Jenn M.'s Profile

This place is what my mom would call "NG."  It's just not good.  Believe me, it pains me to say so, because for whatever reason I was really hoping to like it.  I wanted it to be the odd little place we discovered that no one else knows about.  The decor is really funky, with awesomely weird murals of disproportionately painted Mexican scenes and a strange 1970's stained glass style light fixture that brings back some sort of random memory for me.

B ordered ceviche.  He is a brave soul.  He said he was in the mood for it, and was happy to see it on the menu.  I leaned over the table and questioned him quietly about whether it was a good idea in that particular restaurant, but he wanted to try.  Uh... yuck.  It showed up in a much bigger bowl than either of us expected, in a lot of watery broth, with a few packages of stale saltine crackers and the fish was fishy tasting.  I don't have a cat, but I would imagine if I did, he'd most likely have loved it.  We are not cats.  Lesson learned.

The lady who served us was very sweet, and very concerned that the ceviche was returned to her almost exactly the same way it was brought to us.  She told us it would be better the next day if we took it home but I don't think she's right about that.  I didn't have the heart to complain about it or tell her what we really thought.

Dinner was extremely mediocre.  I didn't find the salsa very interesting or spicy, and the guy in charge of the chips brought us more after the first basket but no extra salsa, and then we never saw him again.  It's just no fun to eat chips without salsa.  I ordered a Mexican pizza, mostly because I rarely see that on menus other than Taco Bell's, and it was just OK.  They were generous with the cheese, but also with the meat and there was just a ton of ground beef piled on.  There's no way one person should eat the whole thing, which reached all the way to the edges of the plate, even if they could (and I couldn't get through half).  B got a combination plate of some sort, and it was much the same as you see at just about every Mexican restaurant.  He said his tamale was not bad but the taco was not good.  So there you have it.

I give Casa Gamino two stars because it wasn't completely horrifying (as long as you stick to the basics) but it wasn't anything to tell your friends about either.  The ceviche I count as our fault.  It was not the place for that sort of thing.  Considering that this is southern California, there are just too many other, better choices for Mexican fare.

I (and several of my vegan & vegetarian friends) are fans of Magic Lamp.  It is cozy inside, and has a patio outside for nice weather, people watching or both.  The first time I ever went was right after a tattoo when I didn't even know what the hell I wanted (just FOOD NOW) and it was great; I felt much better afterwards.

The servers are friendly and helpful when it comes to finding a wine to try.  I have liked everything they have helped me pick out.  Once my friend M and I got into a discussion about stuffed grape leaves (which neither of us are into) and the server actually brought us a few of theirs just to try.  I have to admit... although he didn't get me to change my mind about them overall, those were the best stuffed grape leaves I've ever had.

Seems like just about everyone likes the Cheese Borak appetizer, but I think it's just OK.  The garlic fries are really good and really garlicky if you are in the mood for that.  I have not actually tried any of the meat main course dishes, because it became "our place" for me and my best vegetarian friend and we always shared food.  That's one of the great things about Lebanese food, if you ask me -- easy to share with your friends.  We always get the vegetarian combo plate, with extra falafel substituted for the grape leaves.  Their falafel is really awesome.

I really like this restaurant and it achieves the rare distinction of making me feel almost like someone's mom is in the kitchen cooking the REAL THING, whatever that might be.  It is a good choice for vegetarians and non-vegetarians to eat together, because they are so many choices besides salad for the veggie heads.  But as other people have already noted, there isn't a lot of room for big groups.

B and I went to L'Opera for my birthday last weekend and it was delicious as usual.  We have been there several times before and always enjoy ourselves.  I think what I like about it the most is that the atmosphere is really nice but it doesn't feel stuffy or pretentious and I am very comfortable sitting in there for a couple of hours to enjoy a good meal.  I like to dress accordingly, but I did see someone else in jeans so the ambiance is definitely not formal.

First, their wine selection is great.  The wine "list" is actually a full-blown BOOK and they have everything from wines by the glass, up to the last bottle of some foo foo fancy stuff I've never heard of that will set you back $850.  B and I usually get a bottle and then promptly forget the name of it, whether we decided that we like it or not.  We also appreciate a yummy port and they had several on the dessert menu to choose from.

This time we had the cheese platter appetizer and had fun trying all the different combinations of flavors.  It looked small at first, but we felt it ended up being a perfect size for an appetizer for two.  I personally don't want to fill up on that kind of stuff before I even see my entree.  The fig preserves were so good with the cheeses and our server was kind (and knowledgable) enough to explain what quince paste was when B asked her.  We have also had the bruschetta and the prosciutto appetizers in the past and liked them.  B and I both had the Degli Innamorati salad with balsamic and strawberries and I thought the portion was very generous for a salad.  I ended up purposely leaving some on the plate so I'd still have room left for dinner.

I find it hard to branch out from the Cappellacci de Zucca because it is SO GOOD, and if I think about it enough I can almost taste it right now.  We tend to stick to the pasta dishes instead of the heavy duty meat but I did look at the descriptions and the Filetto al Caffe or the Osso Bucco with the gold flakes definitely sound luxurious.  B had the Ravioli al Tartufo and we both really liked that as well.  He tried to act like he wasn't jealous of my Cappellacci but I doubt that highly.

