Greggman.com Category (restaurants_l.a.)

Wakasanchi

It makes no sense to me how bad Japanese food is in America. Especially in L.A. and S.F. there are large enough populations of native Japanese peoples that you'd think there would be some good restaurants. Although there are some good sushi places, almost without fail anything that is not sushi in pretty craptacular. There are a few places that are okay but none have been true Japanese food.

That is until now. Wakasanchi is 100% authentic. Everything I was given was not in the least bit out of place from my experiences in Tokyo. The "Omakase" or leave it to the chef thing might be a little off putting for some but I think it's for the best because unless you've lived in Japan you would not know what or how to order.

This is not a place for Teriyaki Beef or Chicken (something I **NEVER** encountered in my 7 years in Tokyo).

If you want the REAL thing. This is it.

Do not go if you are a picky eater. Do not go if you are vegetarian. Do go if you want to experience true, delicious, healthy Japanese food.

Let me note that Japanese cuisine covers many kinds of foods and this is only one kind but so far it is the only kind that's made it to America un-touched and un-changed.

Wakasanchi is on Westwood Blvd between Santa Monica Blvd and Olympic Blvd.

Baja Bud's

My favorite place for a carnitas(pork) burrito. Baja Buds is a chain. If you have a friend how does like Mexican food take them to Baja Buds. Order a carnitas burrito with guac and mild salsa and have them give it a try. If they don't like it something's wrong. ;-)

Johnies

Not to be confused with Johnnies. You can't eat here as it's out of business. Instead it's rent out as a location for movies. It's on Wilshire Blvd near the LA County Museum of Art (LACMA). It's been in quite a few movies. Miracle Mile comes to mind

Sushi Mon

I met a Match.com date here. Not bad, the food and the date. A little expensive though not for L.A. sushi but they had this one dish, which was the reason to go, which is basically tuna (or was it salmon) and tomatoes and some sauce on top of a large wanton chip. That was really good even if another friend of mine frowned at the mix of tomatoes and sushi.

Rant:

It really pushes my stupid button when somebody complains about something and gives un unsupportable reason for their complaint. In this case my friend's face turned sour when I mentioned the tuna, tomato, sauce and wanton chip dish. After I finished my explanation of the dish she said something to the effect of "foods should not be mixed" meaning that tomatoes should not be added to sushi like it's wrong or something but the statement "foods should not be mixed" is a ludicrous statement. Every food you eat except for raw meat and veggies is the result of somebody mixing foods. Breads, cakes, sandwiches, salads, casseroles, sushi, ice cream, nearly every food is a mix of other foods. Which is the specific year before which foods were okay to mix but afterwards it's *evil*? Anyway, the truth of the matter was that this particular person doesn't like raw tomatoes. If she had just said that that would have been the end of it instead of the ridiculous "foods should not be mixed".

Insomnia Cafe

On Beverly and Poinsettia. Another coffee shop. The point of this one seems to be that lots of screenwriters (or wannabe screenwriters) hang out here with their laptops and type their latest screen plays or movie treatments. I just sat there and edited my webpages. Does that make me a poser?

Rae's Cafe

On Pico west of Centinela. The thing going for Rae's is it's old looking like a 50s diner. Not like Ruby's which is a commercialized version of a 50s diner but an actual 50s diner. It doesn't look like this place has changed in 50 years. Maybe it hasn't. Food what you'd expect for a diner. Reasonably priced and not bad at all and very middle American menu.

Sanamulang Cafe

Sanamulang Cafe is in the middle of Thai Town. I didn't even know L.A. had a Thai town but it does. I'm not sure what the boundaries of Thai Town are but Hollywood Blvd east of the 101 for a few miles seems to be the area. Samamulang doesn't seem to be a Thai restaurant. It's a mix of various Asian foods but it's good, and it's cheap. Parking leaves something to be desired. Expect to have to double park and leave your keys with some guy your not sure is actually in charge if you come at a crowed time.

Tito's Taco's

Me and Evan and Sakura tried this place out. It's on the northern Washington (there are two Washingtons right there) and Sepulevda. There is always a line. I'm not sure why. We tried it out and for me it seems like bad drive in movie Mexican food. It was cheap but I personally got a stomach ache after I ate there. I guess I don't understand the line. If you want Mexican go to Alberto's or Baja Bud's.

Johnnies

I don't know what to say about Johnnies. I was just driving around and I saw this. It's on Sepulevda south between the two Washingtons. The claim famous French Dip and Pastrami sandwiches. I tried it out and it was pretty good. It's a small place but it looks like it either gets very crowed or used to get very crowed because there are lots of tables outside.

Newsroom

The Newsroom on Robertson in Beverly Hills is a great place to take someone from out of town for breakfast, brunch or lunch when you don't know where to else to take them. It's on a smaller street in the designer furniture area of Beverly Hills. It's across from a restaurant that appeared in the movie "Get Shorty". The chances of seeing somebody famous and probably pretty high. And, the food is not bad depending on what you order and what you like. It's kind of California style *health* trendy so for example I haven't had a salad there I personally enjoyed but I love of the breakfast catfish and the French toast is good.

