Versailles Cuban Restaurant
1000 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-937-6829
http://www.versaillescuban.com/
Plenty of free parking behind the restaurant.
They have 4 other locations in the Southland - see their website for details.
Casual nice. Large dining room. Full bar.
Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: March 2010
This is the standard by which I compare other Cuban restaurants. It may not be fair, and not everyone will agree, but I just love the mojo de ajo. When you walk in the restaurant, you can just smell the garlic permeating everything, and it's heavenly. It seems that no other Cuban restaurant hits the same mark.
Here are our favorites:
#1: Lechon Asado, Cuban Style Roast Pork ($10.95): the meat is tender and shredded, and covered in mojo de ajo. The plate comes with plenty of rice (and black beans, if desired) plus a generous portion of plantains (maduros). Always enough for leftovers.
#2: Masitas de Puerco Fritas, Fried Chunks of Pork ($10.95): oh man, is this good. The chunks of meat are fork-tender, and the slight marbling of fat is fried beautifully. Comes with rice and beans or moros, and raw onions on top. I always order my onions cooked, and that makes the dish more heavenly. I also order tostones instead of plantains, and they go great with the mojo de ajo.
#6: Famoso Pollo Versailles, Versailles Famous Garlic Chicken ($10.95): this is a large half a chicken with amazingly roasted skin and very tender meat. Comes with rice/beans, plenty of raw onions, and plantains. While there is mojo de ajo on the meat, we usually order an extra cup of sauce because the rice comes on the side in this dish and the Lechon.
#14: Rabo Encendido, Oxtail Stew ($14.95): this is a Creole-based red stew with amazingly melty and succulent oxtails. The richness of the meat and richness of the gravy are outstanding. Goes very well with white rice and tostones.
I'm sure they have plenty of other tasty items on the menu, but these really take the cake.
I've also been to the Culver City and LA locations, and they are just as fabulous. The Manhattan restaurant is a little larger, and less prone to being too crowded whereas at the other locations, you might have to wait for a table on Friday or Saturday nights.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
La Creperie, Chicago, IL
La Creperie
2845 N. Clark, Chicago, IL 60657
773-528-9050
http://www.lacreperieusa.com/index.html
Near the Clark/Diversey/Broadway split
Casual nice. Dining room broken up in to several separate areas. Outdoor seating when the weather is nice.
Visited: many times over the years
I just love this little place! I first came here for a Peace Corps gathering, and have been coming back ever since.
If they are offering the prix fixe menu, do it; it is definitely the way to go. My favorite combination: start with the vichysoisse, then have the boeuf bourguignon entree crêpe, and crêpe with fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
The entree crêpes are made with buckwheat and hold up very well to the hot steamy fillings. Other favorite entre crêpes are the Poulet au curry, Coq au vin, and Fruits de mer.
They've been in the same location since 1972; you know it's gotta be good!
2845 N. Clark, Chicago, IL 60657
773-528-9050
http://www.lacreperieusa.com/index.html
Near the Clark/Diversey/Broadway split
Casual nice. Dining room broken up in to several separate areas. Outdoor seating when the weather is nice.
Visited: many times over the years
I just love this little place! I first came here for a Peace Corps gathering, and have been coming back ever since.
If they are offering the prix fixe menu, do it; it is definitely the way to go. My favorite combination: start with the vichysoisse, then have the boeuf bourguignon entree crêpe, and crêpe with fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
The entree crêpes are made with buckwheat and hold up very well to the hot steamy fillings. Other favorite entre crêpes are the Poulet au curry, Coq au vin, and Fruits de mer.
They've been in the same location since 1972; you know it's gotta be good!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Cafe Iberico, Chicago, IL
Cafe Iberico
739 N. La Salle Dr., Chicago, IL 60610
312-573-1510
http://www.cafeiberico.com
Casual nice. Large dining room plus deli. Full bar.
Visited: many times over the years
Ah yes, I have spent many a hour here in this wonderful Spanish tapas bar! It's a large restaurant, but also very popular so it can be crowded in the evenings (starting at happy hour) and weekends.