I am slightly put off by the overly creative descriptions on some of the menu items and didn't find it that cute to read about some food item being intoxicated and blueberries hiccuping... but whatever.  Overall, it seems to me like they take their food seriously, but not TOO seriously, much like myself!  I definitely appreciate that.  We will be back.

I (somewhat) affectionately refer to this place as "The Goat Bootie Bar."  Partially that's because I can't ever seem to remember the actual name and partially because I secretly think that's what it should really be called.  The word "bootie" just needs to be in there somewhere, for various reasons.  The smell, the crowd and the general ambiance are the first three things that come to mind.

It's a dive bar, OK?  You're going to have to hover over the toilet, with your purse around your neck and hold your breath at the same time, and most surfaces you touch are probably going to be sticky.  There are girls in icky clubwear and people smoke in there.  These are all givens.  It's not a good idea to expect a whole lot.  You don't go to Coco's and order the filet mignon, do you?  But somehow, the Goat is more of a dive bar in the "ewww" sense than in the kitschy cute sense, if you know what I mean.

They have a lot of different beers on tap, I'll give them that.  Too bad I can't stand beer, but even I noticed this.  They also have a few different kinds of cider and all sorts of other trouble in the form of heavy handed shots.  You have to clamor for attention at the bar and hold your money out where the bartender can see it, but if they do, they will come back to you.  There's also someone constantly roaming around picking up glasses so they are not stacking up everywhere.  Early in the night it's easy to get a seat because there are lots of tables, but you and your friends can't all get up at once when the place really gets going, or they'll definitely be taken.  I've been to the Goat three or four times, and they never seem to be really dead in there.  Maybe on Christmas.

I had a hangover the next morning for sure, and I guess for a dive bar that's a rousing recommendation.  But overall, the Goat kind of makes me feel like I'm in college again, and not in a good way.

Cost Plus is sooooo fun, especially for buying presents (so... y'know, if no one is having a birthday you can just get something for yourself!).

B and I are both big fans of candy from other places that you can't usually get in the US, so until Nutella became more mainstream, we were excited we could find it here.  They have Cadbury candies that we only see in Canada, Italian marzipan and Japanese stuff like Pocky.  Also Cost Plus carries interesting spices and kitchen gadgets I don't normally find in "regular" grocery stores, so I can finally cook some of the food I've been waiting to try in my more exotic cookbooks.  They also have GREAT decorations and supplies for the holidays.  I usually buy most of my Xmas wrapping paper here because it's more interesting and "arty" than the crappy stuff covered with candy canes you can find everywhere else.

The wine selection is also really interesting, and if you need to ask for help, there is usually someone working who can help you figure out exactly what you want.  There's sake, champagne, fancy beer and even framboise.  Whenever I need a gift for someone and I'm not sure what to buy for them, I can usually find something unique and interesting at Cost Plus.  They even have the cards and wrapping paper.  Basically, Cost Plus has a wider variety of stuff and far less candles than Pier 1 Imports.

If you are willing to let them e-mail you, it it worth it to sign up for their mailing list at checkout, because they do send worthwhile coupons occasionally.  I got myself a really nice bookcase for 20% off with an e-mail coupon that made a significant difference in the price.

It's true that certain things can be found for less in other places, but I think what you're paying for is the convenience factor, for them putting all these things in one quick stop down the street.  Sure, I can get Pocky in Chinatown for less, or probably find similar dishes and and pillows, but time spent on a hunt or a drive would be required.

B and I had dinner here last weekend and it was a good experience overall.  We sat in the patio area outside on a foggy evening, but it is heated which is nice.  You are right on the boardwalk, mere feet from the sand, so there is a good view of the water (when there is no fog of course).

The crowd is very mixed.  Some people go there just for drinks and you can tell.  There are a few TVs outside with the game on... whatever game that might have been... so there were a few random whoops and hollers, but we didn't really care.  There was also a pack of high school students in formalwear for homecoming, so it's pretty much everything goes from jeans to bow ties.  It's probably quieter inside but we prefer the more casual area.

The drinks are pretty good, although the ones featured on the menu seemed a little pricey to me.  B and I both had the mango martini, which was well mixed (not too sweet) and it was strong enough to justify the price tag.  We brought a friend here one other time on a weekend day for appetizers and drinks, and I remember that they were also pretty heavy handed with my bloody mary that day too.  I was definitely OK with that.

We got some sort of spicy shrimp appetizer which came with a pile of tortilla chips but no salsa, only a bit of chopped tomatoes, peppers and mangoes in with the shrimp... so we weren't really sure what to do with them.  Although we did agree that the flavor of the shrimp went nicely with the chips, it was a little dry to eat them by themselves and a sauce or little dish of salsa would have helped.

Our waiter was friendly and attentive and visited us often, plus they have someone else to deal with the water and such, so you are never wanting.  I thought the service was very good.

