Scarpetta Brunch- Fit for Kings and Queens

If you're looking for a spectacular brunch on Sundays, Scarpetta is the place to be. Located at the posh Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, this buffet will satisfy all your cravings from savory to sweet.

We came here with hearty appetites and left waddling out like happy ducks.

The kitchen has all sorts of food including bread, croissants, meats, veggies, appetizers, sliders, mac n cheese, the famous spaghetti, ravioli, oysters, king crab legs, sushi and fruit.

In the dining room area you will find a cheese station and a dessert station filled with all sorts of goodies such as macarons, cakes, creme brûlée and panna cotta.

You can also order off the menu for items such as french toast, hash browns and poached eggs. 

Must try list:

Spaghetti - get a couple servings because this is seriously one of the best pastas I've had. Simple yet refined. 

spaghetti, veggies, fruit, breads, oysters, desserts

Oysters- need I say more?

Poached egg with polenta- Orgasmically fulfilling. Good lord! I've never had an egg so good, and the polenta balances it perfectly. 

poached egg with polenta

Desserts: Get them all! Highlights are the creme brûlée, macarons and tapioca pudding in a small glass.

Service is excellent on all levels. Everyone was accommodating, friendly and on point.

Price- not for the faint of heart. $68 per person. It's well worth it for a special treat!


Scarpetta
225 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

In-N-Out Burger

Who doesn't love In n Out?

I think I've only dined at this location once, but the drive-thru is great for those odd late night cravings.

There has never been a time that I've driven here when there wasn't a line. I mean how can you beat a tasty, made-to-order burger for under $2.

I usually order the hamburger protein-style (on lettuce instead of bun) with ketchup and mustard instead of the special sauce. Yeah, I'm watching my diet.. kinda. 

Double Double Protein Style

The service has been consistently good, most of the people here seem to actually like their jobs- which can't be said for other fast food places.

Not a big fan of the fries because they taste bland.

However, the shakes are to-die-for. Until I discovered they came in at a whopping 690 calories each! Wtf. The hamburger i order only has around 330. For all of you working on that hot summer bod, I would forgo the shakes, even though they are damn tasty.

Overall, good food, good prices and good service. Win.


In-N-Out Burger
922 Gayley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Veggie Grill- I'm a Believer

I've been meaning to review Veggie Grill for a while, so here it is. From the super friendly service to the insanely delicious vegetarian fare, you can't go wrong at VG.


Trust me, I'm not a vegetarian by any means, and it took a while before my BF could convince me to try this place. Fake meat? No meat? Are you kidding me?!


I tried a vegan joint in Santa Monica once and it was quite tasteless. Since then, I've distanced myself from all these non-meat places.


Finally, I relented. How bad could it be?


My first trip was on a weekend during lunch. As we pulled up into back parking lot, I started getting curious. The place was packed! I mean, how bad could it be if all these people were going?


I ordered the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin with a side of cole slaw. Fried "chicken" with lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado. It came with a side of spicy vegan mayo.

Santa Fe Crispy Chickin

The food arrived and I dug in. WOWWOWOWOW.. WHAT?! How is this possible?! This shit was amazing! I couldn't even tell it wasn't chicken! Tempeh, you are now my friend.


Since this first visit, I've been back too many times to count. How can I resist food that tastes good AND is good for you?


Other highlights are the Grilled Chickin, Sweetheart Fries, Cauli-Mashed Potatoes, and Kale.

Grilled Chickin on kale with cauli-mashed potatoes

You can't go wrong with the damn kale! I've asked for my sandwiches to be made kale style instead of on the bun. Kale lovers, rejoice!


I'll be back again and again! This is definitely a successful restaurant and I'm excited to see how big it will expand.


5*****


Veggie Grill
2025 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle

In the last few months, I've had the pleasure of visiting this popular noodle restaurant five or six times. On my first trip, it was definitely a five star experience. The last few times I've gone, it's dwindled down to 4 stars overall.

The wait can be ridiculous if you go anytime after it opens. I've gone there at 11:15 am, 15 minutes after opening and have waited 30 minutes. On a weekday, no less. On weekends, forget it, it's definitely at least 45 minutes. My advice, get there early, like before 11 am.

Tsukemen is the way to go here. These thick noodles are not ramen, but beat their ramen by a landslide. Basically, you dip the tsukemen  into a pork based broth that has pork, egg and bamboo shoots. The fatty broth is damn delicious and if you're really a glutton, you can ask them to fill the remaining broth with hot water so you can drink the fat. Yeah, I did that once and I was thirsty for the rest of the day. I also gained a couple pounds from that meal so don't do that if you're on a diet.

