favorite place restaurant

really cute interior

rosemary lemonade

bread, olives, butter

pea soup

tomato salad

summer delight

from russia with love

my husband's favorite

type of food: sandwiches, tea room

price: $0-15

atmosphere: tucked into a little corner right across the street from the CPK on wilson and brand is one of MY favorite places. the place is known to be a tea room, but sandwiches are its specialty. the place is cutecutecute and have really hospitable staff. the place is a really nice surprise and treat in glendale. great place to go with the girlfriends for a get together. parking is plentiful with metered parking structure right behind the restaurant.

rating: 8 out of 10. the sandwiches were great. the complimentary soup and tomato salad were yummy and homemade. overall, the place was really sweet and cute. the food was good, but not DELICIOUS. worth a try!

115 West Wilson

Glendale, CA 91203

bottega louie

the way they present the bread is so cute&rustic

bread&butter

arugula salad

napoli pizza

fettuccine belmondo

great decor

cupcakes&macarons

my goodies.

chocolate&vanilla eclairs

lavender macron

type of food: desserts, pizza, modern european

price: $0-25 (depending on what main dish you get at the actual restaurant part of store)

atmosphere: situated in the midst of the fashion&toy&jewelry districts is this big jem-- and i say "big," because this space is unusually a huge amount of square footage for downtown LA. The decor is modern european with marble slabbed everywhere from the walls to floors and gold accents used all around. the place is plain CHIC. the people are locals who live in the area. the place is great for a casual lunch, pastry/dessert run or just to have coffee/tea. parking is tight with street parking (metered)-- it IS downtown LA...what else would you expect?

rating: 10 out of 10. the place is worth all the fuss over parking-- hands down. i came back to this place three days in a row just for more goodies. the actual food is GREAT and priced pretty moderately considering the area and decor. the pastries&desserts are to DIE for. you must go if you have a sweet tooth like i do. everything is moderately priced and made to PERFECTION. they do have a market breakfast-- haven't tried it, but have heard good things. a must go!!!

700 S Grand Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90017

수라원 (soo-la-won)

regular 물 냉면 (water-naengmyun)

type of food: korean

price: $0-20

atmosphere: the place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall. you probably will have to wait about 10 minutes to get seating around lunch/dinner time, but it's worth it. the place is decorated with faded, yellowing walls and old, cushiony booths. doesn't have TOO much seating (maximum capacity around 40 people?). parking can be an issue...only about 10 parking spots in the back, but theres always street parking as an option. service is quick and indifferent-- as with any other korean restaurant.

rating: 10 out of 10. even though the place itself might need a facelift and the staff can be a little bit more friendly (koreans are so stoic), the food stands alone and speaks for itself. the only reason the place is functioning and flowing with customers is the cheap prices and food. a bowl of naengmyun (like the one pictured above) is only ~$7. you can't beat that (not even yoochun...). the myun (noodle) has a bit of a bite to it and the cold broth is nice and refreshing. great little place to go for a quick and cheap lunch during hot summer days. 

2833 W Olympic Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90006

taste

kobe beef burger

cumen spiced pork chops with a side of mac&cheese.

demolished.

type of food: american.

price: $0-25

atmosphere: $4.00 valet?! yes. kobe beef burger?! yes. melrose ave?! yes. the place has expensive valet parking, great food, and is on melrose ave...what more can you want really? not much. okay...maybe a bit cheaper valet. other than that, the place is chic. there's tons of seating split between the inside and outside seating areas. the place is casual and "SO-L.A! like ohmygosh." its dimly lit inside and out with candles being the main source of light. the place is flooded with great, modern furnishing and gossiping LA dwellers. the staff is friendly and attentive-- big plus.

rating: 9 out of 10. kobe bryant is named after a...cow?! yes. and the cow is damn good. the kobe beef burger my friend ordered was gone within 10 minutes. my pork chops were gone within perhaps 15 minutes (im a slow eater...in korean standards). our plates (as show above) were basically licked clean. the burger (i got a bite or two) was juicy and heavenly. the pork chops were sweet with a little kick as an aftertaste. the mac&cheese were a bit eh (could have been better...a bit aldente), but overall: GOOD FOOD. 

