Sunday At The Opera

I had the chance to celebrate my birthday all over again this past Sunday thanks to my boyfriend’s mom and dad. You see, they sweetly gifted me with “dinner out” compliments of the two of them even though they live several states away. So, my boyfriend and I chose a restaurant that we’ve wanted to try for some time now, but instead of dinner out, we decided on “brunch out.” Our choice was Caffé Opera in the nearby town of Monrovia. This is an elegant yet seemingly laid back and non-pretentious restaurant that serves brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays. The menu offerings are plenty and include some interesting items like sole and potato pancake with eggs and arugula, or quesadilla with fillet Mignon. I think there was something for everyone’s taste buds. I chose the trout almondine
with mixed greens and my boyfriend went with sea scallops in a creamy brandy sauce with asparagus and roasted cauliflower.

We each also received a lovely complimentary Mimosa to sip on which is included in the brunch menu. My trout was pan fried and cooked perfectly with the right amount of crispness without being overdone. The mixed greens that the fish sat upon were plentiful and refreshing and paired wonderfully with the fish. My boyfriend’s scallop dish was also a winner. There were

probably around 8 jumbo scallops, pan seared and swimming in a light but creamy brandy sauce with bits of raisins, asparagus spears, and roasted cauliflower. I admittedly wanted to lick the plate clean because it was so yummy! Our dishes were also accompanied by some rustic freshly-baked bread and butter, and a plate of fresh fruit and French fried potatoes. Needless to say, we ended our meals with full but happy bellies and thoughts of our next visit to Caffe Opera. I think we’ll take my boyfriend’s folks here the next time they come over to visit us in California. Thank-you for a wonderful birthday treat.

Caffe Opera

402 S. Myrtle Ave.

Monrovia, CA.

626-305-0094

Breakfast In The Reyn

Step inside the Reyn Coffee Shop and you might feel like you've stepped into a coffee shop time warp. The Reyn has the look and feel of something right out of the 1970's, complete with its powder blue-vinyl booths, large drop-down shaded lamps, and linoleum flooring. Interior decorating aside however, the Reyn offers up some good, basic, homey food, and an excellent cup of Joe. We stopped by one Sunday morning to try out their breakfast offerings and were not disappointed with what we found. Though the restaurant has quite a selection of both pancakes and French toast, we were more in the mood for eggs on this particular day.

My order of two perfectly cooked poached eggs and bacon came with some of the crispiest hash browns that I've had in a long time. I was surprised at how non-greasy these were, and boy, were they good! My order also came with a delicious, slightly toasted slice of homemade banana bread. My boyfriend decided on the Canadian bacon, scrambled eggs, and fruit (unlike me, he doesn't like hash browns). The four generous pieces of Canadian bacon were thick and full of flavor, and proved to be more than enough for my BF to finish, even with me stealing one of the pieces!

As we enjoyed our meal, I couldn't help but feel like I was eating in a good friend's house. That's just the feeling you get while eating at the Reyn Coffee Shop, and I'm already looking forward to my next visit there. Maybe I'll get the pancakes next time.

The Reyn Coffee Shop

635 N. Lake Ave.

Pasadena, CA. 91101

626-449-5768

A Visit To Claim Jumper Restaurant

As much as I enjoy baking and cooking, I also enjoy eating out. This weekend was no exception since I was feeling a little under the weather and couldn’t seem to get myself going in the kitchen. So, we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at, where else, but Claim Jumper. I can’t seem to recall if I’ve ever eaten at this popular West Coast chain before. I just know that this restaurant is known for its huge portions and huge crowds, especially on the weekends. Since we had a late lunch (around 1pm-ish), we got our table-for-two right away. The place was still bustling with the Sunday afternoon crowd but we didn’t have to wait very long at all before our waiter came by with menus and took our drink orders. My boyfriend already knew that he wanted a hamburger but just in case you’ve never been to a CJ’s yourself, be forewarned that their menu is pretty vast and they have about a half-dozen different types of burgers. He decided on the “black and bleu” burger—half a pound of ground beef with blue cheese and applewood bacon on wheatberry bread (he’s not a huge fan of hamburger buns), with a side of french fries. After much page turning and changing my mind several times, I chose the roasted turkey sandwich on tomato herb bread with a side of Thai peanut slaw. I was very pleased with my turkey sandwich. First of all, the tomato herb bread was quite good—think of foccacia with that wonderful rustic flavor, speckled with sun dried tomatoes. The texture had a nice chewiness to it and the generous amount of turkey slices, lettuce, and tomatoes in between the bread made for a very hearty lunch. The Thai “slaw” that came with my sandwich was also tasty and light. This is not your typical creamy coleslaw but is instead a slaw that’s been lightly tossed with a tangy, vinegar and sesame oil-based dressing with lots of chopped up veggies like zucchini, carrots, and Napa cabbage, with some roasted peanuts tossed in. I liked the slaw so much that I’m hoping to make something similar in the near future! My BF was also singing praises for his burger which was cooked just as he prefers, medium rare, topped with bacon and served with a side of blue cheese. In fact, he found the beef to be so juicy and flavorful that he didn’t think all the additional accoutrements were even necessary. The shoestring fries were also a big hit with him which says a lot because he is one person who certainly knows his French fries! Overall, I really enjoyed this visit to Claim Jumper Restaurant--high quality food, great service and reasonable prices. See, taking a little break from cooking does have its perks too!

