Seafood Port
21180 Hawthorne Blvd (near Torrance Blvd)
Torrance, CA 90503
310-370-8478
Visited: January 2011, Dine-in and Take-out
Seafood Port is pretty close at being in a Chinatown-style and atmosphere restaurant here in the South Bay. The food is good, the portions are generous, and they're fast.
The real deal is go to at lunch at order the lunch specials, or order the food at lunch and save it for dinner. It really is a bargain. Not all items have a lunch price, but many do. Also, I think the dinner portions may be a little larger, but really, the lunch size portion is plenty enough.
The Bean Curd with Minced Pork & Chili aka Ma Po Tofu ($5.75/$8.50) is not super spicy., but nice enough to be noticed. This dish is cooked well, and has a very comfort food quality about it.
The String Bean with Ground Meat ($5.75/$8.50) is another nice dish. The beans, I'm pretty sure are long beans, are fried real quick and then wokked with the meat and sauce. The beans are cooked but still feel fresh.
The Salted Pepper Pork Chop ($6.50/$10.50) is labelled as spicy, but I think don't so. However, they are still very tasty and have a nice crisp coating and tender meat.
The Peking Style Pork Chop ($6.50/$10.50) is a fried pork chop with the sweet red sauce. The coating is nice, and meat tender, but I actually prefer the sauce to be a little sweeter.
The Fried Crispy Chicken ($6.50/$14.00) is quite excellent. Very tender chicken with a very lovely crisp to it. The menu says to allow 15 mins, but if it's lunchtime and they're cranked up, it out right with the rest of the food.
And, the Salt & Pepper Fresh Squid ($7.00/11.00) is amazing. I've never had fried squid like this. It has that nice and light salt & pepper coating on these lovely flat sheets of squid (not cut into rings or the tentacles). I've never had squid like this before, and I'm in love.
I thought I'd try something different, and got the Kung Pao Scallop ($7.00/14.00). Well, it wasn't very spicy, so the sauce just drowned out the delicacy of the scallops. I was hoping for a nice balance of sweet scallop to spicy sauce, but alas no. They do give you lots of peanuts, though.
They have quite a large menu, so we'll be back to try our more things.
Showing posts with label seafood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seafood. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Fish Bonz, Torrance, CA
Fish Bonz
2599 Airport Drive
Torrance, CA 90505
310-325-BONZ (2669)
www.fishbonzgrill.com
Located in Rolling Hills Plaza in the odd round intersection.
Plenty of free parking, however parking is crowded on Friday nights and weekends due to the movie theaters.
Visited: January 2011, Dinner, Dine-in
Fish Bonz calls itself a casual seafood grill, and I'd say it lives up to that moniker. We tried a couple things on the menu, and were quite satisfied with the quality of seafood and the portion size.
We had the Grilled Mahi Mahi ($8.99), and chose to have it plain with Teri sauce on the side. Normally, you have your choice of Garlic Butter or Cajun style. It comes with choice of rice, fries, or brown rice (50 cents extra), and I chose the brown rice. And it comes with their housemade cole slaw which was very tasty. It's a light Asian-inspired vinaigrette and also has toasted slivered almonds. The fish was cooked extremely well, and the portion was very generous. The rice was also cooked very nicely. In all, I would definitely order it again.
We also had the Shrimp & Scallops ($8.99) fryer combo which comes on a huge bed of lightly seasoned fries. The shrimp were quite meaty, and the breading a little salty, but overall tasty. There were a lot of scallops. These were a little plain, and definitely needed sauce. They have a condiment bar where you scoop your own portins of cocktail and tartar sauces, and a variety of salsas.
Being January, it was a chilly evening, but we chose to sit outside in the heated (and enclosed) patio. It was very pleasant, and would be quite lovely on a summer night to dine and people watch.
In addition to items from the Grill, they have the tacos, other fried items, teri bowls, entree salads, and clam clam chowder. For an 'upgrade,' they also have grilled zucchini and sweet potato fries - will have to try both of those next time.
They have something on the menu called Swai White Ruffy - we didn't know what this was, and was told that it was a type of catfish.
If you are with anyone who does not eat seafood, the choices are limited to grilled chicken, chicken taco, chicken teri bowl, or the Green Salad with chicken.
All in all, we enjoyed our dinner, and will go back and try more items.
2599 Airport Drive
Torrance, CA 90505
310-325-BONZ (2669)
www.fishbonzgrill.com
Located in Rolling Hills Plaza in the odd round intersection.
Plenty of free parking, however parking is crowded on Friday nights and weekends due to the movie theaters.
Visited: January 2011, Dinner, Dine-in
Fish Bonz calls itself a casual seafood grill, and I'd say it lives up to that moniker. We tried a couple things on the menu, and were quite satisfied with the quality of seafood and the portion size.