Tsukemen with egg

Tonkotsu ramen

The ramen is pretty good, although the portion size is smaller than other ramen places. However, if you're still hungry, you can ask for a side order of just noodles to add to your ramen broth. I think the bowls just look smaller, because after I was done with my ramen, I was stuffed! I still think Santouka has better ramen and it's cheaper too.


They have spicy tuna rice bowls on the menu as well for those who don't want noodles.

The service is usually good, but I have felt rushed at times. Not good for someone who has waited outside for a while.

BTW, cash only. Hit the ATM before going.


4****


Tsujita LA
2057 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 231-7373

Blue Plate Oysterette- Lobster Rolls to Die For

A taste of the Hamptons in Santa Monica? That sums up this charming restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean, right on Ocean Ave.


I've been wanting to try this place for a while now and finally had the opportunity a couple weeks ago. Seeing how there always seems to be a wait around peak meal times, we arrived exactly when they opened at 11:30 am.


Yay! First ones in the door! We sat at a corner booth right next to the front door. OMG, it was freezing because they had the door open, but thank goodness the waitress offered to close it.


We perused the menu and both decided to get the lobster roll ($22) on a brioche bun. I got mine with fries and he got his with sweet potato chips. I also ordered 2 oysters for myself.


The waitress recommended the Hogg Island and Luna Bay and both were tasty! At $3 a piece, they better be.

oysters

The lobster roll came out shortly and OMFG, they sure didn't skimp on portions. The lobster meat was overflowing on the buttery brioche bun. It was delicious. Totally worth the $22. The fries were decent, chips were just okay.

lobster roll with fries

Service was decent, although I found it a bit weird that the waitress wore dark sunglasses while talking to us. We were indoors and it was overcast that day. 

I'm totally coming back for more lobster rolls and to try the famous lobster mac n cheese.


Blue Plate Oysterette
1355 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Bud Namu KBBQ- All You Can Eat for 10 Bucks

Looking for $9.99 AYCE KBBQ? Get yo' butt down to this new restaurant. Located on the corner of 8th and Ardmore next to Jon's market, Bud Namu is a large 2-story building with valet parking for $2. If you're going during dinner, you'll most likely have to use the valet as the street parking there is non-existent. However, during lunch, breeze on over to the parking lot across the street and park for free.

On my first visit, we sat downstairs in a booth. We opted for the $9.99 menu which consisted of brisket, pork belly, bulgogi, chicken bulgogi, beef belly and intestines. I really only wanted the brisket and bulgogi and so did my dining companions, so that's all we ordered. The brisket was pretty fatty and not the best quality, but what do you expect for $10? We preferred the bulgogi.

My second visit was for dinner the other night with a few other friends. We sat upstairs by the window and behind a wall. We were more adventurous and ordered everything on the menu except for the intestines and chicken. My favorite was still the bulgogi, with brisket being a close second. The pork belly was insanely huge and scary. It was 90% fat and definitely not for the faint of heart. I thought the beef belly was okay and kept confusing it with the brisket since they looked so similar. We had to change the grill a few times to get rid of all the charred meat. 

Service was off and on. We had to flag them down since they couldn't see us behind the damn wall. Since we were upstairs, we took advantage of the self-serve "banchan bar" and got our own salad, cucumbers, bean sprouts and kimchi. Too bad the good banchan was not self-serve. I would have gotten potato salad wasted.

Steamed egg and rice paper are also available, but you have to ask for them specifically. What is it with steamed egg and keeping it to a minimum of 2 per table? If it were up to me, I'd say give each person their own bowl!

Our final bill was $13 per person. Cheap dinners are yours to be had here!

P.S. You will smell like a cow's behind when you leave the restaurant. Make sure you wash all your clothing and air out other personal belongings.


4****


Bud Namu KBBQ
809 S. Ardmore Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
213-385-9292

Spaghetti House by Orris

Spaghetti House by Orris should not be confused with the original Orris. This restaurant now serves pasta and it's not even really Japanese.

I was pretty excited to dine here since Orris served such good food. However, the pasta was unoriginal and pretty plain.

We came here during lunch on a week day and it was pretty dead. The waitress was friendly and prompt, which I liked. Service is important to me.

I ordered the spaghetti with mushrooms and takana mustard greens and my dining companion had the spaghetti with bolognese. Both came with a side salad which was pretty bland.

Spaghetti with mushrooms & takana mustard greens

Our pastas were done within 7 minutes and looked like something i could whip up at home. I liked my mustard greens and mushroom pasta just fine, but there was nothing special about it. My DC said his bolognese was good, and it definitely looked like something you could get an Italian chain restaurant.

Spaghetti bolognese

Why did Orris have to close and replace itself with this pasta house? I don't get it, but oh wells. I doubt I'll be back for something that's pretty mediocre.

3***

Spaghetti House by Orris
2006 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025