Cousin Vinny's Cafe
5148 W. 190th St (in the 99c Store strip)
Torrance, CA 90503
310-542-3300
www.cousinvinnyscafe.com
Plenty of free parking.
Visited: A couple times, most recently, January 2011, Lunch, Dine-in
Well, they're from back east, and they say they got a good Cheese Steak, and boy, they sure do. We really enjoyed our sandwiches, and will definitely be back.
From a south Philly perspective, the original Philly Cheese Steak ($8.50) was very nicely done. The hoagie roll is soft and toasted on the griddle. The meat is plentiful and very tender, and the onions were cooked very nicely. They also use Provolone, which was great, but also have Cheez Whiz for those that prefer orange cheese.
They also claim to have the best French Dip ($8.50) around, well, not so much. It's a very fine sandwich with that nice bread and meat, however being from LA, nothing tops Philippe's. And my longstanding pet peeve, they used the term 'au jus' incorrectly on the menu.
The Meatball Sub ($8.50) made with their homemeade meatballs and marinara was also very tasty. Good bread is such a key, and their hoagie roll holds up well to the sauce and melted mozzarella.
All sandwiches come with a huge portion of crinkle cut fries or macaroni salad, and a pickle spear.
Vinny's is a new business, so watch out for coupons in area mailers.
Showing posts with label torrance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label torrance. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Seafood Port, Torrance, CA
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Bombay Tandoori, Torrance, CA
Bombay Tandoori & Banquet
4111 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
310-303-3185
Located at the bottom of the Days Inn. Plenty of free parking.
Lunch buffet, Dinner, and Banquet room (up to 150).
2 other locations in Hawthorne and Los Angeles as India's Tandoori.
Opened: August 2009
Visited: March 2010, Dinner, Dine-In; September 2010, Lunch Buffet
This location has been a revolving door of restaurants over the last 15-20 years, but we're hoping this one will stay. If you have eaten Indian food in the Torrance area over the last 5 years or so, you may be familiar with Robbie (in this location before when it was Punjabi, then opened his own place Shah Tandoori Grill further down PCH), well Robbie is back! It was like old home week to see him - we had no idea this was his new location (he's back in the south bay after having been at their Wilshire location for the last 2 years.)
We ordered some of our favorites and tried a couple new things.
Alu Samosa ($3.50) - 2 very large potato and pea samosas. Kinda plain, but a nice starter.
Tandoori Chicken Wings ($6.95) - 7 very tender wings served as an appetizer but tandoori style with the sizzling onions and tomatoes. These were stellar, and a great innovation. They had both a very nice flavor and a very nice char.
The Chicken Tikka Masala ($12.95) is as good as ever. A great rich flavor with that sweet-spicy tikka masala gravy to die for. The gravy is good on its own without even any meat! We ordered medium but it didn't seem very spicy - it was great.
Keema Curry ($12.95) of ground lamb and peas was really nice. But this we also ordered medium, and it was quite hot. Almost too hot in that you couldn't taste the spices as well. But still good.
Lamb Biryani ($12.95) served in a heaping pile of basmati rice, large lamb chunks, and nuts and raisins. I'm not usually a fan of raisins, but these were nicely cooked in the biryani. Overall very tender, and quite the meal unto itself.
We also ordered Plain Naan ($2.50), and they were fresh, hot, fluffy, and chewy. Great accompaniment and tool for those curries.
The Lunch Buffet ($9.95) is also quite a deal. They have an assortment of salads, and always have both Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Tandoori. The appetizers (today was a dal samosa and veggie pakoras), veggies (today: bengan bharta, saag paneer - both excellent!), and other entrees (today: chili chicken, Indian noodles - similar to chow mein) change on a daily basis.
4111 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
310-303-3185
Located at the bottom of the Days Inn. Plenty of free parking.
Lunch buffet, Dinner, and Banquet room (up to 150).
2 other locations in Hawthorne and Los Angeles as India's Tandoori.
Opened: August 2009
Visited: March 2010, Dinner, Dine-In; September 2010, Lunch Buffet
This location has been a revolving door of restaurants over the last 15-20 years, but we're hoping this one will stay. If you have eaten Indian food in the Torrance area over the last 5 years or so, you may be familiar with Robbie (in this location before when it was Punjabi, then opened his own place Shah Tandoori Grill further down PCH), well Robbie is back! It was like old home week to see him - we had no idea this was his new location (he's back in the south bay after having been at their Wilshire location for the last 2 years.)
We ordered some of our favorites and tried a couple new things.
Alu Samosa ($3.50) - 2 very large potato and pea samosas. Kinda plain, but a nice starter.
Tandoori Chicken Wings ($6.95) - 7 very tender wings served as an appetizer but tandoori style with the sizzling onions and tomatoes. These were stellar, and a great innovation. They had both a very nice flavor and a very nice char.
The Chicken Tikka Masala ($12.95) is as good as ever. A great rich flavor with that sweet-spicy tikka masala gravy to die for. The gravy is good on its own without even any meat! We ordered medium but it didn't seem very spicy - it was great.