There are many yummy things on the menu - it's quite extensive. Below are a few of my favorites that I like to start with. The larger your group, the more fun things you can try.
Patatas Bravas ($5.50): chunks of potates in a spicy tomato sauce. The potatoes just melt when you eat them.
Champiñones a la Plancha ($5.50): mm, these are grilled mushrooms with garlic and olive oil. Each little mushroom is like a little bit of heaven.
Queso de Cabra ($7.50): a warm little dish of soft goat cheese covered in a fresh tomato basil sauce - perfect for spreading onto bread.
Particularly good fun is the Sangria available in red or white. We always got the red. There's plenty of fruit to have for dessert right in your drink.
They also have a deli area with a selection of hams, cheeses, empanadas, and other goodies to go.
Ahh, what fun!
--T
739 N. La Salle Dr., Chicago, IL 60610
312-573-1510
http://www.cafeiberico.com
Casual nice. Large dining room plus deli. Full bar.
Visited: many times over the years
Ah yes, I have spent many a hour here in this wonderful Spanish tapas bar! It's a large restaurant, but also very popular so it can be crowded in the evenings (starting at happy hour) and weekends.
There are many yummy things on the menu - it's quite extensive. Below are a few of my favorites that I like to start with. The larger your group, the more fun things you can try.
Patatas Bravas ($5.50): chunks of potates in a spicy tomato sauce. The potatoes just melt when you eat them.
Champiñones a la Plancha ($5.50): mm, these are grilled mushrooms with garlic and olive oil. Each little mushroom is like a little bit of heaven.
Queso de Cabra ($7.50): a warm little dish of soft goat cheese covered in a fresh tomato basil sauce - perfect for spreading onto bread.
Particularly good fun is the Sangria available in red or white. We always got the red. There's plenty of fruit to have for dessert right in your drink.
They also have a deli area with a selection of hams, cheeses, empanadas, and other goodies to go.
Ahh, what fun!
--T
Tropi-Cuba Cafe, Torrance, CA
Tropi-Cuba Cafe (and Bakery)
21730 S. Vermont Ave, Torrance, CA 90502
310-961-9550
http://www.tropi-cubacafe.com/
Open daily 6am-11pm (the bakery opens at 6a)
Plenty of parking in the strip mall. Located near Carson Blvd, across from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Casual nice. Medium sized dining room.
Visited: March 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
This is a new Cuban restaurant and bakery. The decor was just adorable with a very classy tropical feel. We sat in one of the side room/booths which was very cozy, but a little difficult to scoot all the way around. At the time, they also do not have their liquor license yet.
We tried our usual Cuban favorites -a great way to sample a new restaurant by comparing our favorite standard dishes. The entrees came with a choice of rice/black beans, moros, or rice/red beans, and plantains (maduros).
Masas de Puerco - aka fried chunks of pork. I prefer my puerco to have more of the mojo de ajo than just what it's marinated in. While the large chunks were cooked well - crispy and melty, it didn't have much taste beyond the pork. The rice was pleasant, and the tostones (instead of plantains) were cooked well. But overall, without any extra sauce, the whole dish was rather plain. The most engaging item on the plate were the moros - in addition to the rice and beans, there were well cooked pieces of onions and bell peppers. Very nice.
The Lechon Asado was also very nicely roasted and tender. It was marinated in the mojo, however when it was served, there was no additional sauce on the side, so again, the whole plate seemed rather plain. There are 3 pieces of plaintains served. They seemed kinda small on the plate.
The Pollo Rancho Luna - half a roasted chicken marinated in mojo - was also very well prepared. The rice was pleasant, and the overall dish was good. But again, our preference is for there to more garlic in the final dish served, not just hiding in the marinade.
In all, the meal was pleasant, but we won't be going back there for Cuban food. We will, however, go back to try the bakery which looked pretty tasty.
--T
21730 S. Vermont Ave, Torrance, CA 90502
310-961-9550
http://www.tropi-cubacafe.com/
Open daily 6am-11pm (the bakery opens at 6a)
Plenty of parking in the strip mall. Located near Carson Blvd, across from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Casual nice. Medium sized dining room.
