[Alta Dana] [Desserts] Bulgarini Gelato

Bulgarini Gelato

749 E Altadena Dr
Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 791-6174

You can tell they use very high quality ingredients. It's a bit of driving for me (Since I live in OC)..However its worth the drive.

The staffs were very nice, they let us sampled most of the flavors so I know what I really want (seriously, their flavors are more unique than your typical strawberry chocolate vanilla).

I picked pistachio, yellow peach and goat milk. They were very delicious. However my favorite is the yellow peach. They have tiny chunks of peaches in there and the slight tangy flavor with the nature sweetness of peach is the highlight of the gelato. Pistachio is much better than other gelato's pistachio. Seriously not many stores in LA can come close to their pistachio gelato.

They also offers espresso, made to order. I was surprised that their gelato charged by flavors , not by scoops. So, some costs more , some are less. Its still worth it. Their scoop is alot smaller than other store's Gelato but I can total tolerate since Quality is over Quantity to me :)

They have Gelato truck at Yamashiro Restaurant every Thursday. Check their website for latest offerings.

[Gardena] [Japanese Cuisine] Umemura Restaurant - 手工自製拉麵店

Umemura Restaurant

1724 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247

(310) 217-0970

- I like it when my ramen broth is HOT

- I like it when my ramen soup is thick but not porky in taste

- I like it when they make their own ramen noodle

- I like the fast and friendly service

- I like it when the price:quality ratio is good.

- Big Portion too! Enough for a guy

- Their miso ramen is really good. Full of white miso flavor in my mouth and NOT GREASY.

Enough being said. I feel this place is a good place to have lunch at. Ample parking , many options to choose from, consistent in quality.

I agree that there isn't much that really stand out from the other ramen joints nearby, but the food is still above average.

I also ordered their fried rice and their Gyoza. Their gyoza is pretty good too and fried rice...makes me hungry when I am writing this.

minus one star for chashu pork slice in their ramen. Its not juicy / tender enough.

[Monterey Park] [Chinese Cuisine] Dean Sin World 姊妹點心世界

Dean Sin World

306 N Garfield Ave #2
Monterey Park, CA 91754

(626) 571-0636

For More Pictures of this restaurant, please refer to http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/08/monterey-park-chinese-cuisine-dean-sin.html

This place is definitely a hole in a wall type of business. Cheap price, decent service (if you can speak Chinese fluently) and the food are fresh and good. Their Xiao Long Bao is a must have. Their meat is actually better quality meat and they are the main distributor to many restaurants that serve XLB nearby, but other places charges you more money for stuff thats coming out of the same kitchen.

Their postickers are good too. Nice, juicy filling and crispy exterior. I am not a pot sticker lover myself but this place wins me over.

Complimentary peanuts with seaweeds for dine in customers.

I noticed many customers come in to inquire about their Buns (steamed vegetable buns) but they were sold out when we were there. I guess it is a must try next time when I am here?

Cash Only, and you know why ;)

[Alhambra] [Chinese Cuisine] Luscious Dumpling - 潤豐元餃子店

Luscious Dumplings

704 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 282-8695

Inexpensive quality Chinese meal. Specialized in dumplings and noodles.

This is one of the few places where foreigners can order with confidence since the staffs there are all second (or third) generation Chinese. So they will explain your inquiries. However, as others mention, their menu is simple (and short) and the foods do run out fast. Their famous Steamed Soup dumplings were gone when I arrived. They suggest to come before 5:30pm on weekdays, perhaps even earlier on weekends.

They have combo where you can select any noodles, plus choice of dumplings. My favorite is the pork, shrimp and chive dumplings. Its very fresh and juicy. Thats how I like my dumplings to be make. Their pan friend dumplings are great too, its very very juicy which beats other restaurants hands down.

Everything is good here, but it lacks of an wow factor. I wish they have a dish that can make me said "WOW , its mind blowing good!!! " However, for the price and the quality that they presented, I still recommend this place.

Cash Only, just like most Chinese shops in the area (and you know whats up ;).

[Los Angeles] [Japanese Cuisine] Happy Cup Ramen Truck

Happy Cup Ramen Truck

twitter.com/HappyCupRamen

For more pictures of this place, please refer to (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/07/los-angeles-japanese-cuisine-happy.html)

I happened to see this ramen truck on the way heading back home. This truck reminds me of what we used to see back in Asia (A small stand selling only few items).