The menu is mostly fish, with a few enchilada and taco choices, a few meat dishes and burgers.  I considered the seafood enchiladas because I liked all of the ingredients, but I wasn't sure how they would taste together and wasn't brave enough to find out that day.  Instead I got pineapple pork and I did like it.  The pineapple was grilled and the pork was cooked well enough, without much fat left on it.  The portion was pretty huge with rice and black beans too, but the rice was so plain I skipped it after one bite.  The beans were spicy and excellent (probably my favorite part) but they were also fused to the plate, which was FIRE hot when they brought it to me, so I'm guessing my meal did sit under the lamps for several minutes.  Brian had lobster which was lukewarm when he got it, so I'm not sure what happened with the timing in the kitchen.  He also felt slightly cheated because they made a big deal about the poundage of his lobster tails on the menu, but when he got his food, it was basically a plate with the entire lobster sliced lengthwise, including the head and claws which contributed to what they advertised as the weight of the tails.  I tried it, but may be the only woman on the planet who just doesn't understand the allure of lobster and would prefer crab any day.  B thought it was good but I don't think he was freaking out over it either.

We will probably go there again, although I think we would be quicker to suggest it to friends for appetizers and drinks, rather than a full fledged dinner.

I love Boba House.  It's a funky little shop with pretty much nothing but boba and a weird little counter selling random junky stuff like car air fresheners.  I think that's a good thing, just trying to do one thing really well instead of having a whole bunch of stuff that's just OK.

The list on the wall of all the different kinds of boba drinks you can get is crazy.  They have probably 20 different flavors of tea, several blended choices and many other things I've never even heard of, like "hot grass jelly."  I am excited that it will take me a while to try everything that interests me.

I love the psychedelic purple taro boba so much it's almost hard for me to branch out into other things, but the almond milk tea is also great.  Their prices are also really good compared to other boba joints I've been to.  Two drinks will cost you around $5 instead of $10 (listen up, Cha!).  I dig this place and thought it deserved another review.

In one word?  Yucky.

B and I went to Outback on a sorely misguided protein kick.  If that ever happens to me again, I'll eat a block of cold, unseasoned tofu before I willingly set foot in this place.  Our trip to this restaurant inspired me to write a hostile and ranty note about it on facebook (and that is not a good thing).  I think I used bad words.

The salad was completely drenched in so much dressing it couldn't possibly have had any remaining nutritional value.  I ordered prime rib.  I admittedly don't know everything about steak, but it has the word "prime" in it for pete's sake.  The next time I saw our server, I asked her "Is is supposed to look like this?"  She sort of mumbled something, but basically told me yes.  B didn't understand the depth of my horror until I picked up the dish of au jus so he could see the giant knuckle of fat that I'll guess the kitchen was trying to hide under it.  His "ohmygod!" was loud enough to pique the interest of the diners at the table next to us.  This image seared into my memory still kind of gives me the shivers.  Almost enough to turn you vegetarian, seriously.  Oh and the veggies?  Mushy.  Cafeteria.

In all fairness, however, I will say that the manager attempted to help the meat situation and I did appreciate that.  I didn't even call the man to the table so my disgust must truly have been palpable.  Of his own accord, he credited my gnarly prime rib dinner and brought me a much less scary filet.  Unfortunately, I asked for it cooked medium and it was more like rare so I still wasn't enjoying my food.  I was afraid I might actually have felt compelled to eat more of it if I insisted on sending that one back too.  At that point, there was just no saving the meal and it was time to flee.

In my mind, there are two breeds of sushi.  There's authentic sushi, and there's designer sushi.  Some might say if you only like authentic sushi, it's "boring" food and you are a sushi snob (to which I roll my eyes).  Or if you only like designer sushi, you don't appreciate the real thing (I wouldn't go that far either).  I think there is a time and place for authentic and for designer.

This place serves the latter.  There's nothing really wrong with that.  It doesn't make me want to jump up and down either.  I'd give Ra a virtual shrug, really.  First I thought... have I teleported to Vegas?  It feels like Vegas.  I was looking for the dance floor because the vibe is definitely CLUB.  The place is dark, the music is loud, and there's a lot of people there to be seen, hanging out at the bar and taking photos of themselves for facebook.  I guess if you are on a blind date that might be awkward anyway, it's a good choice.  If you want to sit down and actually be able to talk to your friends without screaming across the table, you're in the wrong place.

The service is mediocre at best.  I've been to Ra twice.  The first time we couldn't find our waitress when we decided we wanted to get more food, and the second time (actually accompanied by a family member of our waitress), an item I ordered but never received was on the bill and needed to be removed.  I hate that.

I've tried several of the Signature Sushi items and a few of the appetizers.  There are no less than one appetizer and FOUR types of sushi rolls containing mango, which seems a little overplayed to me.  I think you can tell just by looking at the menu that it's not about the fish anymore, really.  The flavors are creative to say the least, and I didn't hate or send back anything I ordered.  Everything seemed fresh (although there's so much going on, it's a little hard to tell).  The fancy rolls are unique but you gotta be in the mood for that kind of stuff.  Expect lots of things drizzled with sauces and your sushi to have kiwi, cashews, beets, cream cheese, pine nuts, artichokes and mango mango mango!

It's not the kind of place I'd order sashimi, let's just put it that way.