8454 Melrose Ave

West Hollywod, CA 90069

sweet lady jane

outside sign.

choices, choices, choices...

almond roca cake.

vanilla cupcake.

type of food: desserts, cakes, tea.

price: $0-10

atmosphere: the place is a tight squeeze with only about seating for 10 people or so. the place is quaint and sweet. the decor is a bit granny and flowery, but what do you expect from a tea and cake place? parking can be a bit of an issue as seeing as how the place is on the ever-so-popular melrose ave. so, might want to loop around the blocks to find some metered parking.

rating: 9 out of 10. the cakes here are ridiculously large and scrumptious. the bread part of the cake layers are moist and fluffy; the cream and frosting parts of the cake are sweet and not too overwhelming. the cakes are wonderful. the cupcake was yummy as well with the cute mound of frosting piped into a shape of a flower. this place is a must for sweet tooths like me. :)

8360 Melrose Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90069

aroma coffee & tea company

look at the line...

loads of desserts and candy on display at front counter.

condiments/milk/cream/sugar/utensils/water station.

hot tea.

shrimp + lobster omelette.

the hulk.

type of food: american styled brunch/lunch, teas&coffee.

price: $0-15

atmosphere: in a nutshell: aroma has a sister (the Alcove), a line wrapped around the sidewalk, and really cute furnishings. you probably have to wait anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on what time you come to eat and what day you come to eat. the actual house-turned-restaurant is small and doesnt have much seating (just a few high chairs surrounding a table-- the front counter and kitchen take up most of the house square feet). however, there are tons and ton of seating outside to the side of the house and, also, towards the back of the house. the outside seating is covered and bricked in-- still good to go for rainy days. the place is really charming with its choice of furnishings and its overall small-house charm. the area surrounding the place is filled with little, random boutiques and stores to check out afterwards as well.

rating: 10 out of 10. the food was awesome (im sad i couldnt take better pictures). period. my sister and i wiped our plates clean. my omelette was packed with mushrooms and asparagus, good for a healthy&strong start to a day. my sister's was filled with lobster and crab, just enough to get a piece in every bite, but not too much to hurl out lobster and crab onto the street after our meal. the hot tea helped digest the food. overall, our brunch experience at aroma was nice, casual, yummy, and happy. 

4360 Tujunga Ave.

Studio City, CA 91604

lemonade

rosemary watermelon, cucumber green tea, peach ginseng, regular lemonade.

ahi tuna with various sides.

various sides.

salmon with sides.

salmon with various sides.

type of food: american, sandwiches

price: $0-20 (depending on how many sides and main meat dishes you get)

atmosphere: lemonade is a light grey painted restaurant located on the ever so trendy Beverly Boulevard tucked onto a little corner. the place is simply charming and sleek at the same time. the architecture of the place is sleek with modern touches with the grey paint color on the exterior and stainless steel accents in its seating furniture. the place probably seats a good eight people inside and about another 20 people outside on the patio. parking wasn't too big of a problem with street parking; the most you would have to walk is about a block from the restaurant. 

rating: 9.5 out of 10. the food was light, healthy, bright, and tasty. you can either order a sandwich and some sides ($4.00 for one side, ~$7.00 for two, ~$10.00 for three...etc.) or just a plate full of different sides. they, also, have soups available along with various types of main meat dishes (salmon, ahi tuna, steak, chicken...etc) to go along with some side dishes. in addition, all the dishes are lively with color and taste (you can sample them!).  after ordering your main/side dishes, you bring your food over to the cashier where you're met with a variety of four different choices of lemonade mixes (different everyday) and desserts (brownies, cupcakes, cookies...etc). all in all, the place is a nice place to have a light and fun lunch with couple of friends. 