We had the Grilled Mahi Mahi ($8.99), and chose to have it plain with Teri sauce on the side. Normally, you have your choice of Garlic Butter or Cajun style. It comes with choice of rice, fries, or brown rice (50 cents extra), and I chose the brown rice. And it comes with their housemade cole slaw which was very tasty. It's a light Asian-inspired vinaigrette and also has toasted slivered almonds. The fish was cooked extremely well, and the portion was very generous. The rice was also cooked very nicely. In all, I would definitely order it again.
We also had the Shrimp & Scallops ($8.99) fryer combo which comes on a huge bed of lightly seasoned fries. The shrimp were quite meaty, and the breading a little salty, but overall tasty. There were a lot of scallops. These were a little plain, and definitely needed sauce. They have a condiment bar where you scoop your own portins of cocktail and tartar sauces, and a variety of salsas.
Being January, it was a chilly evening, but we chose to sit outside in the heated (and enclosed) patio. It was very pleasant, and would be quite lovely on a summer night to dine and people watch.
In addition to items from the Grill, they have the tacos, other fried items, teri bowls, entree salads, and clam clam chowder. For an 'upgrade,' they also have grilled zucchini and sweet potato fries - will have to try both of those next time.
They have something on the menu called Swai White Ruffy - we didn't know what this was, and was told that it was a type of catfish.
If you are with anyone who does not eat seafood, the choices are limited to grilled chicken, chicken taco, chicken teri bowl, or the Green Salad with chicken.
All in all, we enjoyed our dinner, and will go back and try more items.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Calamari's, Torrance, CA
Calamari's
1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-792-0077
Southeast corner of Torrance and Prospect. In a strip mall with free parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
Visited: A few times, Dinner, Dine-In
Most recently: June 2010
This is the former location of The Appetizer which now has a new owner, but retains much of the same menu. We went on a Friday night for dinner, and were surprised how empty the restaurant remained. There was a steady stream of business, but the restaurant was by no means full. We wondered if this may be have been an effect due to the confusion from the closure of The Appetizer.
Anyhow, we enjoyed our dinner, and here's what we had.
We started off with Garlic Bread which was brought to the table (versus ordering it from the appetizer menu). It's pizza dough or thin foccaccia based, and very light on the garlic seasoning. Wasn't too inspiring.
We also had an order of Fried Mozzarella ($5.95). The coating was crisp and seasoned, and happily, the cheese was piping hot. They came with a dish of marinara which was tasty, and enough to dip the garlic bread in, too.
Since the place is called Calamari's, we decided to try the Fried Calamari ($6.95). The calamari was a golden brown breading with some herbs sprinkled in, and served with a dish of marinara. The serving was generous, but overall it was rather plain.
The Antipasto Salad ($6.95) was very generous. It has a base of romaine and iceberg, topped with sliced rolls of salami, ham and provolone, plus marinated mushrooms and marinated artichoke hearts. The pieces are rather large which makes this a knife and fork salad. Everything is very tasty, and definitely large enough for an entree salad. It's lightly dressed in an Italian dressing - you may want to ask for more on the side.
The Calzone with Pepperoni and Ham ($11.45) was well done. The crust was crisp and cooked well, without being mushy or doughy. There was plenty of pepperoni, mozzarella and sauce to fill the calzone from end to end (none of those doughy corners) plus it comes with extra tasty marinara on the side. We tried ordering this on a second visit, only this time adding ricotta, and were saddened to find out that they were out of ricotta (seems odd, no?)
They feature Brick Oven Pizzas, and so we decided to try an XL (16 in.) Pizza with Pepperoni and Sausage ($18.00). The sauasage were nice slices of sausage instead of chunks (which can sometimes be hard), and there was plenty of both meats. There was also plenty of sauce which had a nice spice to it.
We ordered the Seafood Fettuccini ($14.95). This comes with choice of marinara or white wine sauce, but I asked for Alfredo sauce instead, and they were happy to comply. This dish was great with a mix of nicely cooked baby calamari, scallops, shrimp, and white fish. The pasta also comes with garlic bread and soup or salad, and we chose the Lentil Soup. The lentils were tender and had a nice mild middle eastern spice to it.
We also tried the Cannelloni ($9.95) with meat sauce (choice of having marinara or meat) which also came with garlic bread and soup or salad. This time we got the Chicken and Rice Soup, and it was very tasty. The broth was rich, and the soup was full of chicken, rice and veggies. Now, my favorite cannelloni is/was the version at the now long departed Rossini's on PCH in Torrance (now home to the expanded Volvo dealership), and unfortunately all future canenelloni is compared to theirs. This one doesn't compare. It's a very nice sized serving of three rolls of pasta sheets filled with what seemed like sausage lumps in a gravy. I was hoping for a soft smooth filling, not the firm lumps of meat. Overall, it was tasty, but not my favorite.
We will definitely be back to try more things including the sandwiches.
