These restaurants are parts of larger chains. My experience is with their Las Vegas locations.
The Yardhouse: A great place to hang out but keep in mind that it tends to be very busy, even on weekdays. The food is good, there's over a hundred beers on tap, and the service is always friendly and excellent. I've tried a number of their appetizers and can recommend all of them. The lobster artichoke dip is a particular favourite because it's a dish that, in addition to being really good, is something you'd never make at home. I recommend going after 10PM Monday through Wednesday for the half price appetizer special. You can eat very well for very little money. The only real drawback of the Yardhouse is the bar. While it does have over a hundred beers on tap, they're often out of about 20 of them. And, because it's so busy and the bartenders are relatively few in number in relation to the size of the crowd, they quick pour every beer. While this is fine for lighter beers such as Stella or Sam Adams, it does a disservice to the heavier drinks. Guinness is acceptable when this happens, but you end up having to let the Rasputin Stout sit for a few minutes before it's drinkable. Again, I recommend Yardhouse for hanging out with people, but I would not recommend it as an after work, grab a beer before heading home, type of bar.
Grimaldi's Pizzaria: They say that they are the same as the famous Grimaldi's in New York. Visually, the pizza looks like a proper New York pizza. The mozzerella is sliced not shredded, and fresh basil is scattered on the pizza. The sauce is a little sweet but overall the pizza is good, definitely try a bite before dumping on the parmesan or chile flakes. However, it is a bit pricey. This is where the real question comes in. There is no denying this is a good pizza, whether it's worth the price is a different question. There's good, not quite as good but solidly good, pizza elsewhere in Vegas and in most cities. And usually, you'll spend about $10-$12 for one of these solidly good pizzas (personal size) and a soda. A personal pizza, with a couple toppings, no drink is over $16 at Grimaldi's. I don't think the pizza is better enough to justify the price differential. Again, good pizza, but there's no doubt you pay a premium for the Grimaldi's name.
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Saturday, September 29, 2007
A Disparate Confluence of Many Things
OK, this review post is going to cover a range of things so no theme.
First and foremost the matter of Apples. Apple season is starting and we are being blessed/cursed with a sudden explosion of apples in both quantity and variety. This is a curse because that means confusion and sorrow for so many. Different people like different attributes in their apples but there are some apples that just aren't for unadultered consumption that are sold for such. This apple boon is a blessing because it means rarely seen apple varieties are finally available. Stay away, far away, from the mealy apples(average red apple I'm looking at you) during apple season. These are acceptable when they're the only thing that's available all throughout the rest of the year, but now that there are choices, don't waste your money and mouth. For my money the best apple to buy is one that I've only been able to find during apple season. The oft unheard of Jonagold. This is the perfect balance of firm flesh and mealiness. You get the nice snap when you bite into it, but it doesn't feel like a block is in your mouth like a Granny Smith does. It's a sweeter apple so it's perfect for kids. I've gotten bags and bags of Jonagolds as kitchen manager for outdoors events where I've had to appeal to and feed 150+ people and there's always people asking if they can have more while the Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples go to rot. I've had people come up afterwards and say how impressed they were with the apple. As a child I was forced to eat an apple a day and as a result can barely stand the sight of apple products now. I seek out and buy the Jonagolds. The Jonagolds look like Fuji or Gala apples so be sure to read the labels to make sure you're getting the Jonagold. You won't be disappointed.
I just watched the movie "Knocked Up" and must preface this review with the statement that I can't stand most chick flicks, and all comedy aside, this was a chick flick. That being said, I didn't think that much of the movie. Yes, parts were funny, and Heigl is pretty to look at, but really about 30 minutes in I was done. It started as a comedy and devolved into chick flick and I lost interest. I didn't need to watch the movie to know how it was going to end. I didn't need to see the gratuitous "comedic" nudity. Really, they best parts of the movie for me was seeing one of the "Firefly" actors telling Heigl's character to "tighten" with his associated hand movements.
Final review of this post: The Tap House. Another Vegas hole in the wall, it has won awards in years past for both it's Pizza and it's Chicken Wings. So, I tried both. I had the meat lovers pizza which was good but really not outstanding. It was well balanced if a little short of meat for a meat lovers. There was nothing bad about it, it just didn't outshine other pizzas. Now the Twice Baked Cajun Wings were a different story. Wow. I was already full from the pizza but I couldn't stop eating the wings. They were spectacular. They weren't too hot but had a nice heat that lingered for a while. They were meaty not thin, they were just a bit salty and I love salt, they were flavourful, they were just wow. This is what a hot wing should be. Not some poor overly deep fried scrawny little nothing dripping with bottled hot sauce. Because really, most hot wings taste the same because the restaurants are pulling from the same 3 supply companies and buying the same 5 bottles of sauce. As for the restaurant itself, it's a standalone rundown looking building with a darkened interior and a bit of Italian flair to it's standard pub decor. The service is pretty good and the food doesn't take too long to show up. Just remember, order the wings.