Keema Curry ($12.95) of ground lamb and peas was really nice. But this we also ordered medium, and it was quite hot. Almost too hot in that you couldn't taste the spices as well. But still good.
Lamb Biryani ($12.95) served in a heaping pile of basmati rice, large lamb chunks, and nuts and raisins. I'm not usually a fan of raisins, but these were nicely cooked in the biryani. Overall very tender, and quite the meal unto itself.
We also ordered Plain Naan ($2.50), and they were fresh, hot, fluffy, and chewy. Great accompaniment and tool for those curries.
The Lunch Buffet ($9.95) is also quite a deal. They have an assortment of salads, and always have both Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Tandoori. The appetizers (today was a dal samosa and veggie pakoras), veggies (today: bengan bharta, saag paneer - both excellent!), and other entrees (today: chili chicken, Indian noodles - similar to chow mein) change on a daily basis.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Shayan Market, Torrance, CA
Shayan Market
3801 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
310-373-5550
Take-out or catering only.
Visited: January 2010, Dinner, Take-out
About a year or so ago, the Shayan Market (and the whole market strip) went through a remodel. We finally went in to see the new store, and were enticed by the yummy cooking smells coming from their grill. On our next trip back to shop, we decided to order some dinner. We placed our order, did our shopping, and then picked up our dinner.
Overall, flavors were milder than expected based on the smell. We tried the #1: Lamb Shank ($10.99). It was a very tender and large lamb shank, but very plain. It came with a very very large service of basmati rice cooked with broad beans and a lot of dill. I found that dill is not my favorite herb.
We also tried some basics the Koobideh (ground beef) Kabab ($9.99), Chicken Koobideh (Z$9.99), and the Boneless Chicken Breast Kabob ($9.99). These were all very generous servings of meat with basmati rice, grilled tomatoes, and lavash. However, they were a little plain or mild in seasoning than we prefer.
I love that everything is so fresh, but would prefer a more hefty seasoning package on the meats.
3801 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
310-373-5550
Take-out or catering only.
Visited: January 2010, Dinner, Take-out
About a year or so ago, the Shayan Market (and the whole market strip) went through a remodel. We finally went in to see the new store, and were enticed by the yummy cooking smells coming from their grill. On our next trip back to shop, we decided to order some dinner. We placed our order, did our shopping, and then picked up our dinner.
Overall, flavors were milder than expected based on the smell. We tried the #1: Lamb Shank ($10.99). It was a very tender and large lamb shank, but very plain. It came with a very very large service of basmati rice cooked with broad beans and a lot of dill. I found that dill is not my favorite herb.
We also tried some basics the Koobideh (ground beef) Kabab ($9.99), Chicken Koobideh (Z$9.99), and the Boneless Chicken Breast Kabob ($9.99). These were all very generous servings of meat with basmati rice, grilled tomatoes, and lavash. However, they were a little plain or mild in seasoning than we prefer.
I love that everything is so fresh, but would prefer a more hefty seasoning package on the meats.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Il Toscano, Torrance, CA
Il Toscano Ristorante
24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-378-2686
http://iltoscanoonline.com/
Located at the top of Hillside Village, plenty of free parking. Requires going up stairs to get to the restaurant.
Higher end. Reservations recommended. Now open Sundays.
Visited: Numerous times over the last 15 years. Dinner, dine-in
Il Toscano has long been our favorite Italian restaurant. The owner, Vittorio, is full of character and his food is great.
Our World Famous Cioppino ($25.95) is delicious. It's a great sampling of seafood in a very lovely tomatoey broth. Comes with toasted garlic bread.
The Lasagna ($12.95) is also very tasty with layers of bolognese and bechamelle sauces.
If you've never had squid ink pasta, here's a great place to try it. The Sringhe al nero di Seppi ($13.95) is a long pasta served with shrimp in a light cream sauce. It looks a little bizarre, but is pretty tasty.
Be sure to plan ahead for dessert ($7.00) - the Tiramisu and the Chocolate Mousse are creamy and heavenly! There's also usually a dessert of the day, so be sure to ask.
24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-378-2686
http://iltoscanoonline.com/
Located at the top of Hillside Village, plenty of free parking. Requires going up stairs to get to the restaurant.
Higher end. Reservations recommended. Now open Sundays.
Visited: Numerous times over the last 15 years. Dinner, dine-in
Il Toscano has long been our favorite Italian restaurant. The owner, Vittorio, is full of character and his food is great.
Our World Famous Cioppino ($25.95) is delicious. It's a great sampling of seafood in a very lovely tomatoey broth. Comes with toasted garlic bread.
The Lasagna ($12.95) is also very tasty with layers of bolognese and bechamelle sauces.
If you've never had squid ink pasta, here's a great place to try it. The Sringhe al nero di Seppi ($13.95) is a long pasta served with shrimp in a light cream sauce. It looks a little bizarre, but is pretty tasty.
