Efrain "shweet!" g.'s Profile

I've been to Simplethings twice now, and I've tasted a smattering of their mini pies, and I've had a basic sandwich and tomato soup. I liked my in-house dining experience. A lot of clean lines, friendly service, decent food.

The pies, however, have not wow'd me. The flavors of the blueberry and the chocolate cream were okay, but not better than an average Coco's pie. I also didn't like that the pies on the crusts were a bit gummy.

I want to like this place more than I've experienced so far, but for now, it's just a-okay to me.

They have cutesy just-above-grocery-store mass-produced cupcakes. Yes, I'm harsh when it comes to cupcakes and pastries from franchise shops that don't usually make everything on-site.

The cupcakes are too sweet and too pricey in general. And a few of their other items are just okay. I think they're trendy or touristy or something, because there's no reason they should be so popular.

Yes, I do believe I make better cupcakes.

So, overall = meh. I've experienced better.

Why did it take me so long to review Extraordinary Desserts? This place is awesome. Inspirational. Cool. Delicious. Extraordinary.

My friend took me and my brother one night, and as we walked in, I might have fell in love with the place. A bit of outdoor seating, a scrumptiously beautiful pastry display case full of cakes and treats lusciously decorated with fresh flowers. I think that's what did me in - the fresh floral arrangements all over the place. But not just that, it was the fact that the place didn't feel extremely 'girly' (ie Pastries & Petals in Carmel, CA). It's a gender-neutral place where you don't feel like you have to have tea parties.

Its glorious desserts are contrasted with dark colours/framing throughout the place. Clean lines and such help give that cool ambience, where you can relax and have an intimate conversation with friends or dates. We noticed that the place doesn't easily lend itself to 'studying' or 'laptopping' which is a good thing in this case. It's more for conversation, hanging out, sipping drinks and having treats.

Oh yes, this place would be an awesome finisher for a date. None of that garbagey club or bar scene - go to a dessert bar.

Oh! I'm pretty sure we had chocolate croissant bread pudding - what the what! Delicious. We had a couple other things and coffee, but I forgot what they were. But they were definitely extraordinary :)

This place is definitely on my list of inspirations for my own dessert lounge someday, and next time I'm in San Diego, I'm coming for you, Extraordinary Desserts!

Came in with a super rush job needed (my sister's wedding, and i needed to trim my suit pants and shirt). The lady here at Alteration Express quickly measured my pants and shirt (while I had it on). And had it ready for me in about an hour. And it cost about $45.

Her service as efficient, quick, and without any problems. The shirt and pants fit lovely. I know where I'm going next time I need alterations!

I've been here several times now and I love to recommend it. The food is good. The people are friendly, and it's a cool little spot to hang out.

I'm not going to talk about 'authenticity' here because that' ridiculous. This food is - for lack of a better word - Mexican. And it's delicious. I always get the asada (beef) burrito 'wet' style with red sauce and guacamole. It's like a giant 'enchurrito'. The salsa bar has some tasty and spicy offerings, and they have some horchata and jamaica (albeit fountain).

Inside, there's a big mural wall of Mexican/Latino pop culture icons (mostly from cinema), like Tin Tan to Maria Felix. The whole place is kinda 'naco' chic. No time to explain. Look it up :D

It seems like it's an oft-overlooked spot, more than likely because Joan's On Third is just a few doors down, but Mama's Secret is worth frequenting.

I pass this place a lot on my way or when I'm in that area of 3rd Street and I finally tried it a few weeks ago. I loved it!

The menu has a mediterranean or Turkish vibe, but the place itself is a sit-down cafe with a walk-up coffee counter and art space. It's a really cool place. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the food was great! I had the french toast plate and I tried the Turkish coffee. Next time I'll go for the serpme breakfast - I saw it go to a few tables and it looked like my kinda gig.

I'm very happy I finally stopped at Mama's Secret and I highly recommend it. It's got a low-key, comfortable, and relaxed environment, and you can even walk in and order a coffee and pastry to go. Oh, and the prices are reasonable. Try it!