First and foremost the matter of Apples. Apple season is starting and we are being blessed/cursed with a sudden explosion of apples in both quantity and variety. This is a curse because that means confusion and sorrow for so many. Different people like different attributes in their apples but there are some apples that just aren't for unadultered consumption that are sold for such. This apple boon is a blessing because it means rarely seen apple varieties are finally available. Stay away, far away, from the mealy apples(average red apple I'm looking at you) during apple season. These are acceptable when they're the only thing that's available all throughout the rest of the year, but now that there are choices, don't waste your money and mouth. For my money the best apple to buy is one that I've only been able to find during apple season. The oft unheard of Jonagold. This is the perfect balance of firm flesh and mealiness. You get the nice snap when you bite into it, but it doesn't feel like a block is in your mouth like a Granny Smith does. It's a sweeter apple so it's perfect for kids. I've gotten bags and bags of Jonagolds as kitchen manager for outdoors events where I've had to appeal to and feed 150+ people and there's always people asking if they can have more while the Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples go to rot. I've had people come up afterwards and say how impressed they were with the apple. As a child I was forced to eat an apple a day and as a result can barely stand the sight of apple products now. I seek out and buy the Jonagolds. The Jonagolds look like Fuji or Gala apples so be sure to read the labels to make sure you're getting the Jonagold. You won't be disappointed.
I just watched the movie "Knocked Up" and must preface this review with the statement that I can't stand most chick flicks, and all comedy aside, this was a chick flick. That being said, I didn't think that much of the movie. Yes, parts were funny, and Heigl is pretty to look at, but really about 30 minutes in I was done. It started as a comedy and devolved into chick flick and I lost interest. I didn't need to watch the movie to know how it was going to end. I didn't need to see the gratuitous "comedic" nudity. Really, they best parts of the movie for me was seeing one of the "Firefly" actors telling Heigl's character to "tighten" with his associated hand movements.
Final review of this post: The Tap House. Another Vegas hole in the wall, it has won awards in years past for both it's Pizza and it's Chicken Wings. So, I tried both. I had the meat lovers pizza which was good but really not outstanding. It was well balanced if a little short of meat for a meat lovers. There was nothing bad about it, it just didn't outshine other pizzas. Now the Twice Baked Cajun Wings were a different story. Wow. I was already full from the pizza but I couldn't stop eating the wings. They were spectacular. They weren't too hot but had a nice heat that lingered for a while. They were meaty not thin, they were just a bit salty and I love salt, they were flavourful, they were just wow. This is what a hot wing should be. Not some poor overly deep fried scrawny little nothing dripping with bottled hot sauce. Because really, most hot wings taste the same because the restaurants are pulling from the same 3 supply companies and buying the same 5 bottles of sauce. As for the restaurant itself, it's a standalone rundown looking building with a darkened interior and a bit of Italian flair to it's standard pub decor. The service is pretty good and the food doesn't take too long to show up. Just remember, order the wings.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Broadway Pizza and Grill
I'm posting this as a standalone because I failed to post about it in my last SoCal Eats review. If you're ever in Long Beach I highly recommend stopping by Broadway Pizza and Grill.
If you've seen "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" you know what the owner of this place is like. The Greeks invented everything, and his knowledge of Greek history, no matter how wrong, is still more right than yours. But, don't argue with the man, he's a good guy and his food is excellent.
The tatziki is the best I've had outside of the Vegas Greek festival. He does what so many places should, but don't bother to do. He drains some of the moisture out of the cucumber and yogurt via cheesecloth. This makes for a thicker, tangier, more intensly flavoured tatziki.
His meat lovers pizza is greasy but oh so good. He uses real bacon too, which is so incredible it must be experienced. You'll never want Canadian "bacon" on your pizza again. I miss the pizza. I really do.
His pita is not like what you'd get in the local supermarket appearance wise, but it tastes like standard pita, and it's made fresh. Now, when I say standard pita, I mean the fresh stuff not the mass produced shipped across state lines variety that you often find.
The service is minimal, I mean it's a walk up and order, get your drink from the rack of fountains, and sit down with a number on your table kind of place. But, if the owner is around and feels like coming out and hanging out, which he did when I was there, you're in for a treat. If you know your food and he realizes that you truly appreciate his food, he'll start giving small samples of stuff for you to try.
The next time I'm in Long Beach, I'm definitely going back.