Claim Jumper Restaurant

820 W. Huntington Dr.

Monrovia, CA.

(various locations in California, Colorado, Washington, and Arizona)

Eating On Catalina Island

Ahhhh, Avalon. Just an hour's boat ride from downtown Long Beach, and there you are, in one of Southern California's gem's, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island. Catalina, as it's commonly called, is one of Southern Cal's Channel Islands and the one that is closest to the mainland. We found ourselves here on a recent long weekend for some sun, kayaking, relaxation, and of course, eating! We discovered some good, basic, home-style Italian cooking at Antonio's Pizzeria and Cabaret, an oceanfront restaurant that boasts a large menu of what I would say is Italian comfort food. Known for their pizzas primarily, Antonio's has a bit of that throwback, hippy feel to it. We treated ourselves to an early dinner there, sitting out in their rustic patio overlooking the water. My boyfriend and I decided to share the spinach and Italian sausage calzone and a minestrone soup. Service was friendly and fast. The calzone was baked nicely with a bit of crispiness on the outside of the dough. Inside, the spinach, sausage, and cheese melded deliciously and the bread

was warm and soft. I especially liked slopping up the calzone with the tomato meat sauce that was served on the side. The minestrone soup, though a little bland, was hearty and full of good things like potatoes, pasta, and veggies. I think it could have used a bit more seasoning to it but

nevertheless, it

seemed to hit the spot. We liked Antonio's for their homey food, great service, and especially, the gorgeous seaside views. (For the best views, try to snag an outside table).

Antonio's Pizzeria and Cabaret

230 Crescent Ave.

Avalon, CA. 90704

310-510-0008

Good Eats In Alhambra

Baccali Cafe and Rotisserie is a bustling restaurant on busy Valley Blvd. in Alhambra. We stopped by for dinner on a recent Friday night and the place was certainly abuzz with patrons. It’s got a large and modern interior with a semi-industrial look and feel to it. The booths are quite comfortable, perfect to sink into while perusing the rather vast menu. Like many of the Chinese “coffee shops” you’ll find in the San Gabriel Valley, Baccali’s offers quite a diverse selection of food. Everything from a ham and cheese sandwich to Indonesian fried rice is on the menu. I decided to go with the rotisserie chicken. Afterall, it is called Baccali Cafe and Rotisserie, right? My boyfriend chose the Korean beef short ribs. Both dishes come with your choice of either spaghetti or rice (they’ll also substitute with french fries if you ask), and mixed vegetables. Within a few minutes of placing our orders, out came two very large plates of food. My half-chicken was lovely to look at—golden,crispy skin, juices flowing on the inside (I know you can't really see this from the photo I took so you'll just have to take my word for it)! The chicken was indeed tender and juicy but I thought it might have been over-salted just a tad. And though I liked the selection of mixed vegetables-zucchini and carrots-I thought they were a little too drenched in butter for my taste. The spaghetti might have been a tiny bit overcooked but I enjoyed the sweet tomato sauce that accompanied it. Despite these shortcomings, I managed to eat the entire half-chicken without any problem My boyfriend liked the short ribs which he ordered with fries but didn’t think they were terribly spectacular. He was impressed with the amount of meat on his plate though. As you can see from the photo, there’s quite a lot there.
If I had to rank Baccali’s on a scale from 1 to 10, I’d give it a 9 for value (my meal was $5.95 and my BF’s was a “whopping” $9.95), and a 7 for effort.
It’s definitely a place worth trying for some Asian style comfort food in a comfortable setting.