Visited: March 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
This is a new Cuban restaurant and bakery. The decor was just adorable with a very classy tropical feel. We sat in one of the side room/booths which was very cozy, but a little difficult to scoot all the way around. At the time, they also do not have their liquor license yet.
We tried our usual Cuban favorites -a great way to sample a new restaurant by comparing our favorite standard dishes. The entrees came with a choice of rice/black beans, moros, or rice/red beans, and plantains (maduros).
Masas de Puerco - aka fried chunks of pork. I prefer my puerco to have more of the mojo de ajo than just what it's marinated in. While the large chunks were cooked well - crispy and melty, it didn't have much taste beyond the pork. The rice was pleasant, and the tostones (instead of plantains) were cooked well. But overall, without any extra sauce, the whole dish was rather plain. The most engaging item on the plate were the moros - in addition to the rice and beans, there were well cooked pieces of onions and bell peppers. Very nice.
The Lechon Asado was also very nicely roasted and tender. It was marinated in the mojo, however when it was served, there was no additional sauce on the side, so again, the whole plate seemed rather plain. There are 3 pieces of plaintains served. They seemed kinda small on the plate.
The Pollo Rancho Luna - half a roasted chicken marinated in mojo - was also very well prepared. The rice was pleasant, and the overall dish was good. But again, our preference is for there to more garlic in the final dish served, not just hiding in the marinade.
In all, the meal was pleasant, but we won't be going back there for Cuban food. We will, however, go back to try the bakery which looked pretty tasty.
--T
Sonny McLean's, Santa Monica, CA
Sonny McLean's
2615 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-449-1811
http://www.sonnymcleans.com/
A few parking spaces out back, otherwise you're on your own finding street parking on Wilshire, 26th Street or Princeton.
Casual. Full bar.
Visited: Friday, March 06, 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
Sonny McLean's is an Irish Pub and Restaurant with a definitive Boston slant. If you are a Bostonian in LA missing your roots, this is the place to come. They feature Boston sports, lots of memorabilia, even some seats from Fenway. They also have pool tables and darts.
This used to be Red Setter; if you've been there, you know where Sonny's is.
So we just had a few things...
The appetizer portion of the Fried Clams ($12.00) - these are amazing. Super fresh and plump. Not those chewy things you usually get. It comes with coleslaw and tartar sauce. This portion is huge, and enough for a meal. But they also have the Fried Clam Dinner for $16.95 that includes fries.
The basket of Sweet Potato Fries ($4.95) were plentiful and very tasty. I just love sweet potatoes this way - crisp on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside.
And the Hamburger ($7.95) was huge! It's a half pound burger on a potato roll served with fries. It comes with the usual lettuce, tom, onions, pickle and regular potato fries. Quite a meal.
They have 30 beers on tap, plus more bottled, and a full bar. A quiet place to come for happy hour; a bustling place to come on the weekend.
--T
2615 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-449-1811
http://www.sonnymcleans.com/
A few parking spaces out back, otherwise you're on your own finding street parking on Wilshire, 26th Street or Princeton.
Casual. Full bar.
Visited: Friday, March 06, 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
Sonny McLean's is an Irish Pub and Restaurant with a definitive Boston slant. If you are a Bostonian in LA missing your roots, this is the place to come. They feature Boston sports, lots of memorabilia, even some seats from Fenway. They also have pool tables and darts.
This used to be Red Setter; if you've been there, you know where Sonny's is.
So we just had a few things...
The appetizer portion of the Fried Clams ($12.00) - these are amazing. Super fresh and plump. Not those chewy things you usually get. It comes with coleslaw and tartar sauce. This portion is huge, and enough for a meal. But they also have the Fried Clam Dinner for $16.95 that includes fries.
The basket of Sweet Potato Fries ($4.95) were plentiful and very tasty. I just love sweet potatoes this way - crisp on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside.
And the Hamburger ($7.95) was huge! It's a half pound burger on a potato roll served with fries. It comes with the usual lettuce, tom, onions, pickle and regular potato fries. Quite a meal.