If you've seen "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" you know what the owner of this place is like. The Greeks invented everything, and his knowledge of Greek history, no matter how wrong, is still more right than yours. But, don't argue with the man, he's a good guy and his food is excellent.
The tatziki is the best I've had outside of the Vegas Greek festival. He does what so many places should, but don't bother to do. He drains some of the moisture out of the cucumber and yogurt via cheesecloth. This makes for a thicker, tangier, more intensly flavoured tatziki.
His meat lovers pizza is greasy but oh so good. He uses real bacon too, which is so incredible it must be experienced. You'll never want Canadian "bacon" on your pizza again. I miss the pizza. I really do.
His pita is not like what you'd get in the local supermarket appearance wise, but it tastes like standard pita, and it's made fresh. Now, when I say standard pita, I mean the fresh stuff not the mass produced shipped across state lines variety that you often find.
The service is minimal, I mean it's a walk up and order, get your drink from the rack of fountains, and sit down with a number on your table kind of place. But, if the owner is around and feels like coming out and hanging out, which he did when I was there, you're in for a treat. If you know your food and he realizes that you truly appreciate his food, he'll start giving small samples of stuff for you to try.
The next time I'm in Long Beach, I'm definitely going back.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
SoCal Eats
Since not all the food in the LA area is on Ventura, here's a review of some of the other places I've tried.
The Pizza Cookery: Good service, although I think I was older than the entire female wait staff, which was a little weird. I had a personal pizza with sausage, pepperoni, salami, and meatball slices. The sausage was ok, the pepperoni was on the bland side, and the salami and meatball slices weren't all that flavorfull either. The crust was good and the toppings were piled high, so overall the pizza was good but not something I would really recommend. However, the garlic rolls were really good. I love rolls already, and I love garlic, and they combined them into this wonderful pre-meal snack. The rolls are soft and flavourful and the roasted garlic baked into them just made them heavenly. I will go back for the rolls.
Kate Mantilini: I went at an off hour and decided to sit at the bar and watch the game on the TV. This is one of those places where you pay for a name and an atmosphere. I ordered a burger with side of fries and they were good, but not worth the price charged when I could get a better burger at Jonny Rocket's for half the price. The bartender was very helpful and the service was very good. It was also very obvious that the staff all liked each other and got along very well. And, despite the price, there wasn't a stuffy atmosphere and they didn't scoff at my jeans and t-shirt when I walked in. If you have money and you want to hang out somewhere casual but nice this is a good place to do it if all you're getting is drinks. But I don't think the food they offer is worth the prices they ask.
Ruby's Diner: I think this is a chain but I have yet to see another one and I've never heard of it elsewhere so I think it's a local chain if a chain it is. I'd equate this to Jonny Rockets. The food is good in the same way, although they offer a lot more choices. They do have uniforms, much more accurate to the time they're recreating than Jonny Rockets, which adds to the atmosphere. As for the service, it was pretty bad when I was there although given my observations I'm inclined to think it was my waitress specifically.
Aunt Rosa Lee's: Soul Food with soul. I haven't had soul food in years and Aunt Rosa Lee's was so spot on and so good it just made me happy. The staff were incredibly friendly and the whole place felt like a home dining room complete with Aunt Rosa Lee holding court in one corner. I had the smothered pork chops with a side of mac and cheese and hushpuppies. The pork chops were really, really good, and the gravy was really, really good too. There was so much food on the plate I ended up having to take some home and I threw a little rice from home in with it and the gravy on the rice was just sublime. The mac and cheese was good, not spectacular, although the hot sauce they had on the table really went with it really well. The hushpuppies were a very nice suprise. There was a little heat to them, not overpowering, but enough for you to notice. Some friends I'd gone with had never had soul food and one ordered the oxtails at my recommendation and really loved them, she polished them off completely. I will be trying them next time I go, and even though it's quite a drive away from me, I will be going to Aunt Rosa Lee's again.
East Japanese Restaurant: This place had a really nice look to it inside. It's what you'd expect from a long standing corner Japanese restaurant in the suburbs, even though it's in middle of Little Tokyo. The miso soup was good, even if it did lack tofu. I had the Katsu don which is my favourite Japanese dish and a dish I have been craving since I've been having difficulty finding it at all these sushi joints that have popped up to profit off the craze. The Katsu don was perfect. The rice was flavourful, the pork cutlet wasn't tough, the eggs were soft. The service was good and very friendly even if it was obvious English wasn't the waiter's first language. I will be trying other restaurants in Little Tokyo before going back here, but it's definitely worth going back.