1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-792-0077
Southeast corner of Torrance and Prospect. In a strip mall with free parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
Visited: A few times, Dinner, Dine-In
Most recently: June 2010
This is the former location of The Appetizer which now has a new owner, but retains much of the same menu. We went on a Friday night for dinner, and were surprised how empty the restaurant remained. There was a steady stream of business, but the restaurant was by no means full. We wondered if this may be have been an effect due to the confusion from the closure of The Appetizer.
Anyhow, we enjoyed our dinner, and here's what we had.
We started off with Garlic Bread which was brought to the table (versus ordering it from the appetizer menu). It's pizza dough or thin foccaccia based, and very light on the garlic seasoning. Wasn't too inspiring.
We also had an order of Fried Mozzarella ($5.95). The coating was crisp and seasoned, and happily, the cheese was piping hot. They came with a dish of marinara which was tasty, and enough to dip the garlic bread in, too.
Since the place is called Calamari's, we decided to try the Fried Calamari ($6.95). The calamari was a golden brown breading with some herbs sprinkled in, and served with a dish of marinara. The serving was generous, but overall it was rather plain.
The Antipasto Salad ($6.95) was very generous. It has a base of romaine and iceberg, topped with sliced rolls of salami, ham and provolone, plus marinated mushrooms and marinated artichoke hearts. The pieces are rather large which makes this a knife and fork salad. Everything is very tasty, and definitely large enough for an entree salad. It's lightly dressed in an Italian dressing - you may want to ask for more on the side.
The Calzone with Pepperoni and Ham ($11.45) was well done. The crust was crisp and cooked well, without being mushy or doughy. There was plenty of pepperoni, mozzarella and sauce to fill the calzone from end to end (none of those doughy corners) plus it comes with extra tasty marinara on the side. We tried ordering this on a second visit, only this time adding ricotta, and were saddened to find out that they were out of ricotta (seems odd, no?)
They feature Brick Oven Pizzas, and so we decided to try an XL (16 in.) Pizza with Pepperoni and Sausage ($18.00). The sauasage were nice slices of sausage instead of chunks (which can sometimes be hard), and there was plenty of both meats. There was also plenty of sauce which had a nice spice to it.
We ordered the Seafood Fettuccini ($14.95). This comes with choice of marinara or white wine sauce, but I asked for Alfredo sauce instead, and they were happy to comply. This dish was great with a mix of nicely cooked baby calamari, scallops, shrimp, and white fish. The pasta also comes with garlic bread and soup or salad, and we chose the Lentil Soup. The lentils were tender and had a nice mild middle eastern spice to it.
We also tried the Cannelloni ($9.95) with meat sauce (choice of having marinara or meat) which also came with garlic bread and soup or salad. This time we got the Chicken and Rice Soup, and it was very tasty. The broth was rich, and the soup was full of chicken, rice and veggies. Now, my favorite cannelloni is/was the version at the now long departed Rossini's on PCH in Torrance (now home to the expanded Volvo dealership), and unfortunately all future canenelloni is compared to theirs. This one doesn't compare. It's a very nice sized serving of three rolls of pasta sheets filled with what seemed like sausage lumps in a gravy. I was hoping for a soft smooth filling, not the firm lumps of meat. Overall, it was tasty, but not my favorite.
We will definitely be back to try more things including the sandwiches.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Kincaid's, Redondo Beach, CA
Kincaid's Fish, Chop and Steak House
500 The Pier, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-318-6080
http://www.kincaids.com/
Located on the upper level of the Redondo Pier. Plenty of validated pay parking.
Locations across the US.
Higher end dining. Reservations recommended for holidays and weekend evenings.
Visited: Numerous times; Dinner (usually), Dine-in
Most recently: November 2009
Kincaid's is located at the Pier, and so has a beautiful view of the Pier boardwalks and the Pacific Ocean. They have an extensive seafood and meats menu that changes based on the season or what's fresh. I think everything we've had has been great.
They start you with a warm garlic bread - similar to a soft or thin focaccia. Very buttery and tasty.
The French Onion Soup and the Salmon Bisque are both excellent, and can be quite filling. They also often have a soup special, and I've had the thick and tasty (yet a little too sweet) Butternut Squash Soup in the past.
The Prime Rib and Filet Mignon are both tender and excellent. If they have the Trio of Brochettes (sometimes seafood, sometimes surf and turf), get it. It's an excellent and beautiful sampling. The seafood is always good, and changes regularly. We've had the salmon, scallops, stuffed mahi mahi, and it's all been tasty.
Most of the entrees are complete meals with a starch and veg, however there are a few sides that you can add on. These are portioned to share. We like the Mac and Cheese (with bacon) a lot.
Desserts are also very good, and you may need to plan ahead to make sure you still have room! We like the Creme Brulee, Chocolate Cake, and the Pear Bread Pudding.
If you visit their website to view the menu, it really short changes how extensive the menu really is. I think this is because so much of their menu is seasonal or du jour, that it's hard to post regularly online.
500 The Pier, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-318-6080
http://www.kincaids.com/
Located on the upper level of the Redondo Pier. Plenty of validated pay parking.
Locations across the US.