They have 30 beers on tap, plus more bottled, and a full bar. A quiet place to come for happy hour; a bustling place to come on the weekend.
--T
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Maggie's Pub, Santa Fe Springs, CA
Maggie's Pub
11900 Telegraph Road, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
562-944-5399
http://www.maggiespub.com/
Open Monday-Friday (i.e., closed weekends)
Plenty of free parking in the lot.
Visited: Thursday, March 05, 2009, Lunch, Dine in
As soon as you walk in, you know that Maggie's is a British Pub. The smell of malt vinegar hangs in the air. But you soon get acclimated, and once you open the menu, you start to chuckle. I've been there several times in the last 6 months, so below is a description of several menu items eaten there since last fall.
Sherlock Holmes ($9.95): a very large piece of fish and a large serving of chips (er, fries). Everything is fresh and the fish is quite filling. Comes with cole slaw, tartar sauce and lemons.
Winston Churchill ($9.95): the same tasty batter fried cod with a fritters. What are fritters? Ah yes, I had the same question. Think of a very large potato that is cut into long thin slices, then coated in batter and fried. These really do make the chips seem ordinary.
John F Kennedy ($12.95): the fried seafood combo. JFK comes with fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, fritters and cole slaw. This is quite the value at $12.95 - two people could easily share this entree.
Sweeney Todd ($9.95): aka Shepard's Pie. Okay, so the beef and gravy mixture is pretty tasty and covered with mashed potatoes (and a bit off cheese, odd). It comes in a little dish, but the veggies are on the side. I like to have the beef, gravy and veggies all together. Tasty, but a bit too dissambled for my preference.
Benny Hill ($9.95): Bangers & Mash. Two very tasty traditional bland bangers, lots of cooked onions, and the mashed potatoes with a very nice brown gravy. Very filling (as are all of the plates here, actually).
The Lodger ($9.95): Open Faced Roast Beef. The meat, the mashed potatoes, gravy and white bread just melt. A nice meal on a cold wintery day.
Dutchy ($7.95): Banger Sandwich. This also comes with two very tasty traditional bland bangers (quite a lot of meat) on a large French roll. It's rather too big to eat as a sandwich. It also comes with mustard, onions, and strangely, Cheddar cheese. The cheese just kinda melts and becomes creamy with the onions.
Abe Lincoln ($7.95): Patty Melt on Rye. So did Abe like patty melts? Anyhow, this is a great sandwich. Very nicely grilled, plenty of onions, 1000 island, and cheddar.
Note - fries or fritters with the sandwiches are $1.25 extra. Aka the Stanley & Livingstone combo option.
They also offer what they call Afternoon Tea-time Favorites. They mean it when they that they're only available tween 3pm and 6pm. I've never been able to order these at lunchtime or dinnertime. They're also not what I consider traditional afternoon tea fare, but tasty, nonetheless.
I've had the Garden Vegetable Combo ($8.95). It's a fried assortment of mushrooms, zucchini and cauliflower. It's a huge appetizer, and pretty tasty.
And the Spinach 'n Artichoke Dip ($7.95) is quite good. Again, a large portion of dip served with tortilla chips.
They have a full bar, including traditional British beverages.
Maggie's is quick at lunch, and they do quite a brisk business. This is their main clientele, as you can see, they're closed weekends.
--T
11900 Telegraph Road, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
562-944-5399
http://www.maggiespub.com/
Open Monday-Friday (i.e., closed weekends)
Plenty of free parking in the lot.
Visited: Thursday, March 05, 2009, Lunch, Dine in
As soon as you walk in, you know that Maggie's is a British Pub. The smell of malt vinegar hangs in the air. But you soon get acclimated, and once you open the menu, you start to chuckle. I've been there several times in the last 6 months, so below is a description of several menu items eaten there since last fall.
Sherlock Holmes ($9.95): a very large piece of fish and a large serving of chips (er, fries). Everything is fresh and the fish is quite filling. Comes with cole slaw, tartar sauce and lemons.
Winston Churchill ($9.95): the same tasty batter fried cod with a fritters. What are fritters? Ah yes, I had the same question. Think of a very large potato that is cut into long thin slices, then coated in batter and fried. These really do make the chips seem ordinary.