I can't remember the name of the place since I'm not sure they actually had a name sign out, but I was recently on Olivera St and ate at one of the Mexican restaurants there. This was a semi-open air place and really more of a literal hole in the wall than an actual formal restaurant, but that didn't detract from it. The guy handling the sitting area and the take-out window did a good job of staying on top of things considering the only other guy there was in charge of cooking. The place was cleaner than you would expect given it's layout. I had the beef taquitos and they came in this light green sauce, I'm not sure what it was. A friend thought it might be guacamole mixed with sour cream and normally I don't like either but I liked this sauce. I also added a dash of the hot sauce available on the table which had a nice kick to it. The taquitos themselves were very good. It's hard to go back to the frozen in a box variety after having these. They were crisp and the beef was very flavourful. Next time I'm in that area I will be getting the taquitos as a snack again.
The Pizza Cookery: Good service, although I think I was older than the entire female wait staff, which was a little weird. I had a personal pizza with sausage, pepperoni, salami, and meatball slices. The sausage was ok, the pepperoni was on the bland side, and the salami and meatball slices weren't all that flavorfull either. The crust was good and the toppings were piled high, so overall the pizza was good but not something I would really recommend. However, the garlic rolls were really good. I love rolls already, and I love garlic, and they combined them into this wonderful pre-meal snack. The rolls are soft and flavourful and the roasted garlic baked into them just made them heavenly. I will go back for the rolls.
Kate Mantilini: I went at an off hour and decided to sit at the bar and watch the game on the TV. This is one of those places where you pay for a name and an atmosphere. I ordered a burger with side of fries and they were good, but not worth the price charged when I could get a better burger at Jonny Rocket's for half the price. The bartender was very helpful and the service was very good. It was also very obvious that the staff all liked each other and got along very well. And, despite the price, there wasn't a stuffy atmosphere and they didn't scoff at my jeans and t-shirt when I walked in. If you have money and you want to hang out somewhere casual but nice this is a good place to do it if all you're getting is drinks. But I don't think the food they offer is worth the prices they ask.
Ruby's Diner: I think this is a chain but I have yet to see another one and I've never heard of it elsewhere so I think it's a local chain if a chain it is. I'd equate this to Jonny Rockets. The food is good in the same way, although they offer a lot more choices. They do have uniforms, much more accurate to the time they're recreating than Jonny Rockets, which adds to the atmosphere. As for the service, it was pretty bad when I was there although given my observations I'm inclined to think it was my waitress specifically.
Aunt Rosa Lee's: Soul Food with soul. I haven't had soul food in years and Aunt Rosa Lee's was so spot on and so good it just made me happy. The staff were incredibly friendly and the whole place felt like a home dining room complete with Aunt Rosa Lee holding court in one corner. I had the smothered pork chops with a side of mac and cheese and hushpuppies. The pork chops were really, really good, and the gravy was really, really good too. There was so much food on the plate I ended up having to take some home and I threw a little rice from home in with it and the gravy on the rice was just sublime. The mac and cheese was good, not spectacular, although the hot sauce they had on the table really went with it really well. The hushpuppies were a very nice suprise. There was a little heat to them, not overpowering, but enough for you to notice. Some friends I'd gone with had never had soul food and one ordered the oxtails at my recommendation and really loved them, she polished them off completely. I will be trying them next time I go, and even though it's quite a drive away from me, I will be going to Aunt Rosa Lee's again.
East Japanese Restaurant: This place had a really nice look to it inside. It's what you'd expect from a long standing corner Japanese restaurant in the suburbs, even though it's in middle of Little Tokyo. The miso soup was good, even if it did lack tofu. I had the Katsu don which is my favourite Japanese dish and a dish I have been craving since I've been having difficulty finding it at all these sushi joints that have popped up to profit off the craze. The Katsu don was perfect. The rice was flavourful, the pork cutlet wasn't tough, the eggs were soft. The service was good and very friendly even if it was obvious English wasn't the waiter's first language. I will be trying other restaurants in Little Tokyo before going back here, but it's definitely worth going back.
I can't remember the name of the place since I'm not sure they actually had a name sign out, but I was recently on Olivera St and ate at one of the Mexican restaurants there. This was a semi-open air place and really more of a literal hole in the wall than an actual formal restaurant, but that didn't detract from it. The guy handling the sitting area and the take-out window did a good job of staying on top of things considering the only other guy there was in charge of cooking. The place was cleaner than you would expect given it's layout. I had the beef taquitos and they came in this light green sauce, I'm not sure what it was. A friend thought it might be guacamole mixed with sour cream and normally I don't like either but I liked this sauce. I also added a dash of the hot sauce available on the table which had a nice kick to it. The taquitos themselves were very good. It's hard to go back to the frozen in a box variety after having these. They were crisp and the beef was very flavourful. Next time I'm in that area I will be getting the taquitos as a snack again.
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