Higher end dining. Reservations recommended for holidays and weekend evenings.
Visited: Numerous times; Dinner (usually), Dine-in
Most recently: November 2009
Kincaid's is located at the Pier, and so has a beautiful view of the Pier boardwalks and the Pacific Ocean. They have an extensive seafood and meats menu that changes based on the season or what's fresh. I think everything we've had has been great.
They start you with a warm garlic bread - similar to a soft or thin focaccia. Very buttery and tasty.
The French Onion Soup and the Salmon Bisque are both excellent, and can be quite filling. They also often have a soup special, and I've had the thick and tasty (yet a little too sweet) Butternut Squash Soup in the past.
The Prime Rib and Filet Mignon are both tender and excellent. If they have the Trio of Brochettes (sometimes seafood, sometimes surf and turf), get it. It's an excellent and beautiful sampling. The seafood is always good, and changes regularly. We've had the salmon, scallops, stuffed mahi mahi, and it's all been tasty.
Most of the entrees are complete meals with a starch and veg, however there are a few sides that you can add on. These are portioned to share. We like the Mac and Cheese (with bacon) a lot.
Desserts are also very good, and you may need to plan ahead to make sure you still have room! We like the Creme Brulee, Chocolate Cake, and the Pear Bread Pudding.
If you visit their website to view the menu, it really short changes how extensive the menu really is. I think this is because so much of their menu is seasonal or du jour, that it's hard to post regularly online.
Fleming's Steakhouse, El Segundo, CA
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA
310-643-6911
http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/
Locations throughout Southern California and the US.
Valet parking in front; free self parking behind the restaurant in the structure.
Higher end. Option of black napkin, if preferred. Full bar. Can be dark inside.
Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: December 2009
We've been to Fleming's several times at this location, and every time except once, the service has been exceptional. The food has always been scrumptious. Entrees and sides are ordered separately, and sides are definitely large enough to share. Due to the pricepoint, this usually a special occasion restaurant.
Our favorite salads are the Fresh Mozzarella and Sweet Tomato - a classic Caprese served with fresh basil leaves, balsamic, and olive oil. And the Fleming's Salad is a real treat - greens, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes, croutons and candied walnuts in a light vinaigrette. They used to have a Warm Spinach Mushroom Salad which was velvety good; still hoping they'll bring that back.
Our favorite meats are the Filet Mignon and Prime Ribeye. The Seared Scallops, while tasty, were a bit disappointing in their size compared with the quality of the other entrees.
On Sundays, they have a special dinner menu of Prime Rib served au jus and with two additional sauces. The dinner starts with a choice of The Wedge, Fleming's or Caesar Salad, one side dish and dessert. A great piece of meat, and a great value for the set menu.
They also have seasonal prix fixe menus which have been very tasty.
Be sure to listen to specials. Some notable items have been the Bone-In Filet Mignon - an amazing piece of meat that is cooked well and literally fork tender. Also tasty was the Macadamia-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass served with asparagus. Often there is a Mixed Grill special - meats or surf and turf that sound tasty.
Our favorite sides are the Fleming's Potatoes - scallopped potatoes with jalapeno and topped with cheddar cheese and the Chipotle Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese - with a nice little kick. The thick tower of Onion Rings is also good, but a lot of onion rings. The Grilled Asparagus, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Creamed Spinach are also tasty.
For dessert, the Chocolate Lava Cake is very good and requires a pre-order during your entree. The Creme Brulee is also a nice finish to the evening if you have room.
They also have an extensive collection of wines and aged Scotches.
2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA
310-643-6911
http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/
Locations throughout Southern California and the US.
Valet parking in front; free self parking behind the restaurant in the structure.
Higher end. Option of black napkin, if preferred. Full bar. Can be dark inside.
Visited: Numerous times, Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: December 2009
We've been to Fleming's several times at this location, and every time except once, the service has been exceptional. The food has always been scrumptious. Entrees and sides are ordered separately, and sides are definitely large enough to share. Due to the pricepoint, this usually a special occasion restaurant.
Our favorite salads are the Fresh Mozzarella and Sweet Tomato - a classic Caprese served with fresh basil leaves, balsamic, and olive oil. And the Fleming's Salad is a real treat - greens, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes, croutons and candied walnuts in a light vinaigrette. They used to have a Warm Spinach Mushroom Salad which was velvety good; still hoping they'll bring that back.
Our favorite meats are the Filet Mignon and Prime Ribeye. The Seared Scallops, while tasty, were a bit disappointing in their size compared with the quality of the other entrees.
On Sundays, they have a special dinner menu of Prime Rib served au jus and with two additional sauces. The dinner starts with a choice of The Wedge, Fleming's or Caesar Salad, one side dish and dessert. A great piece of meat, and a great value for the set menu.
They also have seasonal prix fixe menus which have been very tasty.
