Rennie C.'s Profile

Finally Jazz Cat has reopened. The new location is in San Gabriel, right across from the ghetto Hawaiian Supermarket. The mini hot pots are little larger now, there are more soup bases to choose from, you get more meat, and the restaurant now serves alcohol, but it's also itsy bit more expensive. What is a dollar here or there for yummy hot pot right? The restaurant itself is more spacious than the old location, they have the electric burner now versus the pink gel, and the staff is way more attentive and nice.

The fun is back but so is the long wait to get seated. If you're planning on eating at Jazz Cat, I highly suggest getting here before 7 or after 10 to avoid the line. The wait at the old restaurant was long and it's not any different at the new location. I guess if you want to eat your dessert before dinner, you can grab some frozen yogurt at the Yogurtland next door while you wait. I also don't recommend bringing the kids along. The new tables are a little high. So if you are seated in one of the booths and you're not at least 5'4 or something you might have trouble reaching your hot pot. I'm not joking.

Where is Nemo? Two huge fish tanks in the middle of the restaurant and not a Nemo in sight. I was disappointed.

I noticed Naga Naga Ramen a few weeks ago while I was driving on Valley so my friend Emily and I decided to try it out for dinner tonight. The ramen was okay. I went for the non traditional ramen and ordered the kimchi and beef ramen. I can't say I'm a fan. There was a bit of sweetness to the broth which I can't say I can appreciate. Emily went the more traditional route and ordered a beef and corn ramen? I didn't eat any of hers but I believe she said the broth was a little bland but the noodles were okay. We also ordered the Naga Naga tofu. I'm sorry to say it but this is one tofu dish that I don't care for. It was like pan fried tofu over egg with some fishy flaky stuff (I don't know what it's called) over the top. I think this dish would work a lot better with soft tofu and some sesame dressing over the top. I really do.

The restaurant itself is really clean. The service is really good which probably would earn points with the customers considering the service everywhere else on Valley is just kinda ma ma hu hu. It's a definite upgrade from when this place used to be Noodle World.

If Nemo finds his way to the fish tanks, I might come back to try the ramen again.

Some friends took me here for dinner last night. We got there right when the restaurant opened, but before all of our dishes reached the table a huge lined had formed outside. I liked the food here, but I don't know if I like them enough to wait in that long line. I normally don't like fish cake, but their fish cake with cheese was really good. A little sloppy because every time you bite into it, the cheese would leak out. The chicken wings were also really good. You can order them mild, medium, or really spicy. I guess this is one of the favorites at FuRaiBo because I notice almost every table had a dish of chicken wings. We also ordered a yakitori set. I can't say I'm a fan. I still like Torihei a lot more. The atmosphere here is very chill. The food comes out pretty quickly and they have a parking lot in the back. I would come back again.

Emily! You're so right!!! The milk tea at the Hong Kong Cafe is good, but the one they serve here is even better. The owner really nice too.

Simple, yummy, Hong Kong style food. I know this place is famous for their congee and curry, but I just didn't feel like ordering that this morning. So I opted for one of their breakfast specials. Macaroni soup and scrambled egg and ham sandwich. Sounds simple enough right? If you've ever been to the Australian Dairy Company restaurant in HK, the scrambled egg here taste just as good and fluffy just not as big. Believe no other cafe in the area makes the scrambled egg sandwich as good as theirs.

I don't know how I missed this place. It's like 2 minutes from my house. I've been missing out. I have to eat here more often to make up for the lost meals now. :)

FYI - They are closed on Mondays and at 4pm on Sunday.

4 stars because I just became a fan of their chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting and their chocolate cookie sandwich thing (I forgot what it's called). I love a good peanut butter frosting. Don't you? If a bakery can manage not to mess this up, I'm a fan. As for the ever favorite red velvet that most people love, I think I would stay away from it. The red cake looks so artificial, it's scary. Although a friend did mention that at least the cream cheese frosting on the red velvet cupcake tasted good. So maybe you can pay $3 just to eat the good frosting? Visit and try out Susie's Cakes, I doubt you wouldn't find something that you like here.

