Best of the South Bay

Best of the South Bay

I thought it might be fun to create a compilation of Best Ofs, so here goes. I'll be adding to it as I discover my favorites. There are some 'best of' restaurants here that don't have full reviews yet, but they're coming soon.

Baba Ganoush
LaZeez Pita Grill, 4903 Torrance, Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Smooth, creamy and garlicky.

Barbecue
Jay Bee's House of Fine Bar-B-Que, 15911 Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Great finger lickin' bbq.

BBQ Brisket
Joey's Smokin BBQ, 25308 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
OMG tender and tasty.

Biscuit
Gaffey Street Diner, 247 N. Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731
This biscuit is not for the faint of heart. Large enough for 3 to share.

Bolognese
Vince's Spaghetti, 23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
The Original Meat Sauce is a fine food unto itself.

Breakfast
Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
A great neighborhood place.

Cake
King's Hawaiian Bakery, 2808 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Their use of chiffon-style cakes as the basis for most of the cakes makes them heavenly.

Carne Asada
Acapulco, 3530 Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503
Consistently an amazing flavor.

Carnitas
El Burrito, Jr, 21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Tasty and not greasy at all.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Angara, 2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Creamy, sweet - great mild or medium. The Lamb Tikka Masala is also fab.

Chili Cheese Fries
Y' Not Burgers, 22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
I'm sure these are incredibly bad for you.
Honorable Mention: Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Great LA Area: The Hat, 1 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Chips and Salsa
El Paso Cantina, 2404 Sepulveda Bl, Torrance, CA 90501
Great chips and really nice fresh salsa - a little sweet.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Chicken Maison, 3901 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
A beautiful and tasty salad with pita croutons as an added treat.

Churrascaria
Greenfield, 5305 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90804
Honorable Mention: By Brazil, 1615 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Cioppino
Delzano's by the Sea, 179 N. Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
There are many lovely cioppinos out there, but this one is really stellar.

Cuban Food
Versailles, 1000 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
They have the best mojo de ajo around.

Deli Sandwiches
New York Deli, 2424 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Long term quality that still holds up.

Donuts
Randy's Donuts, 805 W. Manchester Ave, Inglewood, CA 90301
Really, the big donut on the roof reflects how good these are.

Double Cheeseburger
Suzy's Bar and Grill, 1141 Aviation Blvd, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Honorable Mention: Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Fried Chicken
DUTC Grill /Golden Bird, 14903 S. Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90249
Golden Bird - do I need to say anything else?

Fried Seafood Combo
The Admiral Risty, 31250 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90275
Just cooked so very well.
Honorable Mention: Captain Kidd's, 209 N. Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Garlic Bread
Kincaid's, 500 Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Honorable Mention: Vince's Spaghetti, 23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Gelato
Crema Dolce, 1820 S. Catalina Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
If you've been to Italy, you'll like the gelato here.

Hawaiian Food
Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods, 1033 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
An excellent hole-in-the-wall where the locals eat.

Hawaiian Fried Chicken
Harry's Cafe, 1721 S. Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Available as Harry's Chicken with bone or Island Fried Chicken, boneless.

Ice Cream
Rite-Aid/Thrifty, 3860 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Mmm, mint chip and chocolate!

Indian Food
Angara, 2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Great curries, biryanis, and an excellent lunch buffet.

Koobideh
Fanoos Grill, 25336 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Seaside Palace, 3720 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Lasagna
Il Toscano, 24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Excellent.

Linguine and Clam Sauce, White
Il Toscano, 24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Excellent.

Loco Moco
Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods, 1033 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Bruddah's has the best gravy.

Macaroni and Cheese
Jay Bee's House of Fine Bar-B-Que, 15911 Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
You can see the cheesey goodness.

Machaca
Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Meatball Sandwich
The Appetizer, 1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Overall tasty, but the bread really makes this the winner. You may want to ask for extra sauce.
Unfortunately, they've closed - we'll have to try their other location.

Pastrami Sandwich
Y' Not Burgers, 22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Greater LA Area: The Hat, 1 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Prime Rib
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Refried Beans
El Burrito, Jr, 21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
OMG, these are so creamy and gravy-like, they must be bad for you.

Shwarma
LaZeez Pita Grill, 4903 Torrance, Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Great seasoning and char.

Steak
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Fork tender.

Tempura
California Sushi & Teriyaki, 429 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Cooked in rice bran oil. Very tender and crisp.

Teriyaki Beef
Honda, 3629 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
Real meat, not that thin stuff you often find elsewhere.

Teriyaki Salmon
California Sushi & Teriyaki, 429 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Very tasty, well cooked and a nice portion.

Angara Indian Restaurant, Torrance, CA

Angara Indian Restaurant
2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
310-320-9090
http://www.angara.us/
Near Old Torrance. Usually plenty of street parking, and they have a small lot behind the building. Do not park in the tiny lot that is next door.
Casual. Large dining room that fills quickly at lunch. Beer and wine.

Visited: Numerous times, Lunch Buffet, Dinner, Dine-In or Dinner Take Out
Most recently: August 2010

This is our favorite Indian restaurant. The food is always fresh and great tasting. We've been winding our way through the menu and have tried many items.

Chicken Tikka Masala, mild or medium ($10.95): yes, the ubiquitous chicken tikka masala. Man, do they do it right. The curry is creamy and sweet with its own great texture (quite a food unto itself). The chicken tikka is cooked well, and makes for a seamless dish. If you get this dish 'mild' it will have a sweeter taste than the 'medium' - both are tasty.

Lamb Tikka Masala, medium, ($11.95): one of the great things about Angara is that all of the curries come with your choice of meat, tofu, veg, or paneer. We tried this lamb tikka masala for the first time, and also tried the tikka masala medium for the first time. This was a spot-on dish. The 'medium' spiciness was perfect heat that didn't linger so that everything afterwards would taste hot. The lamb was tender and very mild. A+.

The Lamb Biryani, medium ($12.95) is rich and full of flavor. The lamb and rice are tender. You can have this as your entree and be fully satisfied, with enough to share.

Bengan Bharta ($8.95): well, I love eggplant, and while this dish was very tasty, all I could see and feel were onions. I didn't dislike the dish, but I wouldn't order it again if I were craving eggplant.

We also order the Plain Basmati Rice ($4.00) and Plain Naan ($1.95). Both are cooked very well. The rice is tender and each grain is distinct. The naan is fluffy and chewy, and is a very good tool for eating with.

They also have a fabulous lunch buffet ($7.95) that is busy and the food is always hot and fresh. Usual staples of the buffet include Onion Bhaji, Naan, Daal, Saag, a Vegetarian Curry, Ground Lamb Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Chicken Tandoori. One or two other items rotate through. There are also some salad and pickle items, and a dessert, usually rice pudding. A soft drink comes with.