Be sure to listen to specials. Some notable items have been the Bone-In Filet Mignon - an amazing piece of meat that is cooked well and literally fork tender. Also tasty was the Macadamia-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass served with asparagus. Often there is a Mixed Grill special - meats or surf and turf that sound tasty.
Our favorite sides are the Fleming's Potatoes - scallopped potatoes with jalapeno and topped with cheddar cheese and the Chipotle Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese - with a nice little kick. The thick tower of Onion Rings is also good, but a lot of onion rings. The Grilled Asparagus, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Creamed Spinach are also tasty.
For dessert, the Chocolate Lava Cake is very good and requires a pre-order during your entree. The Creme Brulee is also a nice finish to the evening if you have room.
They also have an extensive collection of wines and aged Scotches.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Ports O'Call Restaurant, San Pedro, CA
Ports O'Call Restaurant
Ports O'Call, Berth 76, San Pedro, CA 90731
http://www.portsocalldining.com/
Located near the southern end of the Ports O'Call. Plenty of free parking.
Higher end. Reservations recommended for holidays, brunch and weekend evenings.
Visited: December 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
The Ports O'Call Restaurant is located on the water with a lovely view of the boats, tugs, cruise ships, and freighters that enter and exit the Los Angeles Port. It's a great special occasion restaurant, and also has a lovely Sunday Brunch.
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch - it was a beautiful day to watch the waterway and its various birds, and the food was great as well. The menu is pretty stable, but may change around the holidays for special treats.
To start, the restaurant serves warm crispy baguettes with butter and a pesto parmesan dip. I'm such a sucker for warm bread, and the pesto was a nice touch.
I started with the special Lobster Bisque that came with two shrimp. Because the broth was based on cioppino, it had much more depth than your usual bisque. Rich and amazing. Great with the baguettes.
The Stacked 10 oz Prime Rib Sandwich ($12.00) served au jus was amazing. It comes on a lovely toasted baguette and topped with crispy onion rings and a garlic-cream cheese spread. Served with a choice of side French Fried Potatoes, Creole Cole Slaw or Mashed Potatoes, and we chose the Fries, a generous serving. The meat was super tender, and it was a very satisfying and filling sandwich.
Another very satisying entree is the Seafood Combo Tempura ($11.00), a lovely lightly battered combination of 2 shrimp, 2 scallops, fish, and a mountain of fries. The combo is served with the House Tartar Sauce and ketchup.
A holiday seasonal special was the Grilled Halibut served with shrimp with a light beurre blanc, roasted corn mashed potatoes (little bits of roasted corn kernals mixed with the potatoes) and asparagus. This really was a heavenly mixture.
We also ordered a couple sides to share (not that we needed them; the entree portions were plenty): the special Macaroni and Cheese and the Spinach with Bacon. Both were very tasty, and we would definitely order them again if offered.
It's been a long time since we attended the brunch, and that will be on our agenda soon.
Ports O'Call, Berth 76, San Pedro, CA 90731
http://www.portsocalldining.com/
Located near the southern end of the Ports O'Call. Plenty of free parking.
Higher end. Reservations recommended for holidays, brunch and weekend evenings.
Visited: December 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
The Ports O'Call Restaurant is located on the water with a lovely view of the boats, tugs, cruise ships, and freighters that enter and exit the Los Angeles Port. It's a great special occasion restaurant, and also has a lovely Sunday Brunch.
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch - it was a beautiful day to watch the waterway and its various birds, and the food was great as well. The menu is pretty stable, but may change around the holidays for special treats.
To start, the restaurant serves warm crispy baguettes with butter and a pesto parmesan dip. I'm such a sucker for warm bread, and the pesto was a nice touch.
I started with the special Lobster Bisque that came with two shrimp. Because the broth was based on cioppino, it had much more depth than your usual bisque. Rich and amazing. Great with the baguettes.
The Stacked 10 oz Prime Rib Sandwich ($12.00) served au jus was amazing. It comes on a lovely toasted baguette and topped with crispy onion rings and a garlic-cream cheese spread. Served with a choice of side French Fried Potatoes, Creole Cole Slaw or Mashed Potatoes, and we chose the Fries, a generous serving. The meat was super tender, and it was a very satisfying and filling sandwich.
Another very satisying entree is the Seafood Combo Tempura ($11.00), a lovely lightly battered combination of 2 shrimp, 2 scallops, fish, and a mountain of fries. The combo is served with the House Tartar Sauce and ketchup.
A holiday seasonal special was the Grilled Halibut served with shrimp with a light beurre blanc, roasted corn mashed potatoes (little bits of roasted corn kernals mixed with the potatoes) and asparagus. This really was a heavenly mixture.
We also ordered a couple sides to share (not that we needed them; the entree portions were plenty): the special Macaroni and Cheese and the Spinach with Bacon. Both were very tasty, and we would definitely order them again if offered.
It's been a long time since we attended the brunch, and that will be on our agenda soon.