Be sure to plan ahead for dessert ($7.00) - the Tiramisu and the Chocolate Mousse are creamy and heavenly! There's also usually a dessert of the day, so be sure to ask.
Friday, January 8, 2010
'Y' Not Burgers, Torrance, CA
'Y' Not Burgers
22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-375-4202
http://www.ynotburgers.com/
At the corner of Hawthorne and 230th. Usually plenty of parking in their lot.
Fast food. Plenty of indoor booth seating. Drive-through also. Very friendly.
Visited: Numerous times over the years; usually take out.
Most recently: August 2009
'Y' Not is a local landmark serving you any kind of burger you want - beef, turkey, ostrich, buffalo and garden with all the assorted trimmings.
They also serve a great hot Pastrami Sandwich ($5.85) on a French roll, and wonderful BLT ($5.10).
Their French fries are always cooked well, and if you're in a particularly evil mood, you have to get the Chili Cheese Fries ($4.55). An amazing portion of really good badness.
'Y' Not also serves breakfast, and we highly recommend the Breakfast Burrito - egg, cheese, salsa, and either bacon, ham or sausage ($4.50). There's quite a bit of salsa on the burrito, but it's very tasty and very filling. If you get a burrito for breakfast, you probably won't need to have lunch.
In all, a great local place that folks have been coming to for years.
22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-375-4202
http://www.ynotburgers.com/
At the corner of Hawthorne and 230th. Usually plenty of parking in their lot.
Fast food. Plenty of indoor booth seating. Drive-through also. Very friendly.
Visited: Numerous times over the years; usually take out.
Most recently: August 2009
'Y' Not is a local landmark serving you any kind of burger you want - beef, turkey, ostrich, buffalo and garden with all the assorted trimmings.
They also serve a great hot Pastrami Sandwich ($5.85) on a French roll, and wonderful BLT ($5.10).
Their French fries are always cooked well, and if you're in a particularly evil mood, you have to get the Chili Cheese Fries ($4.55). An amazing portion of really good badness.
'Y' Not also serves breakfast, and we highly recommend the Breakfast Burrito - egg, cheese, salsa, and either bacon, ham or sausage ($4.50). There's quite a bit of salsa on the burrito, but it's very tasty and very filling. If you get a burrito for breakfast, you probably won't need to have lunch.
In all, a great local place that folks have been coming to for years.
Rascals Teriyaki Grill, Torrance, CA
Rascals Teriyaki Grill
5111 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
310-542-0022
http://www.rascalsteriyaki.com/
Free parking in lot, however can be very crowded during meal times.
Additional locations in Gardena and Long Beach.
Closed Sundays.
Casual/fast foodish. Order and pick up at the counter.
Visited: Numerous times; Usually take-out
Most recently: June 2010
Rascals is a teri grill with a decidedy Hawaiian bent. They do a brisk business, and everything is super fresh.
Our favorites are the Chinese Chicken Salads ($5.15, $6.75) with shredded chicken breast, cucumbers, green onion, and the cruchies are rice noodles and almond slivers. The dressing is tangy with a hint of sesame. Party trays of this salad are very popular for parties, but we think you actually get more 'stuff' if you order the individual salads.
And the Teri Burgers ($3.95) on a soft bun with lettuce, tomatoes, soft onions, pickles, and mayo. The burger also comes with extra teri sauce, which we find we need.
Also very good is the Teri Beef (Bowl $5.75, Plate $6.95, Deluxe With Salad $8.10). The Teri Chicken isn't bad, but we prefer the Beef.
The Curry Bowl (Chix $5.35, Beef $5.75, Veg $5.15) is also pretty tasty as is the Chili and Rice ($3.95).
Because they're usually so crowded during meal times, we often call ahead and Rascals has a separate pick up line for called in orders.
5111 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
310-542-0022
http://www.rascalsteriyaki.com/
Free parking in lot, however can be very crowded during meal times.
Additional locations in Gardena and Long Beach.
Closed Sundays.
Casual/fast foodish. Order and pick up at the counter.
Visited: Numerous times; Usually take-out
Most recently: June 2010
Rascals is a teri grill with a decidedy Hawaiian bent. They do a brisk business, and everything is super fresh.
Our favorites are the Chinese Chicken Salads ($5.15, $6.75) with shredded chicken breast, cucumbers, green onion, and the cruchies are rice noodles and almond slivers. The dressing is tangy with a hint of sesame. Party trays of this salad are very popular for parties, but we think you actually get more 'stuff' if you order the individual salads.
And the Teri Burgers ($3.95) on a soft bun with lettuce, tomatoes, soft onions, pickles, and mayo. The burger also comes with extra teri sauce, which we find we need.
Also very good is the Teri Beef (Bowl $5.75, Plate $6.95, Deluxe With Salad $8.10). The Teri Chicken isn't bad, but we prefer the Beef.
The Curry Bowl (Chix $5.35, Beef $5.75, Veg $5.15) is also pretty tasty as is the Chili and Rice ($3.95).
