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

la note

omelette de pommes de terre: potato and caramelized onions omelette, served open face, with Provencales tomatoes

type of food: provencal traditional breakfast, lunch & dinner.

price: $0-20 (dinners can go up to ~$20)

atmosphere: really cute and charming place to have a cozy meal with a friend or two. my friends and i sat outside at the back of the restaurant (the inside is as equally rustic and cozy feeling/looking). it was a nice and sunny day to eat outside and enjoy the slight breeze. the outside furniture was welcoming and comfortable. the whole outside scene reminded me of something that you would see in a country home&garden magazine: people lounging on wooden furniture, sipping on some coffee while eating their breakfast. the waiters/waitresses were chill and friendly, offering suggestions and welcoming smiles. parking is a bit of an issue, with not enough street parking and not a separate parking structure for the place. i would suggest walking to the restaurant if youre near the area.

rating: 10 out of 10. the food was homey and warm. it definitely looked and tasted rustic. my friends and i ended up clearing our plates clean by the end of our lunch. the ingredients and flavors just combined so well to create a brunch that somewhat tasted like a traditional, everyday american styled omelette, but there was that lingering feeling and flavor that took the dishes all to a whole other level. definitely a place to try out if youre in the area: for the food and the cute interior.

2377 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, CA 94704

banana bay

thai beef noodle soup

my friend, yong, and his dish (i forgot the name...:( )

type of food: thai

price: $0-10

atmosphere: right as you walk in, you see the ever-so-recognizable colorful asian flower candies on the long, see-through, plastic sticks. then, you're met with a vast amount of space filled up with tables, chairs and booths and in the center of it all is a stage with what looks like a karaoke machine on the floor. the place has more than enough seating available and has huge, plasma screen televisions up on the walls for all you sports fanatics. parking is no problem due to the vast amount of parking spots available in the plaza--free of charge. :) during some nights, you can see someone performing and singing in the middle of the stage. only downside may be the slow service when the place is busy. other than that the place is, overall, an enjoyable and comfortable place to have a nice lunch or dinner (more preferable during nighttime) with a friend or with family. 

rating: 9 out of 10. the food was what all thai food should taste like and be like: spicy, filling, and unhealthy. you don't go to a thai restaurant, because you're on a diet and looking for clean and healthy food; you go to a thai restaurant to have a nice and filling dinner. the food was served in good proportions and was spiced and made to perfection. probably can't possibly measure up to authentic thai food, but it comes pretty close. the food is good; the price is good; the service is good. what more can you want?

18230 Colima Rd

Rowland Heights, CA 91748