Baccali Cafe and Rotisserie
245 W. Valley Blvd.
Alhambra
626-293-3300

Retro Rod's

We have a fondness for Rod's Grill in Arcadia. This place not only serves homey comfort food, but it also has great atmosphere, and history. My boyfriend and I had lunch there one recent Sunday and as usual, we had a good time. Feeling like having Thanksgiving in June, I ordered the turkey dinner plate which was BIG. I mean, I had to bring about 3/4 of the plate home with me because there was so much food. Thick slices of turkey breast with cornbread stuffing over mashed potatoes, gravy, a side of carrots and snow peas, and home made bread. Plus, a bowl of split pea soup (a personal favorite of mine). My BF ordered his usual steak and eggs breakfast with french fries. Though he liked the way the cook prepared the meat (medium rare), he thought the steak had a pre-frozen quality about it. Okay, so not a gourmet restaurant, right? Still though, he enjoyed his meal and both of us know we'll be coming back again.

Rod's Grill

41 West Huntington Dr.

Arcadia, CA.

626-447-7515

Celebrating at Roy's Downtown Los Angeles

Last night we celebrated my coworker’s upcoming retirement with dinner at Roy’s Restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. I've never been to any of the Roy’s branches so I was quite eager and excited to give this place a try, especially after hearing about all the awesome creations that come out of Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s kitchens. The restaurant itself is sophisticated, hip and modern with a few Hawaiian touches throughout. For a Tuesday night, it was hopping with what looked like a mix of the local corporate crowd as well as families and couples.

Okay, now for the food:
Bowls of lightly seasoned edamame were promptly placed on our table to share, and as I noshed on this I studied the menu. It’s a pretty big menu so it was actually a bit of a challenge deciding what to order. Everything just sounded so good! At least I knew I wanted to eat fish this evening, but which one? Thank goodness Roy’s makes it easy for indecisive ones like me because I finally went ahead with the Hawaiian mixed plate sampler. This consisted of Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish with sizzling soy vinaigrette, Hibachi Style Grilled Salmon in a citrus ponzu sauce, and Roy’s Original Hawaiian Blackened Ahi with a spicy soy mustard butter. These little dishes were served on a beautiful platter accompanied by a perfectly-sized ball of rice. I have to say that I enjoyed all three of the fish dishes but the first place winners were the salmon and the butterfish for me. Both were delicate yet so packed with flavor that it felt like I was having a party in my mouth. My taste buds were happy and so was I. The Ahi tuna deserves kudos too; it was prepared rare which is just the way I like it, and the sauce reminded me of that Chinese hot mustard that accompanies dim sum. You know, the kind that clears up your sinuses really fast!

Other noteworthy dishes were the prawns and shrimp mixed plate that my boyfriend opted for. Served with a creamy mushroom and spinach risotto, he devoured these and said they were some of the best he’s ever eaten. That’s a major statement coming from my boyfriend who rarely doles out compliments like that about a meal. So when he does, he means it.

His only complaint was the lack of vegetables as an accompaniment to his dish. Otherwise, he loved it.

And for all you vegetarians out there, you need not shy away from Roy’s as they will happily accommodate. My vegetarian coworker, who was the guest of honor, absolutely enjoyed her misoyaki tofu dish served with a curry based sauce and rice. She said it reminded her of her own South Indian home cooking. The tofu steak was so thick and juicy-looking that I thought it was fish. Needless to say, she loved it and cleaned her plate.

Roy’s also offers a prix fixed menu of three courses which a few people in our group ordered. It came with a trio of appetizers, a choice of short ribs or fish as the main course, and a dessert.
And speaking of dessert, this leads me to the piece de resistance: chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream.
This oh-so-rich-oh-so-chocolaty creation was served warm and partnered with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. All I can say is, “Wow”! Be sure you save room for this one, or if you're like me, make sure that someone in your party does, and is nice enough to give you a bite! It’s pretty awesome and a special treat.

For something a little less rich but also quite delicious in its own right is the Caramel Macadamia Nut Almond Tart with vanilla ice cream (see picture at the top of this entry). Loaded with macadamia nuts, this concoction had a bit of saltiness to it that melded nicely with the sweet caramel.
With all that said, we left the restaurant quite satisfied and pleased, and I knew that this first visit to Roy’s wouldn’t be my last. I already made a mental list of the dishes I wanted to try next!
Whether or not you’re celebrating an important milestone like a well-earned retirement or you're just looking for some exquisite and freshly prepared food, head on down to Roy’s in downtown LA. You definitely won’t be disappointed.

