My girlfriend said I'm adventurous like a Hobbit is adventurous... fair enough! Five square meals a day and a pipe and ale by the fire sounds pretty good to me!)

So anyway, the thing about raw oysters is that you're eating something uncooked and fundamentally kinda slimy (though GOOD slimy!) A good oyster is really good - but a bad oyster is REALLY bad. (Again, like bagpipe music.) Dan & Louis, then, delivers really good oysters. We had a dozen mixed oysters that came with a little chart of which kind were which - and of the lot, only one of them was particularly briny. The rest were firm, succulent, super fresh and really delicious. The horseradish was nice and fresh, too, so it had some kick - with a little pinch of that and some lemon, amazing!

The bar carries a variety of locally brewed and great beers. The wine list or Oregon-centric and reasonably priced; we split a bottle of pinot gris that was light and zesty, a good counterpoint to the oysters. We filled in the cracks with a cup of oyster stew and salmon bisque; both were excellent but the salmon was really creamy, savory and flavorful. The oyster stew may be the family's famous recipe, but I much preferred the salmon.

The interior is like a ship's hull, which I personally loved - and had plates and pictures from the vessels that make up the tapestry of Portland shipping. The restaurant is family-owned for several generations, and the cozy menu and friendly service reflect that.

We came in after poking around the Saturday Market which is just a short block away - it was the perfect afternoon snack. All this and the prices were reasonable, I really don't have a criticism to make. Their commitment to local and fresh shine through in their simple, delicious food.

I was touring Oregon wine country with a lovely lady, and we searched around for a good place to have a somewhat fancy meal. We were staying in Newberg, but found Tina's in Dundee. They took us without reservations with no problem.

The owner and chef is a big proponent of buying from local farms and farmers. He prepares his limited but very fresh menu based on what's available locally and at the moment. As a result the ingredients are beautiful - what Gordon Ramsay would surely call "fresh and vibrant local produce".

The food made with  these top notch ingredients is also amazing. I had a roasted duck that was absolutely amazing. There were braised fresh greens with tiny green peppercorns in them that absolutely popped with flavor. I mean, flavor shot out of this stuff like crazy comes out of Glenn Beck. And it too made me cry, just a little.  I wasn't as enthusiastic about the caramelized onion risotto that accompanied, but it was excellent...just not to my taste.

Tina's pairs their local foods with local wines, too - and in the middle of Oregon wine country that gives them a great cellar to choose from. They're knowledgeable and enthusiastic about local wines. Service was informal and a little slow, but only because it's clearly a family-run business - they were friendly and helpful, just a little overwhelmed.

I left replete, educated about local wines and produce, and very, very satisfied.

My girlfriend, like a lot of girlfriends, is crazy for all things organic. If it's something that you eat, drink, wear, slather on you, feed to animals or... well use in any substantial way, it has to be organic.

Me, I like it fried and delicious, and who cares where it comes from. So imagine a sort of promised land where there's things that are fried and delicious, and yet completely organic and locally grown. This fabled land could bring peace between the sexes, as well as leaving them sated and well-nourished!

Burgerville provides at fast-food speed and prices, delicious, locally grown organic foods. Their burgers taste incredibly fresh, their shakes are made with real fruit (when it's the kind with fruit) and they have all sorts of great sides, that change seasonally. Like right now they've got fried asparagus spears (served with kickass garlic ailoli sauce). You eat at Burgerville, and you're getting something that was either walking around or poking out of the dirt  very recently. Contrast that with your average chain fastfood joint, and whatever you're stuffing in your piehole is probably mostly chemical, and last drew breath (or respirated C02) back in the 'Nam.

I wish Burgerville was in Southern California. Amazing, delicious, fast, cheap, organic, locally grown, seasonal. Even the ladies behind the counter were sassy, and told me not to order one thing because I could just order another, get what I wanted, and pay less.

Jersey Mike's is a fugazi. I mean, that's what you get when you want a PHILADELPHIA cheese-steak from a guy from New Jersey.

Lemme tell you what makes a real Philly cheese steak - the steak has to be real chopped sirloin, and not frozen steak-umms like they use at Jersey Mike's. The onions are sliced and chopped and sauteed on the grill for a long time, left in a bed on the grill to stay warm. Then, you take the meat, put it on the grill and add a little oil to get it goin'. When the meat's almost done, you mix in the slow-sauteed onions and put a little water on the grill, then put on the cheese - the steam from the water mixes with the meat and onions and melts the cheese. Then you put it on a long Italian roll (preferably Amoroso). The roll should be sliced but not in half - just parted like a hot dog bun.

Jersey Mike's uses frozen steak in slabs, available in your supermarket as "Steak-Umms" - then they put that on the grill, and put raw white-onion rings (not chopped) right on top of the meat. The onions don't get thoroughly cooked, and certainly don't caramelize. Then, without even chopping up the onions or the faux-steak slices, they just throw the cheese on top.  They also slice the roll completely in half. This is ALL WRONG.

The problem is, this is pretty much how every alleged "Philadelphia cheese steak" is done on the West Coast. My uncle told me Jersey Mike's was really good, but clearly despite having come from the Philadelphia area in his youth, he is deranged, because Jersey Mike's is to a real Philadelphia cheesesteak what Glass Joe is to Rocky Balboa - completely fake, fugazi B.S.

You want a real cheese-steak? Tough, you're not going to find one in LA. Stick with Pat's King of Steaks, or if you're in the secret know about Philly, maybe you understand the glory of Tony Luke's. But in LA? You can't get a real cheese-steak, and sure as heck not from Jersey  Fugazi Mike.