Because they're usually so crowded during meal times, we often call ahead and Rascals has a separate pick up line for called in orders.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
El Burrito, Jr, Torrance, CA
El Burrito, Jr
Full Service Locations:
21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 (at Torrance Blvd in the Albertsons strip mall), 310-944-9200
3830 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505 (former Taco Bell, next to McDonald's), 310-373-5404
Walk-Up Locations (with limited covered outdoor seating):
919 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, 310-316-5058
1865 Pacific Coast Highway, Lomita, CA 90717, 310-326-6513
Visited: Numerous times; Eat in and take out
Most recently: February 2010
We usually eat in at the West Torrance location (90503), however the food at all of the locations is consistent and equally tasty.
Table service starts with fried full-size corn tortilla chips (you need to break them up yourself) and the homemade fresh salsa which is not for the tame. The salsa is usually pretty zippy, and is so popular that people buy it by the quart.
Interestingly, nothing else is deep fried. The taquitos, tacos, and chimichangas are finished on the griddle, and this adds a different spin on those traditional items.
Particular favorites are Combos #1: Enchilada and a Taco with beans or #3: 2 Enchiladas and a Taco. We usually get cheese enchiladas and shredded beef tacos. Also Combo #27: the Chimichanga with rice and beans. The chimi usually comes with shredded beef, picadollo beef, ground beef or chicken, but you can also order it with carne asada for an extra buck or two, and it's worth it.
The Machaca and eggs plate is also very tasty, although sometimes the bell peppers and onions aren't quite as cooked as much as I like them.
The Carnitas are also good, and come as a plate or in burritos. The Super Deluxe Burritos (where the rice and beans are inside the burrito, and served wet) are also great.
EBJ has the yummiest beans around - so rich and creamy, they're like gravy! Most of the entrees come with beans, or you can get a Bean Burrito with cheese. Scrumptious! EBJ's beans are our gold standard, and we pretty much compare everyone else's beans to EBJ!
Full Service Locations:
21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 (at Torrance Blvd in the Albertsons strip mall), 310-944-9200
3830 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505 (former Taco Bell, next to McDonald's), 310-373-5404
Walk-Up Locations (with limited covered outdoor seating):
919 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, 310-316-5058
1865 Pacific Coast Highway, Lomita, CA 90717, 310-326-6513
Visited: Numerous times; Eat in and take out
Most recently: February 2010
We usually eat in at the West Torrance location (90503), however the food at all of the locations is consistent and equally tasty.
Table service starts with fried full-size corn tortilla chips (you need to break them up yourself) and the homemade fresh salsa which is not for the tame. The salsa is usually pretty zippy, and is so popular that people buy it by the quart.
Interestingly, nothing else is deep fried. The taquitos, tacos, and chimichangas are finished on the griddle, and this adds a different spin on those traditional items.
Particular favorites are Combos #1: Enchilada and a Taco with beans or #3: 2 Enchiladas and a Taco. We usually get cheese enchiladas and shredded beef tacos. Also Combo #27: the Chimichanga with rice and beans. The chimi usually comes with shredded beef, picadollo beef, ground beef or chicken, but you can also order it with carne asada for an extra buck or two, and it's worth it.
The Machaca and eggs plate is also very tasty, although sometimes the bell peppers and onions aren't quite as cooked as much as I like them.
The Carnitas are also good, and come as a plate or in burritos. The Super Deluxe Burritos (where the rice and beans are inside the burrito, and served wet) are also great.
EBJ has the yummiest beans around - so rich and creamy, they're like gravy! Most of the entrees come with beans, or you can get a Bean Burrito with cheese. Scrumptious! EBJ's beans are our gold standard, and we pretty much compare everyone else's beans to EBJ!
New York Deli #2, Torrance, CA
New York Deli #2
2424 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
310-891-1229
http://www.thenewyorkdeli.com/
Closed Sundays
Plenty of free parking in the strip mall parking lot.
Casual. Order at the counter or full service.
Visited: Dinner, Take-Out
Most recently: Many times over the years; most recently October 2009
We used to frequent the NY Deli #1 further down on Sepulveda (near Arlington), but that one is now under construction and appears to be becoming a dentistry office. It ws originally recommended to us by New Yorkers, so we figure it had to be good!
In all, NY Deli is very tasty with very large portions - it's not uncommon for the sandwich to last two meals. Some of our favorites include:
#1: Hot Corned Beef ($8.95) served on Rye Bread with mustard, and choice of salad (Potato, Cole Slaw, Macaroni , Carrot, Pasta, Three Bean, Cucumber or Fresh Fruit in summer). We usually get the Potato salad as our favorite, however all of the salads are good.
#9: Kosher Beef Salami ($8.95): a huge sandwich served with lettuce, tomotoes and mustard served on Rye. Instead of the mustard, we get the Russian dressing - a great combination with the tasty salami.
#11: Liverwurst ($8.50): a huge and very tasty pile of liverwurst that comes with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. This sandwich is also good with mustard instead of mayo.