John F Kennedy ($12.95): the fried seafood combo. JFK comes with fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, fritters and cole slaw. This is quite the value at $12.95 - two people could easily share this entree.
Sweeney Todd ($9.95): aka Shepard's Pie. Okay, so the beef and gravy mixture is pretty tasty and covered with mashed potatoes (and a bit off cheese, odd). It comes in a little dish, but the veggies are on the side. I like to have the beef, gravy and veggies all together. Tasty, but a bit too dissambled for my preference.
Benny Hill ($9.95): Bangers & Mash. Two very tasty traditional bland bangers, lots of cooked onions, and the mashed potatoes with a very nice brown gravy. Very filling (as are all of the plates here, actually).
The Lodger ($9.95): Open Faced Roast Beef. The meat, the mashed potatoes, gravy and white bread just melt. A nice meal on a cold wintery day.
Dutchy ($7.95): Banger Sandwich. This also comes with two very tasty traditional bland bangers (quite a lot of meat) on a large French roll. It's rather too big to eat as a sandwich. It also comes with mustard, onions, and strangely, Cheddar cheese. The cheese just kinda melts and becomes creamy with the onions.
Abe Lincoln ($7.95): Patty Melt on Rye. So did Abe like patty melts? Anyhow, this is a great sandwich. Very nicely grilled, plenty of onions, 1000 island, and cheddar.
Note - fries or fritters with the sandwiches are $1.25 extra. Aka the Stanley & Livingstone combo option.
They also offer what they call Afternoon Tea-time Favorites. They mean it when they that they're only available tween 3pm and 6pm. I've never been able to order these at lunchtime or dinnertime. They're also not what I consider traditional afternoon tea fare, but tasty, nonetheless.
I've had the Garden Vegetable Combo ($8.95). It's a fried assortment of mushrooms, zucchini and cauliflower. It's a huge appetizer, and pretty tasty.
And the Spinach 'n Artichoke Dip ($7.95) is quite good. Again, a large portion of dip served with tortilla chips.
They have a full bar, including traditional British beverages.
Maggie's is quick at lunch, and they do quite a brisk business. This is their main clientele, as you can see, they're closed weekends.
--T
Vince's Spaghetti, Torrance, CA
Vince's Spaghetti
23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-375-1455
http://www.vinces-spaghetti.com/
Plenty of free parking behind the restaurant.
Casual. Family friendly. Large dining room. Very popular on Friday and Saturday nights.
Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Dine in
Most recent: October 2009
So Vince's has been here forever, and as the name implies they specialize in spaghetti. We've been coming here for some time, and the food is always fresh, hot and tasty.
Dinners come with vegetable beef soup, dinner salad, and 2 pieces of fabulous garlic bread. There is really no way that we can ever eat all of this, so we always get our entrees a la carte.
In the past, spaghetti and lasagna were pretty much it for the menu. These days, you can get ravioli all the time, as well as get half portions. They also have a selection of hot sandwiches (that also come with soup or salad). And they now serve lunch during the week.
So what did we get:
Spaghetti with Vince's Original Meat Sauce, extra large, a la carte ($9.00): piles of well cooked spaghetti covered with authentic red meat sauce. This portion is not for the faint of heart.
Lasagna with Vince's Original Meat Sauce a la carte ($9.75): two luscious squares of lasagna covered with meat sauce. What's particularly interesting about this lasagna, is that there is no sauce on the inside - it's completely white. The white pasta layers are filled with a cheesey and meaty filling (which I love on its own) then topped with the rich red sauce.
2 Orders of Garlic Bread ($2.25 each): 2 orders equals 4 slices. I'm not really sure what the topping is, but it's pretty tasty. It reheats very well in the toaster oven.
And if we plan ahead to have dessert, we get the Chocolate Ice Cream ($4.25): a huge portion of amazing ice cream. Definitely enough to share. We finally had to ask the brand, and it's Humboldt Creamery. MMmm! I don't like the cappucino flavor as much because it has these flavored crunchy bits that distract from the ice cream.