Roy's Restaurant Downtown Los Angeles

800 S. Figueroa StreetSuite 100

Los Angeles, CA 90017

(213) 488-4994

Yahaira's Cafe

One of life's greatest pleasures is enjoying a leisurely meal on a lazy, Sunday morning. This is exactly what my boyfriend and I treated ourselves to this past Sunday at one of our favorite locales, Yahaira's Cafe in Pasadena. Located right on Colorado Boulevard, but away from the hustle and bustle of Old Town, Yahaira's is a cozy little place with both indoor and outdoor seating. Since it was a warm, crystal-clear spring morning we chose to sit outside. The food at Yahaira's is Mexican with a Yucatan twist with dishes like tostadas, breakfast burritos, and quesadillas, just to name a few. Also offered are the more traditional American style breakfasts such as omelets, French toast, and pancakes. This particular morning I chose to have the California omelet made with egg whites, tomatoes, jack cheese, ortega chiles, and avocado, while my BF ordered his usual: the grilled steak adobado quesadilla. This is a favorite of his and understandably so. It's a delicious compilation of tender, juicy marinated steak sandwiched between two green, flour tortillas and jack cheese, topped with guacamole and salsa. It's quite yummy!
They also have a great selection of tortas, or Mexican sandwiches, and salads, and oh yes, the coffee is something special too. I understand they spike it with cinnamon which gives it a very rich and interesting flavor.
So if you're in the neighborhood and want to try a place that has great tasting food, friendly service (the waiters call you "amigo" here), and is budget-friendly, get yourself over to Yahaira's.

Yahaira's Cafe
698 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA
(626) 844-3254

Pre-movie Peruvian in Hollywood

Living in the Los Angeles area, we are fortunate to have so many different options as far as food goes. Pardon the pun, but this town really is a melting pot. It’s not at all unusual to eat cuisines from several different countries within a one week time frame. Let’s see, last Friday night we had a fabulous Malaysian meal, the day before some Vietnamese banh mi, over the weekend it was Italian food, and last night? Peruvian.

Los Balcones Del Peru is a restaurant that has been frequented and written about by many Angelenos. It’s discreetly located on a busy corner in Hollywood near the Arclight Cinemas, making it a convenient dining destination for all us movie goers out there. After hearing so many good things about this place, I was more than eager to finally try it out. The menu at LBDP is pretty extensive and there seems to be something for just about everybody. Being a huge seafood fan, I pretty much knew that I wanted to try the ceviche. There are several on the menu to choose from but I went for the Ceviche De Pescado which the menu describes as "raw fish marinated in lime and peruvian spices." You also get to choose the degree of spiciness--I chose medium. My boyfriend who loves a good steak every now and again decided on a dish called Lomo Saltado, stir-fried strips of beef in a special sauce of tomatoes, onions and french fries.


While we waited for our meal, we were given a basket of warm bread and butter, and a green salsa on the side. The salsa was on the spicy side with just a hint of garlic. Eating the warm bread slathered with salsa was actually quite a delicious experience. So far so good.

Soon enough our plates came out. My ceviche was accompanied by a boiled potato, a boiled sweet potato, and corn. Everything looked beautiful. Though the degree of spiciness was a bit more than I anticipated, the firm yet tender white fish was tangy and flavorful. The potatoes were not too exciting, probably to balance out the strong flavors of the ceviche but I did enjoy the Peruvian corn with its oversized kernels.

My BF's dish looked and smelled wonderful too. The strips of beef sat in a slightly sweet sauce that was a little reminiscent of a Chinese stirfry. We found it interesting that the french fries were actually incorporated into the sauce itself but somehow, everything seemed to work.

We enjoyed our first experience at Los Balcones, though I'm not sure that it lived up to all the hype. Or maybe I just had very high expectations. In any case, one thing is for certain, Peruvian food sure has a lot of potatoes!

Los Balcones Del Peru
1360 Vine St, Los Angeles 90028
Between De Longpre Ave and Afton Pl
Phone: 323-871-9600

Rick's in Alhambra

Ahh, breakfast...did I mention that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day? Lately, we have been venturing out to Rick's Drive-In & Out for our Saturday morning fix of pancakes, hash browns, and my BF's all-time favorite, steak and eggs. Rick's is a modest, comfortable hang-out on Main Street in downtown Alhambra and actually isn't a drive-in at all. It's the kind of place where you order at the counter, pour your own cup of coffee, and find a cozy booth either inside or in the enclosed patio to indulge in a relaxing meal. The place serves homemade, cooked-to-order dishes all day from 6am til midnight 7 days a week. You know they must be doing something right because Rick's has been at this location since 1971. That's a darn long time especially in restaurant-years, don't you think?
Though the menu includes burgers, tacos, sandwiches, salads, and even pasta, we come to Rick's for their breakfast. The light and chewy pancakes are some of the best we've tried (and believe me, we have tried a lot of pancakes!), the hashbrowns are cooked with just the right amount of crispiness, and the steak is almost always tender and juicy. The prices at Rick's hit the spot too. (the most expensive breakfast item is the steak and eggs plate at a whopping $5.69). To top it all off, the employees are always friendly and go out of their way to please.

Rick's Drive-In & Out
132 W. Main St.
Alhambra, CA.
626-576-8519