The Good and The Bad

That last couple of years we have not been focusing on restaurant reviews as much as we did in the beginning.  Surprise, surprise, I have two for you today.  This is for the Los Angeles Folks as both are in the LA area. 

I'll get the first out of the way, since it was a disappointment. The new Cafe 50's on Ventura has all the potential for a family favorite.  Diner style food in a kitschy atmosphere, friendly attentive waitstaff, reasonable prices, what's not to like?  The food, mainly.  Cafe 50's has never blown me away, but when they were on Van Nuys, I could always count on a fair bit of American fare, but the meal I had last week was really bland.  I had the chili. I am not one for a super spicy chili, but this was ridiculous, it tasted like spices had never come near the pot.  The meals my compatriots had were no more impressive. 

I rarely give bad reviews, but in this case it is more of an intervention, I really like this place and want to see it thrive. Cafe 50's has been a long time Valley staple. The new location is so inviting and clean; it would be sad for its improved location to languish because of the quality of the food.  Step it up chefs, you have the potential for a classic.

Cafe 50's 
15045 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

The next review is for something much more pleasing to the palate.  I had a terrific meal at The Curry House on Sawtelle in West LA.  It has been years since I've gone to a Japanese curry house, but ever since the chicken curry on top of spaghetti, I have been craving a another trip.  There is a rich complex flavor to everything tasted which also included the salad dressing and the Curry Pan, a fried dough wrapped  around curried meat and veggies.

If you have never tried Japanese curry, it is much more mild than an Indian curry, so if you like it hot, order it one or two steps above what you would normally get.  I highly recommend an excursion to one of the many locations of the Curry House.  The Sawtelle location of Curry House can be found on the Family of Food Map, at the link below.

Curry House
2130 Sawtelle Blvd # 200
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-8477

A French Dip Into Our History

If you live in Los Angeles or have ever lived in Los Angeles, you may have heard rumor of a place downtown which claims to have invented the French Dip. If you live in Los Angeles and have heard of this place, but have never ventured out to find it, you are at a loss. This place exists and is called Phillipe the Original. In a town full of slick, small portioned, diet obsessed, celebrity chef'd, get the best table in the house to be seen at or better yet not seen at restaurants, Phillipe's is a breath of meat infused genuine old fashioned air.

An ancient counter is staffed by a just slightly less old collection of "Carvers" all wearing smart uniforms out of a thirties period movie complete with hats bobby pinned into their locks permanently curled with curlers set for decades at night, only this isn’t a movie and those uniforms just might be from the thirties, when these women might have first started working at Phillipe’s.

You order at the counter where the lines are numerous and sometimes still long. You can get a lemonade for seventy cents and coffee for ten. You can pick out of Five Different types of meat for your French Dip: roast beef, roast pork, leg of lamb, oven-roasted turkey, or ham. A full diner and breakfast menu is also available. For your first visit, unless you're a vegetarian, why get anything but the dip? Finish up your order with a side dish or a slice of pie and then pick a table. Much of the seating is shared, so get to know your fellow Angelenos. This place is a blast for people watching.

Make sure to try a bit of the Phillipe's Hot Mustard on your Sandwich. It will cure your cold if nothing else. Although they claim to prepare about 40 gallons of hot mustard two times a week, I have a theory that they just go around the corner to Chinatown to get Hot Chinese mustard and put it into deli jars. In any case, I liked it, and I'm not a huge mustard fan.

Before you leave, walk around a bit. Check out the memorabilia on the walls. There is an entire room dedicated to the Santa Fe Train Engine. This place is something authentically special in a town that manufactures special.

If you live in LA, and have never been to Phillipe the Original, it is not too late.


Phillipe the Original
1001 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213)628-3781

The Food's the Thing

I've put off reviewing this place because of one bad experience with a waiter, but I keep going back, so I think I should tell you about this restaurant called DISH.

Usually, we have a lovely time at Dish. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting, most of the waitstaff is very kind, and the food is always great. Home style American cooking is the Dish specialty. Brunch on the weekend is pretty crowded, and reflects the popularity of dishes like "Cornmeal Johnnycakes" or "Havarti Cheese, Asparagus, and Tomato Omelette", both of which I have had and loved. A lunch or dinner might include "Old School Cobb Salad", "Applewood-Smoked Bacon Cheeseburger", or "Cider-Braised Beef Brisket", quality classic American Fare. Dish serves up big plates of thoughtful and delicious comfort food. One bad experience with one bad waiter won't keep me away. You see, the food's the thing.


DISH
734 Foothill Blvd,
La Canada, CA 91001
(818) 790-5355

Breakfast Anyone?

Last week I finally caught one of my favorite breakfast and lunch spots while they were actually open. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten over to Eat and Park in Burbank before two in the afternoon, which is when they close, but I finally managed it. This place has a new modern awning on the outside, but on the inside it’s an old fashioned greasy spoon diner… and that’s the way I like it. I took a couple of friends who said it reminded them of diners in upstate New York. Huge omelets and an unusual potato pancake are two of the reasons I keep coming back to this place. The other reason is the friendly service from a family oriented staff. This is not the place you want to try when you’re on a diet, but when you are hungry, this place will stuff you and the guy next to you for under ten bucks. For all of those readers who log on early on Sunday, they’re open from 6 til 2, go now!

Eat & Park
2517 W Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 953-9302

Oh, Fred.

Last night I landed in the arms of one of my favorite Freds, Fred's 62 that is. I try to tell people about the lesser known of the good restaurants in the LA area, but the secret has been out on Fred’s for a while. At most times of the day or night, Fred's 62 is busy if not packed with a line out the door. The reasons why it is so popular are many; an extensive and unusual menu, the best pancakes in the city (or maybe anywhere), and a friendly wait staff with the pithiest of t-shirt slogans. Where else in town can you get a bowl of spicy mac and cheese, a chili and onion omelet, and a bowl of udon (a Japanese noodle soup) all at four in the morning? The biggest problem I have going To Fred's 62 is deciding on what to order.

Last night I had an old favorite, Pancake Tatin – imagine the best pancake you've ever had, wrapped around an apple pie… only somehow, not heavy. I just can’t say enough about the pancakes. A couple of years ago I ended up at Fred’s on my birthday and I ventured into scary territory with the Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love Pancake: peanut butter, chocolate chips, banana, caramel sauce, and powdered sugar. Sounds too sweet, right? No Sir, it was incredible. To top it off, Husband of Food had The Super Rico (a crabcake-like sandwich made with tuna), which was so delicious, I may have to skip the pancakes next time.

Fred's 62
1850 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323)667-0062