Vince's definitely has a family feel - meant for folks to get together in a casual atmosphere with lots of food. We always have leftovers - at least another 2 meals worth, so the value here is incredible.
--T
23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-375-1455
http://www.vinces-spaghetti.com/
Plenty of free parking behind the restaurant.
Casual. Family friendly. Large dining room. Very popular on Friday and Saturday nights.
Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Dine in
Most recent: October 2009
So Vince's has been here forever, and as the name implies they specialize in spaghetti. We've been coming here for some time, and the food is always fresh, hot and tasty.
Dinners come with vegetable beef soup, dinner salad, and 2 pieces of fabulous garlic bread. There is really no way that we can ever eat all of this, so we always get our entrees a la carte.
In the past, spaghetti and lasagna were pretty much it for the menu. These days, you can get ravioli all the time, as well as get half portions. They also have a selection of hot sandwiches (that also come with soup or salad). And they now serve lunch during the week.
So what did we get:
Spaghetti with Vince's Original Meat Sauce, extra large, a la carte ($9.00): piles of well cooked spaghetti covered with authentic red meat sauce. This portion is not for the faint of heart.
Lasagna with Vince's Original Meat Sauce a la carte ($9.75): two luscious squares of lasagna covered with meat sauce. What's particularly interesting about this lasagna, is that there is no sauce on the inside - it's completely white. The white pasta layers are filled with a cheesey and meaty filling (which I love on its own) then topped with the rich red sauce.
2 Orders of Garlic Bread ($2.25 each): 2 orders equals 4 slices. I'm not really sure what the topping is, but it's pretty tasty. It reheats very well in the toaster oven.
And if we plan ahead to have dessert, we get the Chocolate Ice Cream ($4.25): a huge portion of amazing ice cream. Definitely enough to share. We finally had to ask the brand, and it's Humboldt Creamery. MMmm! I don't like the cappucino flavor as much because it has these flavored crunchy bits that distract from the ice cream.
Vince's definitely has a family feel - meant for folks to get together in a casual atmosphere with lots of food. We always have leftovers - at least another 2 meals worth, so the value here is incredible.
--T
Monday, March 2, 2009
Potrero Canyon Buffet, Cabazon, CA
Potrero Canyon Buffet
Morongo Casino
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA 92230
http://www.morongocasinoresort.com/d_pcb.cfm
Plenty of free parking in the structure. Turn left when you enter the casino from parking.
Casual. Very very very large dining room.
Visited: Dinner, Dine in
Most recently: November 2009
So being a fan of the Las Vegas casino buffets, I had to come see how the Morongo Casino's buffet stood in comparison. And I must say, it is really good, and the value is exceptional. Saturday night is Prime Rib Night, and dinner is $18.95 per person. In Vegas, you would easily spend at least $10 more per person, and food quality is almost what you'd get in Vegas.
So what do they have to offer (now keep in mind, the menu does change, so you may not get the same things, but you get the idea)...
Salad Station: an assortment of do-it-yourself salad bar items as well as a couple prepared salads such as Caesar. They also have assorted cut and whole fruit. My favorite part of this station is the selection of cold grilled veggies - tonight they had asparagus and yellow squash that were cooked very well. A couple of soups round out the Salad Station.
Italian Station: garlic bread, bouillabaise (chock full of shellfish), and an assortment of pastas. They also had a pink colored ravioli filled with butternut squash with a gorgonzola cream sauce - I'm not so into the gorgonzola, but the ravs were very tender and tasty. They also had a nice linguine alfredo with a tinge of nutmeg. A couple flavors of pizza rotated throughout the night, ranging from margherita, and pepperoni, to barbecue chicken.
Carving Station: Saturday being Prime Rib night, there was a nice Prime Rib, compelete with your choice of jus or an amazing dark mushroom gravy. They also had roasted turkey breast and gravy.
Americana: following the Carving station was the next take on Americana which included herby roast chicken, smothered mushroom gravy (I didn't really know what this was, but it was really good!), creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and homemade potato chips. They also had some bbq pork ribs and really fresh crispy fried chicken.