#15a: Fresh Chopped Chicken Liver ($8.50) sandwich served with raw onion. We usually omit the onions, and add tomatoes. The chopped liver also has bits of hard boiled egg, and is very rich and tasty. The tomatoes help to cut the richness.
There are also several High Sandwiches - the original sandwiches are so large, we can't imagine ordering one High, but at least there's the option.
#27: Club House (12.50) is a huge sandwich served on Rye with choice of salad. The Club consists of turkey breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
#51: Three Salad Platter ($14.95): a scoop each of chicken, egg, and tuna salads served with tomatoes, onion, pickles, and choice of bread, roll or bagel. It's enough for two people to share.
They also have half-pound burgers. We got the Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.95) which comes wth a large serving of crinkle-cut fries. A very tasty and substantial burger.
#32: Submarine ($13.95) is enough for two people. However, if you are expecting a traditional Italian sub, this is not it. The Sub is turkey, roast beef, ham, salami, roast beef, Swiss cheese, American cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo on a French roll, plus pickle and choice of salad.
NY Deli has been a mainstay for us for over 20 years.
2424 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
310-891-1229
http://www.thenewyorkdeli.com/
Closed Sundays
Plenty of free parking in the strip mall parking lot.
Casual. Order at the counter or full service.
Visited: Dinner, Take-Out
Most recently: Many times over the years; most recently October 2009
We used to frequent the NY Deli #1 further down on Sepulveda (near Arlington), but that one is now under construction and appears to be becoming a dentistry office. It ws originally recommended to us by New Yorkers, so we figure it had to be good!
In all, NY Deli is very tasty with very large portions - it's not uncommon for the sandwich to last two meals. Some of our favorites include:
#1: Hot Corned Beef ($8.95) served on Rye Bread with mustard, and choice of salad (Potato, Cole Slaw, Macaroni , Carrot, Pasta, Three Bean, Cucumber or Fresh Fruit in summer). We usually get the Potato salad as our favorite, however all of the salads are good.
#9: Kosher Beef Salami ($8.95): a huge sandwich served with lettuce, tomotoes and mustard served on Rye. Instead of the mustard, we get the Russian dressing - a great combination with the tasty salami.
#11: Liverwurst ($8.50): a huge and very tasty pile of liverwurst that comes with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. This sandwich is also good with mustard instead of mayo.
#15a: Fresh Chopped Chicken Liver ($8.50) sandwich served with raw onion. We usually omit the onions, and add tomatoes. The chopped liver also has bits of hard boiled egg, and is very rich and tasty. The tomatoes help to cut the richness.
There are also several High Sandwiches - the original sandwiches are so large, we can't imagine ordering one High, but at least there's the option.
#27: Club House (12.50) is a huge sandwich served on Rye with choice of salad. The Club consists of turkey breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
#51: Three Salad Platter ($14.95): a scoop each of chicken, egg, and tuna salads served with tomatoes, onion, pickles, and choice of bread, roll or bagel. It's enough for two people to share.
They also have half-pound burgers. We got the Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.95) which comes wth a large serving of crinkle-cut fries. A very tasty and substantial burger.
#32: Submarine ($13.95) is enough for two people. However, if you are expecting a traditional Italian sub, this is not it. The Sub is turkey, roast beef, ham, salami, roast beef, Swiss cheese, American cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo on a French roll, plus pickle and choice of salad.
NY Deli has been a mainstay for us for over 20 years.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Fanoos Grill, Torrance, CA
Fanoos Grill
25336 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-530-4316
Located in Rolling Hills Plaza, facing Crenshaw, across from Starbucks, near Airport Drive. In general, RHP has plenty of parking, however it can be a little tight to maneuver in this area.
Casual/fast foodish. Full service or order at the counter if to go. Small dining room.
Visited: Numerous times, Lunch, Dine-in
Fanoos calls itself a Persian Restaurant Grill - you get all of the traditional menu items that you would at a more stately Persian restaurant, but in a lighter, more casual atmosphere. We usually go for lunch, and you often see other patrons there on their lunch break. They also seem to have quite a take out and catering business.
They do have lunch specials which are a slightly smaller portion, but we don't bother with that at Fanoos!
To start, the Cotlete ($4.95) appetizer is so tasty. It's a patty of ground beef mixed with herbs that is served with warm pita and olives and pickles. A beef patty doesn't sound like much, but when Fanoos gets their hands on it, it's amazing - delicate and tasty. A great app for 2 to share, if you have a larger crowd, you may want to order a second just cuz it's so good, you can't stop eating it.
On to the entrees. First up is the Beef Koobideh ($8.95): two large strips of seasoned ground beef that is charbroiled. Very well seasoned with yummy juices soaking into the basmati rice. Served with a charbroiled roma tomato and salad. The lunch portion is one strip/skewer ($5.95).
The Beef Shish Kabob ($11.95) of juicy chunks of filet mignon is also very tasty, but the extra seasoning in the Koobideh rules. The Shish Kabab is also served with basmati, tomato and salad. Lunch portion is $6.95. If you can't decide, and want to try both (which is a great idea for your first time), they have the Beef Soltani ($13.95) which is one shish kabob and one koobideh.