The Watering Hole, Sebring, FL
The Watering Hole
6813 US 27 South, Sebring, FL 33876
863-382-4554
http://www.wateringholesebring.com/
Restaurant open Mon-Sat, 4pm-10pm. Lounge and package store open 7 days.
Plenty of parking in the dirt lot.
Cash only; they have an ATM inside.
Casual. Can be dark inside.
Visited: Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: December 2009
The Watering Hole has been in Sebring for a very long time, and really did start out as a watering hole for the local cowboys way back in the day. It's now a really good steak and seafood restaurant, but still maintains some of the casual cowboy-ness with its large wood plank tables and large communal-ish dinig room. There's also a 14'+ alligator named Bully that lives there, and if you're lucky, you may actually see Bully move.
As soon as you walk in, you smell garlic, and the entrees come with the house garlic bread which is quite tasty and not for the faint of heart. The bread is toasted in the same area as the dining room, so the smell really pervades everywhere.
All of the dinners come with green salad, fruit salad or cole slaw. The green salad is nicely sized and very colorful. It has romaine as its lettuce base topped with pretty bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots. The fruit salad was a very nice mix of melons, fresh pineapple, and grapes.
Entrees also come with a very nice fruity garnish of a strawberry, a third of a peeled banana, and a thick slice of grapefruit. Very pretty. You also have your choice of potato: baked, parsleyed red, or fries. In all, very generous portions.
In addition to the menu items, you'll also see their meat and seafood specials at the hostess podium. We got the special of the day Porterhouse ($21.95). YUM! It was well cooked and comes slathered in the same garlic butter that is on the bread, and a baked potato. It was a great price for the quality and size of the meat and for all that comes with it.
We also got the Cowboy-size Fillet Mignon (as opposed to the Cowgirl-size) with Fries, the special of the day Ribeye ($15.95) with parsleyed red potatoes, and the very nicely sized Fried Shrimp (choice of grilled, fried, or sauteed in the garlic butter) and potatoes.
We saw someone at the next table over have the fettucini (with a number of menu options), and I think we'll try that the next time we visit.
Everything was very tasty, and the service was good and southern friendly.
6813 US 27 South, Sebring, FL 33876
863-382-4554
http://www.wateringholesebring.com/
Restaurant open Mon-Sat, 4pm-10pm. Lounge and package store open 7 days.
Plenty of parking in the dirt lot.
Cash only; they have an ATM inside.
Casual. Can be dark inside.
Visited: Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: December 2009
The Watering Hole has been in Sebring for a very long time, and really did start out as a watering hole for the local cowboys way back in the day. It's now a really good steak and seafood restaurant, but still maintains some of the casual cowboy-ness with its large wood plank tables and large communal-ish dinig room. There's also a 14'+ alligator named Bully that lives there, and if you're lucky, you may actually see Bully move.
As soon as you walk in, you smell garlic, and the entrees come with the house garlic bread which is quite tasty and not for the faint of heart. The bread is toasted in the same area as the dining room, so the smell really pervades everywhere.
All of the dinners come with green salad, fruit salad or cole slaw. The green salad is nicely sized and very colorful. It has romaine as its lettuce base topped with pretty bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots. The fruit salad was a very nice mix of melons, fresh pineapple, and grapes.
Entrees also come with a very nice fruity garnish of a strawberry, a third of a peeled banana, and a thick slice of grapefruit. Very pretty. You also have your choice of potato: baked, parsleyed red, or fries. In all, very generous portions.
In addition to the menu items, you'll also see their meat and seafood specials at the hostess podium. We got the special of the day Porterhouse ($21.95). YUM! It was well cooked and comes slathered in the same garlic butter that is on the bread, and a baked potato. It was a great price for the quality and size of the meat and for all that comes with it.
We also got the Cowboy-size Fillet Mignon (as opposed to the Cowgirl-size) with Fries, the special of the day Ribeye ($15.95) with parsleyed red potatoes, and the very nicely sized Fried Shrimp (choice of grilled, fried, or sauteed in the garlic butter) and potatoes.
We saw someone at the next table over have the fettucini (with a number of menu options), and I think we'll try that the next time we visit.
Everything was very tasty, and the service was good and southern friendly.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Fun Fish Market and Restaurant, Redondo Beach, CA
Fun Fish Market and Restaurant
123 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-374-4277
Plenty of pay parking in either of the pier structures; try to get as low as possible. Located next to the Fun Arcade.
Casual, family friendly. Large dining room.
Visited: Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: August 2009
Fun Fish is located at the pier, so of course the seafood has to be good, right? Well, it was okay. On this trip, we just tried a couple things, and while not overly specatular, it was enough to whet our appetites to come back another time. Overall, it's not cheap, but it's also seafood.
We had the Fried Seafood Combo which consisted of white fish, shrimp, and scallops, along with a generous serving of fries and cole slaw. It was fine, but you can get a better cooked combo with more side choices over at Captain Kidd's which is a 5 minute walk away.