I don't know what the sandwiches, salads, or soups taste like here, but I know what the desserts taste like. Deliciously yummy awesomeness! Today I went to Susina for the first time and got a chance to taste the cheesecake, the chocolate peanut butter mousse cake, the cherry almond tart (at least I think that's what it is), and there was this other tart that I don't know the name of. The cheesecake was among one of the best cheesecake (not #1 though) that I've ever had, so fluffy with a little bit of tang in it. I loved the peanut butter frosting on the three layered chocolate mousse cake. It was light, not too sweet, and didn't stick to the top of my mouth. I don't know if you can go wrong with any of the desserts from this bakery. Next time I'm going to try out the real food. :)

Last night I ate at Torihei for the first time and I decided I'm going to give this restaurant a 4 star review, because well, there were some dishes that just didn't agree with my taste buds. I'm not a fan of the fish cake oden, but I think that's just my own problem. I've never really been a fan of fish cakes. The cartilage, fried and not fried, lacked flavor. I mean it doesn't hurt to sprinkle a little more salt (and perhaps pepper) on the dish. Just forget the pickle vegetable altogether. I don't even know why they bother. I didn't really care for the tuna sashimi either.

Now I highly recommend the the chicken thigh, torihei meatballs, grilled avocado, half hard boiled egg with smelt roe, cucumber salad, gizzard, grilled cherry tomatoes, and...crap...there were a whole of bunch of other good stuff we ate that I can't remember the names of. The meatballs were very juicy and soft, although, it was kinda weird that it felt like the whole thing was going to fall apart when you bite into it. The awesome thing about this place is that it is fairly cheap and affordable, but at the same time they are also very generous with the proportions. After eating the yakitori here I felt like I've been ripped off by all the other yakitori places that I have been to. I will definitely be coming back here again.

The Cool Spot used be that little place that served the best (and cheapest) Taiwanese shaved ice next to the Sam Woo BBQ restaurant at Focus Plaza (or is it called President Square?). The place is more modern and cute now, but the shaved ice is the same yummy goodness (that's what the four stars is for). Unfortunately, it was not as cheap as it used to be. My friend and I order actual food here too today and it was not bad. Tasted like a regular home cooked meal. We ordered eel on rice and the pickled vegetable with steamed beef. Tasted okay, nothing to complain about. I don't know what her boba milk tea taste like, but my iced longan green tea was perfect. It came in a huge glass cup too. If I wasn't so full I probably would've finished the whole thing. We also decided to try the rose wine rice balls. Meh. I'm not a fan. The fillings were bleh.  The skin was too thick and not soft enough. I prefer the ones from the Duck House.

Overall, I think this is an okay place for a quick bite or to hang out. :)

The Duck House opened last year (or was it earlier this year) in my neighborhood and I can't believe I waited so long to finally eat there. Why? Because the empty parking lot was very inviting. Lately though I always see a full lot and a bunch of people waiting outside. I thought the other day, I should go checked this place out and guess what? My aunt had her birthday dinner here this Saturday.

The restaurant is best known for its Peking duck. If someone ask me if this place is authentic, I would say no. I've had the authentic stuff too many times in Asia and this isn't it. But you know what? The duck is really good. They duck skin is really crispy and they actually give you the flat Chinese tortilla looking skin to wrap it in. Then they use the duck bones, tofu, and cabbage to make a yummy broth. When you're done with the soup, they give one free refill.

We also ordered the deep fried boneless rod cod fish with sweet and sour sauce, stirred fried konnyaku, scallop and shrimp with sweet corn and bell pepper, deep fried mashed tofu ball with shrimp filling, Chinese yam salad, and some other dishes.

The nice thing about this place is that it is not loud and rowdy even when the restaurant is full. The food comes out pretty quickly and the staff is quite attentive. The decor is quite modern and comfortable compared to other Chinese restaurants. I'll be coming back here again very soon.

If you're looking for the greasy stir fried Chinese food that comes out in big portions for under $10 a plate, this isn't the place. This is one of the more expensive Chinese restaurant in town. If you're looking for cheap Chinese food, I suggest you head across the street to NBC.

Don't expect any type of service here whatsoever.  It is strictly karaoke and nothing else. The four stars is for their wide and updated selection of songs and their easy navigation for the Chinese illiterate (yes I am talking about you Wendy). The sound system was pretty decent too.

Aside from the selection of songs, this place is kind of a disappointment. When you press the service button on the remote, you get nothing. You practically have to jump up and down at the front desk to get someone to acknowledge you to take your drink order. I just think it's wrong that they keep your ID until you leave. What if they lose it? Geez.  The room was kinda small and the couches were uncomfortable. I so should have taken a look at their website and requested one of themed rooms. I guess I can't complain since they are only charging $20/hour.

I will be back. :)