They also make a Chicken Koobideh ($8.95) that is equally as tasty and juicy, and we prefer that over the Chicken Shish Kabob ($10.95). How ever they grind and season their meat is just fabulous. A Chicken Soltani ($13.95) is also available.
Fanoos also makes a very tasty Gheimeh Bademjan ($9.95): a stew of fried eggplant, tender cubes of beef, split peas, and fried onions in a rich tomato based sauce served with basmati. This is a very large portion, one that I can never finish in one sitting. The eggplant really shines in this dish. They also serve just Gheimeh ($8.95) without the eggplant, but really, I can't imagine ever ordering it.
They also offer an assortment of sandwiches (even one filled with the Cotlett that I'm often tempted to try).
They're really nice, and if you're intimidated by Persian food or have never had it, this is a great casual way to get started and have some great food while you're at it.
25336 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
310-530-4316
Located in Rolling Hills Plaza, facing Crenshaw, across from Starbucks, near Airport Drive. In general, RHP has plenty of parking, however it can be a little tight to maneuver in this area.
Casual/fast foodish. Full service or order at the counter if to go. Small dining room.
Visited: Numerous times, Lunch, Dine-in
Fanoos calls itself a Persian Restaurant Grill - you get all of the traditional menu items that you would at a more stately Persian restaurant, but in a lighter, more casual atmosphere. We usually go for lunch, and you often see other patrons there on their lunch break. They also seem to have quite a take out and catering business.
They do have lunch specials which are a slightly smaller portion, but we don't bother with that at Fanoos!
To start, the Cotlete ($4.95) appetizer is so tasty. It's a patty of ground beef mixed with herbs that is served with warm pita and olives and pickles. A beef patty doesn't sound like much, but when Fanoos gets their hands on it, it's amazing - delicate and tasty. A great app for 2 to share, if you have a larger crowd, you may want to order a second just cuz it's so good, you can't stop eating it.
On to the entrees. First up is the Beef Koobideh ($8.95): two large strips of seasoned ground beef that is charbroiled. Very well seasoned with yummy juices soaking into the basmati rice. Served with a charbroiled roma tomato and salad. The lunch portion is one strip/skewer ($5.95).
The Beef Shish Kabob ($11.95) of juicy chunks of filet mignon is also very tasty, but the extra seasoning in the Koobideh rules. The Shish Kabab is also served with basmati, tomato and salad. Lunch portion is $6.95. If you can't decide, and want to try both (which is a great idea for your first time), they have the Beef Soltani ($13.95) which is one shish kabob and one koobideh.
They also make a Chicken Koobideh ($8.95) that is equally as tasty and juicy, and we prefer that over the Chicken Shish Kabob ($10.95). How ever they grind and season their meat is just fabulous. A Chicken Soltani ($13.95) is also available.
Fanoos also makes a very tasty Gheimeh Bademjan ($9.95): a stew of fried eggplant, tender cubes of beef, split peas, and fried onions in a rich tomato based sauce served with basmati. This is a very large portion, one that I can never finish in one sitting. The eggplant really shines in this dish. They also serve just Gheimeh ($8.95) without the eggplant, but really, I can't imagine ever ordering it.
They also offer an assortment of sandwiches (even one filled with the Cotlett that I'm often tempted to try).
They're really nice, and if you're intimidated by Persian food or have never had it, this is a great casual way to get started and have some great food while you're at it.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
LaZeez Pita Grill, Torrance, CA
LaZeez Pita Grill
4903 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA, 90503
Between Anza and Palos Verdes Blvd
310-542-3100
http://lazeezpitagrill.com/
They have a small but ample parking lot behind the building.
Zabihah halal.
Casual. Order at the counter; food brought to your table. Dining room fills quickly at lunch.
Visited: numerous times for dine-in lunch and take-out dinner.
Most recent visit: May 2010
Not only is LaZeez so very tasty, it is also a great value. You can't beat the quality, and the great prices are a bonus.
My favorite sandwich is the Beef Shawarma ($5.75). It comes wrapped in a nice soft pita with lettuce, tomato, onions, and tahini. You can even get a combo, with fries and a drink, or you can order a side for $1.75 extra. The meat is so tasty, and for dinner take-out, we order the Beef Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99). It comes with pita and tahini on the side. Really excellent.
We've also had the Chicken Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99) that comes with pita and garlic sauce; Beef Kabab By the Pound ($12.99) with pita and cooked tomatoes; or Beef Kafta By the Pound ($10.49) with pita and cooked tomatoes. The Chicken Breast Kabab By the Pound is also very tasty. This is a real value - tasty, fresh, hot, and they're super nice, too. They have other meats that you order 'family style' or 'catering' - we just haven't tried them all yet. In all, the beef shawarma is my favorite.