We also had the Spicy Seafood Soup. This was a fascinating dish. The 'small' is really meant for 2 people, so the serving is huge. It's a Korean style soup that is very spicy, and is served with steamed white rice and kim chi. It had a lot of strange chunks of fish on the bone, some small whole shrimp, daikon, and tofu. While I actually very much enjoyed the dish, it was also a little odd because I couldn't tell what the fish was or what part of the fish it was. After a while, the bones became tedious.
While Fun Fish has a very open air feeling, it is enclosed in glass which helps to protect against the elements at the pier. For this reason, I would feel comfortable eating here even if the weather were inclement. The next time we go back, we're going to try to the shrimp fajitas which looked really good.
123 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-374-4277
Plenty of pay parking in either of the pier structures; try to get as low as possible. Located next to the Fun Arcade.
Casual, family friendly. Large dining room.
Visited: Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: August 2009
Fun Fish is located at the pier, so of course the seafood has to be good, right? Well, it was okay. On this trip, we just tried a couple things, and while not overly specatular, it was enough to whet our appetites to come back another time. Overall, it's not cheap, but it's also seafood.
We had the Fried Seafood Combo which consisted of white fish, shrimp, and scallops, along with a generous serving of fries and cole slaw. It was fine, but you can get a better cooked combo with more side choices over at Captain Kidd's which is a 5 minute walk away.
We also had the Spicy Seafood Soup. This was a fascinating dish. The 'small' is really meant for 2 people, so the serving is huge. It's a Korean style soup that is very spicy, and is served with steamed white rice and kim chi. It had a lot of strange chunks of fish on the bone, some small whole shrimp, daikon, and tofu. While I actually very much enjoyed the dish, it was also a little odd because I couldn't tell what the fish was or what part of the fish it was. After a while, the bones became tedious.
While Fun Fish has a very open air feeling, it is enclosed in glass which helps to protect against the elements at the pier. For this reason, I would feel comfortable eating here even if the weather were inclement. The next time we go back, we're going to try to the shrimp fajitas which looked really good.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Admiral Risty, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
The Admiral Risty
31250 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90275
310-377-0050
http://www.admiral-risty.com/
Located at PV Drive West and Hawthorne in Golden Cove Plaza. Plenty of parking.
Higher end. Reservations recommended. Can be dark inside when the sun goes down.
Visited: July 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
Admiral Risty's is definitely a special occasion dining experience. It's an old school establishment that has been there forever. It has an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, and reservations are particularly recommended if you want a window-side view. However, I think most diners in the restaurant can enjoy the view from wherever they are.
Menu items may seem pricey, but you certainly get a lot of food. All dinners come with soup or salad (mixed greens, caesar, or spinach mushroom salad), fresh steamed veggies, and your choice of starch, plus warm bread. I'm such a sucker for warm sourdough!
It's a seafood restaurant, so you can imagine there are a lot of seafood options. The Cioppino ($36.00) was to die for. It arrives in this HUGE covered crock, comes with all of those sides listed above, PLUS a plate a linguine. We bypassed the pasta and took that home, and also skipped the offered starch since we had the pasta, but did enjoy some clam chowder to start and the steamed asparagus. The broth was incredible and the seafood was oh so tasty. Several types of fish, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and lobster all melded so well with the frangrant rich tomatoey broth. All I needed was that sourdough, and it was heavenly. This portion could easily, easily have been split by 2 people.
We also had the Deep Fried Combination of Shrimp, Scallops and Fresh Fish ($28.00). Again, the seafood was so fresh and very well fried. If you like seafood combos, you'll love this. Started with the spinach mushroom salad, and had the baked potato and asparagus.
And of course, every seafood restaurant has to offer is meat dish. We had the Filet Mignon ($36.00) started with mixed green salad, and then had the wedge fries and asparagus. For a seafood joint, the steak was just as quality. All of these are very full plates of food.
We also had dessert. A bowl of Fresh Strawberries with Vanilla Ice Cream - a perfect combination. And their German Chocolate Cake ($7.00) with a glass of cold milk. We really didn't have room for dessert, but again, it's a special occasion restaurant, and we were there to celebrate. The desserts were luxurious and topped off a great evening.
31250 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90275
310-377-0050
http://www.admiral-risty.com/
Located at PV Drive West and Hawthorne in Golden Cove Plaza. Plenty of parking.
Higher end. Reservations recommended. Can be dark inside when the sun goes down.
Visited: July 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
Admiral Risty's is definitely a special occasion dining experience. It's an old school establishment that has been there forever. It has an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, and reservations are particularly recommended if you want a window-side view. However, I think most diners in the restaurant can enjoy the view from wherever they are.
Menu items may seem pricey, but you certainly get a lot of food. All dinners come with soup or salad (mixed greens, caesar, or spinach mushroom salad), fresh steamed veggies, and your choice of starch, plus warm bread. I'm such a sucker for warm sourdough!