9001 Beverly Boulevard.

West Hollywood, CA 90048

nozomi

chirashi (hae-tup-bap)

my friend, cadengo, and his serving.

type of food: japanese, sushi rolls, teriyaki...etc.

price: $0-15

atmosphere: not too far from the UCSD campus is a little plaza with Tutti Frutti, Regents Pizza and Nozomi's. the plaza is frequently visited by UCSD students for a quick fro-yo stop or for some good ole pizza (use your coupons in your schedule binders you get in the beginning of the year! free pizza from Regents Pizza!). Nozomi's is pretty small in capacity, seating only about 25-35 people (including outside seating which has the bulk of the tables and seating available). outside seating is wooden benches and overhead heaters with some christmas lights outlining the place for a little bit of sparkle and fun. parking is free of charge and plenty in the plaza parking structure. the place is small and tucked into a corner, but always filled with students and locals. 

rating: 9 out of 10. the place doesn't offer the BEST sushi ever, BUT it does offer hefty amounts of food and is close to the school campus (close proximity to campus is always a plus for lazy students). the prices aren't too high (especially for "starving" college students...err...freshman 15?) and the rolls are presented in fun designs (rolls pieces either curing or making up a shape of a star...etc). the place is low-key and very casual-- definitely no need to dress up to eat here. the chirashi bowl is my favorite: 6 kinds of fish (sashimi), vegetables (salad), spicy sauce and rice. the dish is healthy and comes out in a huge bowl that can feed generously for 2 people. nozomi's is always a great alternative for a simple lunch or dinner with no fuss or thinking.

4150 Regents Park Row #190

San Diego, CA 92121

pho 87

regular bowl of pho.

type of food: vietnamese

price: $0-10

atmosphere: numbered after its year of opening (1987) and nestled within busy (and dirty) chinatown is pho 87. the place itself has a B rating for cleanliness, but it's chinatown...what do you expect? in other words: it's clean and presentable enough to eat in. the place is big enough to big approximately 50 people. they have a parking structure as well, so parking isn't an issue. the place is in a busy location considering it's nestled within chinatown. however, on the flip-side, there's a lot to see and walk by in chinatown. so, if you're looking to kill some time or a walk to digest your food, it's in walking distance of some nice chinese stores. ALSO: CASH ONLY. so, bring CASH.

rating: 9 out of 10. my friends from the beacon took me to this place for supposedly "the best" pho. the food came out in huge bowls with bountiful amount of meat and noodle. i'm not the biggest pho lover (i'll eat it, but i don't crave for it necessarily), but i've got to say: the pho was damn good. it tasted almost...healthy, if that's even possible with pho. mix in your cilantro, bean sprouts, sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce into the mixture of broth, noodles and meat-- you've got goodness in a bowl. definitely one of the best pho place i've been to. thumbs up! 

1019 N Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90012

great china

starting far left going clockwise: shrimp fried rice, mongolian beef, ma po tofu, & kung pao chicken

type of food: chinese

price: $0-15 (higher if you get combination dishes)

atmosphere: jam-packed with Berkeley college students and local families is Great China. The place is a bit tight with seating and room, but enough to fit a modest amount of people at one time. the place is split into two levels by a few steps. like every other Berkeley eatery this place is a bit tight in fitting and diverse within its customers. the furniture and decor is all like any other normal chinese restaurant. the difference, however, is the strong aroma of mouth-watering (and cheap!) chinese food you smell right from the first step you take into this place. parking can be an issue (as with all restaurants in the Berkeley/SF area), but Great China does offer parking at the gas station across the street (ask for a ticket at the gas station clerk inside...free!)

rating: 10 out of 10. all the various types of dishes on the menu are pretty normal chinese restaurant dishes. what makes Great China different from other chinese restaurants is the fact that it's in such an area catering to college students-- college students who are low on cash and very hungry all the time. the food is served in big amounts, so that you can share family style with your friends and be able to converse as well. the food is hot and delicious when place on the table, ready to be eaten. totally a place to check out with friends if on a budget and have a college student's stomach and appetite.