They also make great Hummos (small $5.49, large $7.49) and Baba Ganoosh (small $5.49, large $7.49). Both are very tasty, but I just love their baba ganoosh. I use that instead of tahini or garlic sauce with the shawarma. YUM! Also, I always order with 'no oil' - that's the extra olive oil they drizzle on top.
Their falafel is okay, a little dry for my preference. It's available as a Falafel Sandwich ($5.25), Falafel Salad (small $7.99, large $8.99), by the piece ($0.65, 3 minimum).
They also have an assortment of sides, and we decided to try the Macaroni & Cheese ($2.75). It's pretty plain and simple. I was hoping for a Mediterranean twist perhaps, but alas, no, plain ol' mild mac n cheese.
They have been having coupons in the local coupon book that comes in the mail. Their prices are so reasonable, you really don't need the coupon, but it's a nice bonus.
4903 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA, 90503
Between Anza and Palos Verdes Blvd
310-542-3100
http://lazeezpitagrill.com/
They have a small but ample parking lot behind the building.
Zabihah halal.
Casual. Order at the counter; food brought to your table. Dining room fills quickly at lunch.
Visited: numerous times for dine-in lunch and take-out dinner.
Most recent visit: May 2010
Not only is LaZeez so very tasty, it is also a great value. You can't beat the quality, and the great prices are a bonus.
My favorite sandwich is the Beef Shawarma ($5.75). It comes wrapped in a nice soft pita with lettuce, tomato, onions, and tahini. You can even get a combo, with fries and a drink, or you can order a side for $1.75 extra. The meat is so tasty, and for dinner take-out, we order the Beef Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99). It comes with pita and tahini on the side. Really excellent.
We've also had the Chicken Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99) that comes with pita and garlic sauce; Beef Kabab By the Pound ($12.99) with pita and cooked tomatoes; or Beef Kafta By the Pound ($10.49) with pita and cooked tomatoes. The Chicken Breast Kabab By the Pound is also very tasty. This is a real value - tasty, fresh, hot, and they're super nice, too. They have other meats that you order 'family style' or 'catering' - we just haven't tried them all yet. In all, the beef shawarma is my favorite.
They also make great Hummos (small $5.49, large $7.49) and Baba Ganoosh (small $5.49, large $7.49). Both are very tasty, but I just love their baba ganoosh. I use that instead of tahini or garlic sauce with the shawarma. YUM! Also, I always order with 'no oil' - that's the extra olive oil they drizzle on top.
Their falafel is okay, a little dry for my preference. It's available as a Falafel Sandwich ($5.25), Falafel Salad (small $7.99, large $8.99), by the piece ($0.65, 3 minimum).
They also have an assortment of sides, and we decided to try the Macaroni & Cheese ($2.75). It's pretty plain and simple. I was hoping for a Mediterranean twist perhaps, but alas, no, plain ol' mild mac n cheese.
They have been having coupons in the local coupon book that comes in the mail. Their prices are so reasonable, you really don't need the coupon, but it's a nice bonus.
Friday, March 27, 2009
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
Saturday, March 7, 2009
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
Friday, February 27, 2009
Lucio's Restaurant, Torrance, CA
Lucio's Restaurant
1605 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
310-328-9810
Located on the oddly angled corner of Cabrillo and Gramercy in Old Torrance. There are entrances to the restaurant from both streets. Street parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
Visited: February 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
This is definitely a hole in the wall that's been here for decades, yet this is the first time we've been. It's a very casual restaurant, and you could tell that some of the diners had been coming here for ages.
We started off with the chips and salsa. The salsa was very mellow with a great roasted flavor. For entrees, we had:
Carne Asada Dinner ($9.50): comes with guacamole (warning if you don't like raw onions, cuz it was packed with them), rice, refritos and tortillas. This was a huge plate of meat. Everything was pretty mellow tasting, but very satisfying. Dinners come with soup or salad, and we had the albondigas.
Carnitas Dinner ($9.75): served with rice, refritos and tortillas. The meat was very tender and flavorful, and unlike many other restaurants, it wasn't greasy. A huge plus.
Chimichanga ($7.95): comes with shredded beef, rice, refritos, guac and sour cream. The chimi had a great crispy skin and the meat was very well seasoned.
I can see why it's been here for so long.
--T
1605 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
310-328-9810
Located on the oddly angled corner of Cabrillo and Gramercy in Old Torrance. There are entrances to the restaurant from both streets. Street parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
Visited: February 2009, Dinner, Dine-in
This is definitely a hole in the wall that's been here for decades, yet this is the first time we've been. It's a very casual restaurant, and you could tell that some of the diners had been coming here for ages.
We started off with the chips and salsa. The salsa was very mellow with a great roasted flavor. For entrees, we had:
Carne Asada Dinner ($9.50): comes with guacamole (warning if you don't like raw onions, cuz it was packed with them), rice, refritos and tortillas. This was a huge plate of meat. Everything was pretty mellow tasting, but very satisfying. Dinners come with soup or salad, and we had the albondigas.
Carnitas Dinner ($9.75): served with rice, refritos and tortillas. The meat was very tender and flavorful, and unlike many other restaurants, it wasn't greasy. A huge plus.