Short Order's little buddy Short Cake (Single Origin) is a cool coffee spot with quality pastries in the Grove's Flea... er... Farmer's Market (I'm not a big fan of the FM).

I liked that there were a bunch of guys behind the counter, serving with a smile, trying to be helpful. Although they all seemed to have beards and wearing plaid, they weren't super-hipster (thank gawd) or snobby. The cashier, unfortunately, didn't seem to actually know much about espresso or coffee when I asked questions about the menu. That was a bit disappointing because he ended up just reading the menu back to me.  Anyway, no huge deal....

I really enjoyed the Salted Caramel Latte, it didn't taste 'trendy' or too sweet. A nice, round taste. Their Vanilla Latte also had a round subtle taste. I liked that the drinks weren't reliant on sugar or too much flavourings. I've also tried their 'chickory' iced coffee (forgot the name), and it's a pretty good 'earthy' drink with a bit of brown sugar(?).

I've sampled several of their pastries so far and I've been pleased. The two that stand out in my mind at the moment are the Breakfast Cereal Cookie (yum!) and their Tcho Chocolate Chunk Cookie (yum lite! couple points off for having gobs of chocolate chunks that overpowered the cookie).

If ever I want some good coffee and a decent pastry (don't get me started on the bakeries in the Farmer's Market) while at the Grove, I know where to go :)

I have been to The Waffle several times since my first review, and I have to up my rating to 4 stars. I like going The Waffle, and I enjoy the food. I usually get the Waffle Breakfast Sandwich with those scrumptious waffle fries!

And it may not be a 'fancy' joint, but if visiting folks want to see Hollywood, this is a good spot to stop for breakfast / brunch.

I really like Forage. It's like a locally-foraged comfort food joint for hipsters, but welcomes everyone. They have things like mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, potato salad, beef, chicken, and yes, vegan/vegetarian options -- all delicious.

You walk in and pick what you want (combo deals or a la carte) from the luscious display of foods and desserts(!) on platters. They serve you hefty portions, so plates are shareable, in my opinion. They also have daily special juice/tea/fruit/whatever drinks ("aqua frescas"). Try them. They also have some pretty darn delicious sandwiches too (avocado something was radical).  

It's also great to see some smiling faces behind the counter; I've always experienced pleasant service at Forage. Behind them you can see the handwritten menu and the local sources from which the food is foraged. Oh, and the menu changes so you can always try new things!

Their seating is limited: inside they have a long and narrow (cramped?) hallway (that ends near the restroom), with communal style tables; outside there are usually a few small tables. But I've seen both individuals and bigger families come in and sit without trouble (including Tobey Maguire and his fam a couple of weeks ago).

I want to give Forage more credit, but there's one thing that's semi-bummerish - the food temperature. The food is never piping hot, or actually hot for that matter. The food is freshly cooked, but because the dishes sit in the open with what seems like no heating sources, the food is just warm.

It's also a bit pricey, but I would say it's worth it because of the high-quality, local food.

Go Forage!

India's Tandoori on Wilshire is right down the street from where I live. I absolutely love Indian food, so one could safely assume I walk down the street frequently. Sadly, no*.

India's Tandoori is just 'okay'. But don't let that scare you. I've never had bad food or bad service (although there was a time, while I was dining there, two of the employees were quite publicly arguing and seemingly insulting each other for a long time.).  The staff is generally pleasant and the food is at a decent price.

I tend to get their dinner/lunch combo plate thingies (don't remember the name), and it comes with the main dish and various sides and such. However, I think it comes with too much bland side, and very little main. And for some reason, when I think of India's Tandoori, all I can think of is "peas". What's with the boatload of peas in my food?

Anyway, it's not bad if you're in the area and you're okay with 'okay' Indian food. They deliver too.

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* I heavily frequent Crown of India on Santa Monica/Highland.