It's a seafood restaurant, so you can imagine there are a lot of seafood options. The Cioppino ($36.00) was to die for. It arrives in this HUGE covered crock, comes with all of those sides listed above, PLUS a plate a linguine. We bypassed the pasta and took that home, and also skipped the offered starch since we had the pasta, but did enjoy some clam chowder to start and the steamed asparagus. The broth was incredible and the seafood was oh so tasty. Several types of fish, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and lobster all melded so well with the frangrant rich tomatoey broth. All I needed was that sourdough, and it was heavenly. This portion could easily, easily have been split by 2 people.
We also had the Deep Fried Combination of Shrimp, Scallops and Fresh Fish ($28.00). Again, the seafood was so fresh and very well fried. If you like seafood combos, you'll love this. Started with the spinach mushroom salad, and had the baked potato and asparagus.
And of course, every seafood restaurant has to offer is meat dish. We had the Filet Mignon ($36.00) started with mixed green salad, and then had the wedge fries and asparagus. For a seafood joint, the steak was just as quality. All of these are very full plates of food.
We also had dessert. A bowl of Fresh Strawberries with Vanilla Ice Cream - a perfect combination. And their German Chocolate Cake ($7.00) with a glass of cold milk. We really didn't have room for dessert, but again, it's a special occasion restaurant, and we were there to celebrate. The desserts were luxurious and topped off a great evening.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Delzano's by the Sea, Redondo Beach, CA
Delzano's by the Sea
179 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Located at the far northern end of the Intl Boardwalk of the Redondo Pier.
310-374-7525
http://www.delzanos.com/
Plenty of pay parking in several nearby lots; validation available.
Higher end. Full bar. Reservations recommended.
Visited: May 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
Well, being a Saturday at a higher end restaurant, it was pretty empty. We sat in at a tall bar table with a very lovely view of the International Boardwalk and watching small boats, ski-dos, etc being loaded onto the launch. There were also some rather ornery looking sea gulls waiting for handouts from returning fishermen.
A lunch menu was available in addition to the full dinner menu. The lunch menu offered more choices of salads and sandwiches. We stuck to the dinner menu, and ordered, what soon became, two favorites.
Frutti Di Mare ($19.95): an incredibly generous portion of pasta with a matching incredibly generous portion of lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams and fish. You have your choice of garlic cream sauce or marinara, and we chose red. The sauce was also a bit chunky, and the entire dish could easily have been shared. There were also a couple little ramekins of freshly shaved parmesan, which seemed so un-Italian - cheese with fish?
By the Sea Cioppino ($19.95): The cioppino comes in a large lidded bowl with a heaping, and I mean heaping, amount of seafood. The bowl was full of crab (partially cracked to make things easier), many kinds of fish, a ton of clams, huge shrimp, and huge scallops. It was all cooked well, very fresh, and the the spicy tomato broth was a perfect match. Again, this dish can easily be shared, and you would both be full.
The meal also came with fresh hot crusty and chewy bread - all the more decadent to soak up the broth.
I also had their special iced tea - a homemade blend of tea infused with citrus and rose. The flavor wasn't super strong, but for someone who usually doesn't like flavored tea, it was quite refreshing.
All in all, the meal was delicious. With tons of leftovers, and the service was great.
179 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Located at the far northern end of the Intl Boardwalk of the Redondo Pier.
310-374-7525
http://www.delzanos.com/
Plenty of pay parking in several nearby lots; validation available.
Higher end. Full bar. Reservations recommended.
Visited: May 2009, Lunch, Dine-in
Well, being a Saturday at a higher end restaurant, it was pretty empty. We sat in at a tall bar table with a very lovely view of the International Boardwalk and watching small boats, ski-dos, etc being loaded onto the launch. There were also some rather ornery looking sea gulls waiting for handouts from returning fishermen.
A lunch menu was available in addition to the full dinner menu. The lunch menu offered more choices of salads and sandwiches. We stuck to the dinner menu, and ordered, what soon became, two favorites.
Frutti Di Mare ($19.95): an incredibly generous portion of pasta with a matching incredibly generous portion of lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams and fish. You have your choice of garlic cream sauce or marinara, and we chose red. The sauce was also a bit chunky, and the entire dish could easily have been shared. There were also a couple little ramekins of freshly shaved parmesan, which seemed so un-Italian - cheese with fish?
By the Sea Cioppino ($19.95): The cioppino comes in a large lidded bowl with a heaping, and I mean heaping, amount of seafood. The bowl was full of crab (partially cracked to make things easier), many kinds of fish, a ton of clams, huge shrimp, and huge scallops. It was all cooked well, very fresh, and the the spicy tomato broth was a perfect match. Again, this dish can easily be shared, and you would both be full.
The meal also came with fresh hot crusty and chewy bread - all the more decadent to soak up the broth.
I also had their special iced tea - a homemade blend of tea infused with citrus and rose. The flavor wasn't super strong, but for someone who usually doesn't like flavored tea, it was quite refreshing.
All in all, the meal was delicious. With tons of leftovers, and the service was great.
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
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