Chimichanga ($7.95): comes with shredded beef, rice, refritos, guac and sour cream. The chimi had a great crispy skin and the meat was very well seasoned.
I can see why it's been here for so long.
--T
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.
The Appetizer, Redondo Beach, CA
The Appetizer
1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-792-0077
http://www.theappetizerrestaurant.com/
Southeast corner of Torrance and Prospect. In a strip mall with free parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
March 2010 Update: CLOSED. This location has been sold, and is now a restaurant called Calamari's. The new owner has kept the menu very similar to The Appetizer. The other Appetizer location on Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates is still open.
Visited: a couple times, Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: Dec 2009
This restaurant had been teasing us for some time with a sign out front saying that it would open soon, and many months later, it finally did. What we didn't realize was that this was the next in a series with the first ones open over at the Hughes market, and they still have a location up on Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. Well, this was a first time for us.
The service was still 'new' feeling. Everyone was very friendly and courteous, but I think the kitchen still has some kinks to work out to ensure all of the items come out on time. Maybe they need to add an expo back there.
But, the food was quite good. So what did we eat?
Pepperoni and Canadian Bacon Calzone ($11.45 + $1 extra topping): really, it was probably the best calzone we've had on the west coast. The dough was crisp and soft, plenty of goodies inside, and overall very flavorful. It comes with extra marinara on the side, but not quite enough; you'll probably want to ask for another cup. It's also quite large - good for sharing or for someone who's hungry.
Hot Meatball Sandwich, Large ($7.45): wow, was this good! The bread was very nicely toasted on the outside yet still had enough softness on the inside to absorb the yummy sauce. The meatballs were big and very tasty, and mozzarella melted with gooey goodness. You may want to ask for extra sauce.
Meat Lasagna ($9.95): comes with soup or salad and a big basket of garlic bread. We had the Garbanzo Bean Soup, and while not sure what to expect, the soup was very tasty. Lots of garbanzo beans and mini pasta tubes in a vegetarian broth with plenty of flavor. The garlic bread actually had minced garlic on it - fancy that! It was also very nicely crisp and soft in the right places (they do their bread well). The lasagna was also good. Despite the meat sauce being a little thin, it has a very deep rich taste.
XL Pizza with half pepperoni/sausage and half sausage/mushroom ($17.45): the half with pepperoni had much more flavor than the other side. The sausage is in these tiny little crumbles that cover the pizza well, but just didn't have enough oomph to work well with the mushrooms. Overall, a good thin crust pizza, but need we need to figure out what flavor combos to get.
We will definitely go back; probably for take-out.
1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-792-0077
http://www.theappetizerrestaurant.com/
Southeast corner of Torrance and Prospect. In a strip mall with free parking.
Casual. Large dining room.
March 2010 Update: CLOSED. This location has been sold, and is now a restaurant called Calamari's. The new owner has kept the menu very similar to The Appetizer. The other Appetizer location on Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates is still open.
Visited: a couple times, Dinner, Dine-in
Most recently: Dec 2009
This restaurant had been teasing us for some time with a sign out front saying that it would open soon, and many months later, it finally did. What we didn't realize was that this was the next in a series with the first ones open over at the Hughes market, and they still have a location up on Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. Well, this was a first time for us.
The service was still 'new' feeling. Everyone was very friendly and courteous, but I think the kitchen still has some kinks to work out to ensure all of the items come out on time. Maybe they need to add an expo back there.
But, the food was quite good. So what did we eat?
Pepperoni and Canadian Bacon Calzone ($11.45 + $1 extra topping): really, it was probably the best calzone we've had on the west coast. The dough was crisp and soft, plenty of goodies inside, and overall very flavorful. It comes with extra marinara on the side, but not quite enough; you'll probably want to ask for another cup. It's also quite large - good for sharing or for someone who's hungry.
Hot Meatball Sandwich, Large ($7.45): wow, was this good! The bread was very nicely toasted on the outside yet still had enough softness on the inside to absorb the yummy sauce. The meatballs were big and very tasty, and mozzarella melted with gooey goodness. You may want to ask for extra sauce.
Meat Lasagna ($9.95): comes with soup or salad and a big basket of garlic bread. We had the Garbanzo Bean Soup, and while not sure what to expect, the soup was very tasty. Lots of garbanzo beans and mini pasta tubes in a vegetarian broth with plenty of flavor. The garlic bread actually had minced garlic on it - fancy that! It was also very nicely crisp and soft in the right places (they do their bread well). The lasagna was also good. Despite the meat sauce being a little thin, it has a very deep rich taste.
XL Pizza with half pepperoni/sausage and half sausage/mushroom ($17.45): the half with pepperoni had much more flavor than the other side. The sausage is in these tiny little crumbles that cover the pizza well, but just didn't have enough oomph to work well with the mushrooms. Overall, a good thin crust pizza, but need we need to figure out what flavor combos to get.
We will definitely go back; probably for take-out.
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.
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.
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