Showing posts with label ribs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ribs. Show all posts

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Bahooka Family Restaurant, Rosemead, CA

Bahooka Family Restaurant
4501 Rosemead Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770
626-285-1211
http://www.bahooka.com/
Casual; great for families or drinking get togethers. Full bar.
Plenty of free parking in their lot.

Visited: May 2010, Afternoon, Take-out


This place is quite the sight to see - even if you just come to look and not eat (which is almost what we did). There are fish tanks EVERYWHERE! Great fun to look at. It's also quite a maze of a restaurant, but looks like it would great fun to hang out with friends and have lots of drinks with umbrellas.

They feature Polynesian food and tiki bar fun stuff. We decided to try a couple of their noted appetizers. First, Bahooka's Special Exotic Ribs ($23.25 for two pounds) which were like Chinese-style red ribs but then they were served with American-style bbq sauce. The ribs were tender, but didn't really have much taste. I was expecting much more.

And we got an order of the Crab Puffs ($10.75 for 2o puffs) which were rather odd little things. They were little fried balls of soft crab filling. The first one kinda tasted crabby, but the next ones just seemed salty.

So, I'm thinking that we won't be back for the food, but for the ambience. And after a few drinks, maybe those appetizers will be downright delish.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Joey's Smokin BBQ, Torrance, CA

Joey's Smokin BBQ
25308 Crenshaw Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505
310-257-1324
http://www.joeyssmokinbbq.com/
Located in Rolling Hills Plaza between CPK and Iccho. Plenty of free parking, but can be limited on busy Fridays and weekends due to the movie theaters.
Additional South Bay location in Manhattan Beach, as well as locations in Tustin and San Diego County.
Casual; walk up to the counter to order, then food is brought to your table.

Visited: June 2010, Dinner, Take-Out

We had known about the location in Manhattan Beach since it opened a couple years ago, but hadn't may our way over to it. This location in Torrance opened earlier this year, and we decided to finally go and try it (after it had some time to settle in - there were some horror stories about wait time when it first opened).

We wanted to try several of the menu items, and decided on Family Pack #3 ($79.99) which they say serves 6. I would say that *easily* this would serve 6 hungry adults, and you could even serve 8 adults without a problem. Quite a value to feed so many people. So what do you get...

1 full slab of Baby Back Ribs with your choice of sweet (Suh-weet) sauce, Carolina wet, or dry rubbed. In general, we prefer sweet bbq, so we went with that. The ribs were meaty, smoky and tender, and the sauce was a nice touch.

1 whole Lazy Smoked BBQ Chicken, also very tender. I thought that the chicken was a little plain, but I suppose that's just how chicken is. The skin was very nicely cooked and sauced, and the chicken went very well with the extra Suh-weet bbq sauce that we had and the baked beans.

1 pound of sliced Smoked Brisket - now this was to die for. I think this is the best smoked brisket I have ever had. Not only was it super tender with a light light smokey flavor, but it actually still tasted like beef. Oftentimes, I find that smoked brisket has lost its beef flavor when taken over by smoking, bbqing, or grilling. The best item in the Family Pack.

1 pound of Pulled Pork - a very close second to the Smoked Brisket. Tender and flavorful, and I bet this would taste excellent piled high on a sandwich.

1 quart of Mama's Downright Addictive BBQ Beans which were made with tender kidney and red beans, and sweet. If you like your baked beans or bbq beans to be sweet, then you'll love these. They go very well with the chicken and the pulled pork.

The Pack also comes with 1 quart of creamy cole slaw, but we opted for 1 quart of Mac n Cheese (for $2 extra) instead. Interesting Mac N Cheese, more like buttery noodles with a hint of cheese than, pow, in your face cheesiness. Overall, a very nice product, but don't look for uber cheese flavor.

And lastly, the Pack comes with 6 squares of Cornbread. Now, everyone has their favorite type of cornbread, and I like mine to feel a little gritty from the cornmeal. This is not that kind. This is more the sweet fluffy cake-like cornbread that could almost pass for dessert.

In addition, we also ordered a Basket of French Fries ($2.99) which is a large order of skinny shoestring-style fries. Well cooked.

We were very happy with this meal, and the leftovers it will provide.

Some other tantalizing menu items that we hope to try soon are the BBQ Flat Iron Steak Sandwich, the Half-Pound Burger upgraded to Kobe, the homemade Louisiana Hot Links, and the BBQ Wild Smoked Salmon Salad.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Suzy's Bar and Grill, Hermosa Beach, CA

Suzy's Bar and Grill
1141 Aviation Blvd, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
310-379-6171
At the corner of Prospect in the Big Lots strip mall. Plenty of parking.
Casual.

Visited: Numerous times; Dinner, dine-in
Most recently: June 2010


Suzy's has entertainment most evenings - live music or Team Trivia (on Wednesdays), and they also have pretty good food including traditional bar food like Wings or Chicken Tenders (spicy, bbq or teriyaki), Nachos (plain, Steak or Chicken), and Mozzarella Sticks.