2115 Kittredge St

Berkeley, CA 94704

yuki yama sushi

started with the cucumber salad

montrose roll

sunset roll

hungry roll

the vegas roll

type of food: japanese, sushi rolls

price: $0-30 (depending if you're going to go for the 'all you can eat')

atmosphere: looks small and almost rock-n-roll-ish from the outside due to its small lot and black and red exterior paint. however, you're pleasantly surprised to find that the inside is pretty spacious with lots of tables/bar seating and a clean interior. the place has a couple of big plasma TVs for you sports fans (watched my DODGERS while eating!) and an attentive staff. The place is a nice, quiet and casual place to have lunch or dinner at if in the area. parking might be an issue during dinner time seeing as there's only about 5 actual parking spots in their lot. so, might want to check out the street parking, which isn't bad at all.

rating: 8.5 out of 10. my sister and i stopped by this place for some late lunch, and we decided to try to go for the 'all you can eat' option they had (11:30am-3pm: $21.95 & after 3pm: $25.95). they had some interesting combinations of sashimi and vegetables to make up new and different rolls. although the rolls might not have been mouth-watering good, they were nicely executed and served promptly. the staff were friendly and catering as well. at the end of our meal, we were both stuffed and content with the food we have eaten. 

2236 Foothill Blvd

La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

father nature's lavash wraps

the father nature wrap

my friend, dayae, and her wrap.

type of food: vegetarian, greek, mediterranean

price: $0-10

atmosphere: settled in between Forever 21 and 21 Choices (haha) is the little, yet, cozy Father Nature's Lavash Wraps. there's probably only 8 or so tables that seat 4 each in the entire place, but no worries: people eat and leave quickly. the place has an upper eating area with 4 or so tables-- almost feels like you're in a treehouse. The place is small and tidy. The people who stop by the place range from shoppers to local pasadena-ians. parking isn't too big of an issue if you can't find street parking close by; you can park in the public parking (first 1 1/2 hours free!) structure down the street.  

rating: 10 out of 10. had a nice and light lunch with a friend before embarking on our shopping spree. the place was perfect for casual conversations and a healthy alternative for a filling lunch. the proportion was just right-- so, you can leave full, but not TOO full. the ingredients in the wrap (pickled turnips, boneless/skinless/marinated chicken, romaine lettuce, homemade garlic sauce, onion, parsley, & tomato) were all fresh and vibrant in color and taste. all in all, a nice place to stop by for a quick and healthy bite when in oldpas shopping or just hanging out with friends.

17 N De Lacey Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91103

curry house

brown rice with a side of salad

"very spicy" beef curry

type of food: curry

price: $0-15

atmosphere: situated in a plaza in Little Tokyo is curry house: spacious and welcoming. It's located in a plaza that is home to other various asian restaurants. Couple of streets in any direction from the plaza are other small and hip eateries (including spitz!!) and clothing stores (including AA). Service is fairly quick and amicable. The place is big enough to fit in larger parties. Parking is not much of a problem seeing as there is an underground parking structure-- you do need to get it validated and it is timed. 

rating: 8.5 out of 10. The food was bountiful and fulfilling for a nice sunday lunch with friends from The Beacon. The rice was nice and fluffy (they have various types of rice available ranging from white rice to pilaf --get brown rice! healthier!). The curry itself was not as spicy as I was expecting (considering I asked for it to be as spicy as possible...perhaps they didn't think a little asian girl was capable of digesting such spicy food?), but there was a good amount of meat served with it and was served in a nice consistency of flavors. overall, not the BEST place to get curry (seeing as how there are more authentic Indian restaurants that serve curry), but was a nice play at an American version of curry. 

123 S Onizuka St. Ste 204

Los Angeles, CA 90012