Asian Station: there was really quite the selection here from some traditional Chinese food fare like chow mein and spicy orange chicken, to really tasty Korean kalbi beef, to a whole Mongolian bbq where you can choose your meat, veggies, and sauce (mild or spicy).
Mexican Station: included carnitas, tacquitos, and of course rice and beans.
Dessert Station: the soft serve ice cream machine was a sight to behold unto itself. You pushed a button, the machine gurgled, and in a flurry of activity you received a nice sized portion of either vanilla or chocolate. The vanilla was okay, but the chocolate was really flavorful. There was also hot fudge to add on top. They also had a hot bread pudding and a hot apple cobbler. The dessert case was full of an assortment of fruit tarts, creme brulee, cream puffs, eclairs, pie slices, mousses, etc etc. They also had nice selection of sugar free desserts (however, the brownie wasn't too fabulous).
The dinner price included a non-alcoholic beverage. Service to take our drink orders and pick up empty plates was very efficient, and everyone was very polite.
The prices vary during the week, for example, Friday night is Seafood Night, so dinner costs a little more. But overall, it's an exceptional value.
--T
Morongo Casino
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA 92230
http://www.morongocasinoresort.com/d_pcb.cfm
Plenty of free parking in the structure. Turn left when you enter the casino from parking.
Casual. Very very very large dining room.
Visited: Dinner, Dine in
Most recently: November 2009
So being a fan of the Las Vegas casino buffets, I had to come see how the Morongo Casino's buffet stood in comparison. And I must say, it is really good, and the value is exceptional. Saturday night is Prime Rib Night, and dinner is $18.95 per person. In Vegas, you would easily spend at least $10 more per person, and food quality is almost what you'd get in Vegas.
So what do they have to offer (now keep in mind, the menu does change, so you may not get the same things, but you get the idea)...
Salad Station: an assortment of do-it-yourself salad bar items as well as a couple prepared salads such as Caesar. They also have assorted cut and whole fruit. My favorite part of this station is the selection of cold grilled veggies - tonight they had asparagus and yellow squash that were cooked very well. A couple of soups round out the Salad Station.
Italian Station: garlic bread, bouillabaise (chock full of shellfish), and an assortment of pastas. They also had a pink colored ravioli filled with butternut squash with a gorgonzola cream sauce - I'm not so into the gorgonzola, but the ravs were very tender and tasty. They also had a nice linguine alfredo with a tinge of nutmeg. A couple flavors of pizza rotated throughout the night, ranging from margherita, and pepperoni, to barbecue chicken.
Carving Station: Saturday being Prime Rib night, there was a nice Prime Rib, compelete with your choice of jus or an amazing dark mushroom gravy. They also had roasted turkey breast and gravy.
Americana: following the Carving station was the next take on Americana which included herby roast chicken, smothered mushroom gravy (I didn't really know what this was, but it was really good!), creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and homemade potato chips. They also had some bbq pork ribs and really fresh crispy fried chicken.
Asian Station: there was really quite the selection here from some traditional Chinese food fare like chow mein and spicy orange chicken, to really tasty Korean kalbi beef, to a whole Mongolian bbq where you can choose your meat, veggies, and sauce (mild or spicy).
Mexican Station: included carnitas, tacquitos, and of course rice and beans.
Dessert Station: the soft serve ice cream machine was a sight to behold unto itself. You pushed a button, the machine gurgled, and in a flurry of activity you received a nice sized portion of either vanilla or chocolate. The vanilla was okay, but the chocolate was really flavorful. There was also hot fudge to add on top. They also had a hot bread pudding and a hot apple cobbler. The dessert case was full of an assortment of fruit tarts, creme brulee, cream puffs, eclairs, pie slices, mousses, etc etc. They also had nice selection of sugar free desserts (however, the brownie wasn't too fabulous).
The dinner price included a non-alcoholic beverage. Service to take our drink orders and pick up empty plates was very efficient, and everyone was very polite.
The prices vary during the week, for example, Friday night is Seafood Night, so dinner costs a little more. But overall, it's an exceptional value.
--T
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