The Quesadillas are also good - choice of Cheese, Veggie or Steak, and comes with the house salsa. Even their Chips and Salsa are worth trying - a great homemade peppery salsa that you can't find anywhere else.

Their Double Dubiak Burger is exceptional. The grilled beef patties have so much flavor, it's amazing. You can order as is, or add onions. The burger comes with chips, but you can choose to add fries or onion rings.

The Fries or thick panko-covered Onion Rings are often a little pale for our liking, so we usually order then well done. However, the Sweet Potato Fries come out just right.

The BBQ Chicken Wrap is also a tasty option. Grilled chicken, bbq sauce, bacon, and tomato wrapped in a toasted tortilla. Very tasty. Comes with chips.

We also like the Beef Stroganoff - a more garlicky version than you'll usually find elsewhere. It's made with rigatoni, mushrooms, tri tip and grilled garlic bread.

The Vodka Rigatoni is also very satisfying - comes with chicken or meatless, and served with garlic bread. It's a pleasant pink sauce -not too tomatoey, not too creamy.

Also tasty is the Benny Burger. A burger with Swiss cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce and 1000 island on grilled sourdough. Served with chips.

They also have a variety of Philly Cheesesteaks with your choice of toppings. Wyatt's Works is a favorite - loaded with peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheese. We sometimes order with extra cheese. Sometimes the bread can be a little too fluffy for my preference, but it still tastes good.

The Fettucine Alfredo is actually served with linguine but is still very tasty. The sauce is lightly creamy, very garlicky, and has mushrooms. Choice of beautiful shrimp or chicken breast.

Not on the menu but a frequent special are the BBQ Ribs served with fries and a side salad. The ribs are very tender, and have a nice grilled smoky flavor.

The Tortilla Soup comes with chicken, rice, veggies, and topped with avocado slices. The soup is very tasty and has a bit of a spicy kick. Very satisfying.

There are even more items on the menu, and most are pretty good.

Note: beer and wine only, no hard alcohol.

If you're a regular, the bartenders/servers really get to know you and your order. Nice and friendly.

Woody's Bar-B-Q, Sebring, FL

Woody's Bar-B-Q
3030 US 27 North, Sebring, FL 33870
863-314-4447
http://www.woodys.com/
25 locations throughout Florida, and few other locations in the southeast.
Casual, family friendly.

Visited: Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: Dec 2009

Over the years, we've seen billboards for Woody's on the interstate throughout the state of Florida, and finally decided to try one, and it wasn't bad! Definitely better than another large southeast chain, Sonny's BBQ.

We got the Pork Sampler ($12.99) which consists of 2 spareribs, a small pile of Carolina pulled pork, and several slices of bar-b-q pork. They serve the bbq sauces on the side - Southern Sweet, Smokin' Hot, and Tangy Mustard. The meat looked dry, but once you put a little of your fave sauce on top, it didn't feel dry at all and was very tender. It comes with garlic toast and two sides (choice of Special Recipe Bar-B-Q Beans, Creamy Cole Slaw, French Fries, Country Vegetables, or Mashed Potatoes and Gravy), and we got the beans (sweet and smoky; very tasty) and for $2 extra, the Corn Nuggets (which are on the appetizer menu) which are tasty little fried creamed corn morsels. It doesn't look like much when the plate arrives, but it's quite a bit of food. I had some leftover sliced bar-b-q pork, and ate it the next day with garlic toast as a mini sandwich - a very tasty sandwich.

We also tried the Bacon Cheddar Burger ($7.79) which is based on a half-pound grilled Angus beef burger. The burger comes with one side, and we got the fries. This is a very generous and filling burger.

Haven't quite figured out what the Country Vegetables are, but the next time we get a hankering for bbq while in Florida, we'll have to stop in and ask.

Friday, July 31, 2009

DUTC Grill (& Golden Bird), Gardena, CA

DUTC Grill
14903 S. Western Avenue, Gardena, CA 90249
310-715-6774
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A bright yellow bldg at the small corner of 149th St, north of Redondo Beach Blvd. Street parking and a small lot behind.
Casual. Order and pick up at the counter. Large dining room.

Visited: A few times. Dinner, Take-out
Most recently: September 2009

We were actually looking for another restaurant that apparently no longer existed, but instead found this charmer. And with the Golden Bird sign calling our names, we had to stop in.

They did have a brisk take-out business going on, and it looked like they were prepping for a large catering order. There is plenty of dining room space if you want to eat in.

They have a variety of Creole and soul food menu items as well as that luscious Golden Bird fried chicken. I'm not sure if it was because we were there on a Sunday late afternoon, but several of the menu items we wanted were not available. But, there was still plenty to choose from, and here's what we had:

Smothered Pork Chop Dinner ($11.99): This very hearty portion of two pork chops comes with 3, count 'em THREE, sides plus a cute little corn muffin. We chose Macaroni Cheese (very good), Collard Greens, and Potato Salad. In addition, the pork chops sat on top of rice to soak up all of that smothering gravy (very rich and tasty). Overall, the meal was tasty, however I don't prefer bell peppers in my smotheredness, so I wouldn't order it again.