Across from the Newsroom in the same building is a way cool store called Storyopolis which is a children's bookstore which also features real artwork from the artists that make the books. Way cool!!!

There is a smaller Newsroom in Santa Monica. Nothing really special to recommend it unfortunately. The menu is much smaller.

NBC Seafood

(more to come)

Ocean Star

In Monterey Park, this is one of the most popular Dim Sum places. I'm sure you could wait an hour even on a weekday. The place is huge too. If you really want the Dim Sum experience this is the place to go.

Also, Monterey Park and the areas nearby are heavily populated by Chinese as well as some other Asian groups. The cool things is there are tons of great and fun restaurants, several video game stores and also a couple of Hong Kong movie theaters so if you want to see the latest Jackie Chan or other Hong Kong movies years before their official American release check it out!

Rockbottom's

This is one of those brewery restaurants where they make their own beers. I'm not sure if the food is all that great here but I went a couple of times and the one reason I'd go back is they have this buffalo wings appetizer plate with 3 different types of wings. It's about $10 and they give you something like 40 wings. Just that plate alone was enough for 4 people. Good Stuff.

The City of Long Beach is also trying to turn downtown Long Beach into a tourist area. They just opened a new Aquarium down in the harbor and are increasing the size of their Shoreline Village. A seaside touristy mall. It's something to do. Check it out.

Directions: Take the 710 south to downtown Long Beach (follow the signs). It's about 6 or 8 blocks from the freeway on the left. They've got a pretty big sign so I don't think you'll miss it.

Filipino place on South

You're going to have to ask my friend Rose about this one. It's good, it's authentic, but I haven't the slightest idea what to order nor do I remember exactly how to get there. Assuming there is only one Tower Records in Cerritos you could look that up because it's in the same shopping center. One interesting dish is called Chicken with Spoon in Ass. Just kidding. They have a dish that is a whole small chicken cooked a really long time so it almost falls apart when you get it. It's delivered on a plate whole with a spoon sticking out the top which in this case is it's bottom so I decided it should be called "Chicken with Spoon in Ass" :-)

Micro Tokyo

I'm not sure if that's the "official" name of this area but on Sawtelle just north of Olympic there are about 3 or 4 blocks of Japanese stores. It seems alot more lively than Little Tokyo in downtown L.A even if it is really small. I've heard it called Little Osaka and also L.A. city had flags up calling it just Sawtelle.

Furaibo

Furaibo is a Japanese restaurant in Micro Tokyo (see below). They have a fairly extensive menu and it's very much more similar to a common type of Japanese restaurant in Japan unlike most Japanese restaurants in America.

Directions: I'm not sure exactly how to get to Olympic just west of the 405. I don't think there is an Olympic exit going North. Basically you want to get on Sawtelle which is the first street west of the 405 on Olympic and then turn north (if you are going West toward Santa Monica you'd turn right. You are now in Micro Tokyo. Go one block north. Furebo is on the right on the corner of the 2nd block.

Shoreline Cafe

They are also open 24 hours. At least the one in Belmont Shores is. Their food isn't as good as Harbor house but it's usually not bad and Belmont Shores is far more interesting than the Harbor House locations.

Directions: Take the 405 north to the 7th Street exit. On the 7th street exit there is a sub-exit to Studabaker. Take that exit. At Studabaker go left and then right at Westminster. Westminster will cross PCH and become 2nd St. Keep going until you cross two more bridges. You're now in Belmont Shores. The Shoreline Cafe is on right about 5 or 6 blocks.

T.C.B.Y (The Country's Best Yogurt)

T.C.B.Y. is a national chain of frozen yogurt / ice cream shops. It's nothing special, at least for me, but you've got to see this. They have something they call "Rainbow Cream". It's vanilla ice cream with a TON OF FOOD COLORING!!!! Of course kids love it. I tried it and it was fine BUT, the next 3 times I when #2 I colored the water quite a dark shade of blue.

Marukai

Marukai is a store similar to Mitsuwa. I'm not sure if they are also a chain. As for food they have more selection than the Costa Mesa Mitsuwa and they have better prices. They require a $10 membership but generally you'll save more than $10 over Mitsuwa on your first trip.

They also have some Hawaiian foods although they are all frozen. They have pork, chicken and fish lau-laus and they have kalua pork and kalua chicken as well as some poke mix and laup-chong (a sweet sausage that Hawaiians like especially in fried rice)

Directions: Take the 91 Fwy west until it ends just past the 110. It becomes Artisia Blvd. Keep going west on Artisia to Western. Make a U-Turn then turn right into Marukai. OR, Take 405 and exit on Artisia East or Western North. Marukai is at the corner of Western and Artisia. Note: don't mistake the Marukai 99 cent store that's about a mile east of Western.

I've been told there is now a Marukai in Orange County too.

Mitsuwa

See (O.C. Dining)