We also got the Short Rib Dinner ($11.99). We didn't realize when we ordered them that these were also also smothered, but as with the pork chops these were also very tasty. We got 2 Mac Cheeses and a Mashed Potatoes. Other side options include Rice & Gravy, Red Beans, Black Eyed Peas, String Beans With Potatoes, Corn, Cabbage or Yams.

They had a special BBQ combo that was not on the menu, that was also a fabulous deal. A BBQ chicken quarter, pork ribs, and hot link. MMmmm. Everything was so very well cooked. For sides we got Mashed Potatoes (good), Beans (sweet and tasty), and more Potato Salad, plus the corn bread. I would whole heartedly endorse the BBQ plate if that is option. The BBQ sauce is a big tangy. If they have the Cole Slaw, that's pretty good, too.

And we couldn't leave without our beloved Golden Bird. We were quite sad when Porky's BBQ on Manchester in Inglewood stopped carrying GB, but happy to know we can get it closer to home in Gardena. We got the 12 Piece Chicken Only ($17.49). Figured we had all those other sides, didn't need any more. The chicken was perfect; plain and simple as that.

We tried the Spicy Wingettes from the Spicy Menu - 6 pieces ($3.99), 20 pieces ($11.99) or 40 pieces (22.99). These deep fried wings are very good, and really are spicy as the name implies.

The next time we go, some of the other items we want to try include the Gumbo and Jamaican Patties. The lovely woman who took our order said that the Patties were particularly tasty with a good spice to them.

DUTC stands for Dare U To Care, and the restaurant (and the gift shop next door) are fundraisers for the Dare U To Care Outreach Ministries providing community programs including a food bank and drug rehabilitation.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Pinkie's BBQ, Hermosa Beach, CA

Pinkie's BBQ
502 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90278
310-379-0616
http://www.pinkiesbbq.com/
In a very small strip mall with tight parking.
Casual. Small dining room.

Visited: February 2009, Dinner, Dine-in


Pinkie's opened some time last year, and we finally made our way there. And we're glad we did. We left full and happy. However, I will point out that this is a smokey dry rub type of bbq, not the saucey kind of bbq. And while I prefer the saucey kind, Pinkie's was still very tasty.

Also, our server was amazing at how well she handled all of the tables in the small but packed restaurant.

We were pretty pleased with everything we had:

Beef Tri Tip Plate ($13.95): mm, the meat was flavorful and very tender. The plate comes with two sides, and we got BBQ Beans (these were well cooked, but a little too firm for our liking) and Mashed Potatoes (just pots, no gravy). Plates also come with a corn bread stick.

Full Rack Baby Back Ribs Plate ($22.95): these were the meatiest baby backs eh-ver. Pinkie's does a smokey dry rub kinda bbq, and there's a bottle of sauce on the table. The ribs were tender and filling. This is a big plate. The two sides we got were Creamed Corn (yummy and peppery) and Mac N Cheese (rich and thick).

Sampler Plate ($14.95): you get a couple of those meaty ribs, 1/4 chicken, and a few slices of that yummy tri tip. Quite a value when you see how much food is on the plate. We got the Coleslaw (sweet vs vinegary; not creamy) and Mac N Cheese (just couldn't resist more!).

We saw some other folks get the chocolate bundt cake. I don't know how they had room for dessert, let alone that massive slice of cake!

They have Stone Brewery's Pale Ale (which went well with the meal) and Arrogant Bastard on tap.

I'm full just thinking about it!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Thai Rama Restaurant, Torrance, CA

Thai Rama Restaurant
4473 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
310-542-9242
http://www.thai-rama.com/
Casual. Large dining room. Beer and wine.

Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Take-out
Most recent visit: September 2010


This has long been one of our favorite restaurants almost exclusively for take-out. There was a lull in there when the food wasn't as great, but I have a feeling the restaurant changed hands a few times during that period. We tried all of our favorites, and everything was delish.

#5: Chicken Wings Royal ($6.95)- tasty filling and crunchy coating. It also comes with a little container of spicy pickled cucumbers and red onions. Very nice.

#8: Thai BBQ Pork Spare Ribs ($6.95) -very tender and tasty.

#31: Pad Thai ($7.95) - plenty of noodles, plenty of goodies.

#33: Pad See You with Beef ($6.25) - very flavorful, and the broccoli was cooked well.

#38: Panang Curry with Chicken ($6.95) - has little green peas and carrots mixed with the chicken. It comes with a very nice natural spiciness.

#47: Chili Beef ($6.95) - beef stir fried with sliced green chiles and onions. It was tasty, but not sure if we would order it again. It has a spiciness that is very mellow and creeps up on you.

#48: Mongolian Beef ($7.75) - very flavorful and tender.

They also have lunch specials which are highly recommended.