Food trucks became extremely popular over this past year (esp. Koji Taco). However, its still predominately Mexican/American or Korean Food. Japanese food wise, its completely left out in this region until Happy Cup Ramen showed up.

I had horrible experience eating at Mottainai Ramen few days ago where everyone in our party left sick (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Since then, I am intrigued to try out this new ramen joint.

This Ramen truck as been running for 2 to 3 months. By a Japanese guy who used to owned a restaurant in South bay area, then supervised and Shinsengumi for approx 6 months. The menu offered plenty items for a food truck! From Ramen ( 7 different flavors) to Fried rice, curry rice, fried items..etc. Price is on average about $6.50.

Now to the Core. ** Note this is a Food Truck, so I have taken off service component or the presentation part from the review.

Tonkotsu Ramen (Rich Pork Broth) - It was served with bean sprout, a slice of chashu pork. The Noodle was good in terms of firmness and they used the typical ramen noddle (wavy one, so it can pick up the soup easily). BBQ pork (chashu) was tender, but not the point that will melt in your mouth. The broth, however, was not as Rich/Thick as I expected. Its somewhat thin, but I can still taste the chicken/pork broth. I think the owner altered the taste a bit so it is not as salty as compares to traditional Japanese broth. However, for late night eats (8pm to 3am), its fast, simple and delicious for what you are paying for (and pretty authentic, too).

Like others suggested. This place is not fancy, but its definitely a solid Ramen joint. Next time if you happen to be in the area and feeling hungry? Give it a try.

You can follow them on Twitter @HappyCupRamen

[Gardena] [Japanese Cuisine] Mottanani Ramen

Mottainai Ramen

1630 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Ste 9
Gardena, CA 90247

(310) 538-3250

For more pictures, please look up Chinese Version of the Review (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/07/gardena-japanese-cuisine-mottanani.html)

Lack of Flavor, Lukewarm, Greasy Ramen Broth. Overcooked Thick Noodle, Strong Smell Chashu Pork slices (YUCK) = Nasty After taste. Do they put MSG in their broth too?? Not good for your health!!

**** I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE****

Came here per Rameniac's recommendation. Came with friends so we can get a fair evaluation of this place. I also read people's review in regards to how good every little dishes are over here...etc etc etc....Its simply the biggest disappointment in years. The following review sums up the comments from my peers and I.

1. The Broth were ALL luke warm when it was served (Shoyu, Miso and Tonkotsu).
2. The Broth were too Greasy, it gives nasty after taste when it was not hot.
3. The Chashu Pork was the MOST PORKY part of the ramen. It has a strong porky after taste, makes me think they must bought some cheap pork, I had upset stomach all night thanks to the strong aftertaste from the pork , NOT the soup.
4. The noodle that they used in the shoyu ramen was nice in firmness, but it taste like the ones we bought in vacuum pack. The thicker noodle can not pick up the soup well.
5. The Gyoza has nice fillings, however it was not perfectly grilled. It was sticky so when we picked up with chopstick, it breaks easily.
6. Last but not least, the Magic "Bomb" does not make any magic when the soup is not hot. It simply can not dissolved well in the bowl with the temperature of the soup. Its just a market gimmick.

I do not know how people would give high rating for this place. Perhaps I came on the bad days? or the owners changed strategy since soft opening or???

I have to give props to their service. Thats the reason that I am giving them a star. A ramen store that does not make good ramen, its like a disaster.

[Torrance] [Japanese Cuisine] Kantaro Sushi

Kantaro Sushi

1542 W Carson St
Torrance, CA 90501

(310) 320-0200

Another Hidden Gem in Torrance area. I agree with previous posters that if you factor in apparance, you shouldn't be eating here. However, I find this place gives excellent value and quality food at the same time.

This sushi joint located inside a small Mexcian strip mall in the middle of Carson blvd. If my friend didn't introduce me this place, I wouldn't even know about this place. It seems to me that they actually opened for at least 20 years and the owner is Japanese couple and most of the customers here are local Japanese crowd.

Their lunch set is VERY affordable. You can have hand made fresh sushi from around $8 dollar to their most expensive item $16.99. The meal is awesome, especially for the price you can only get a small box of sushi at mitsuwa versus here you are getting a whole set that comes with soup, salad, pickcles, and more.

I have to mention that their pickeles are one of the better one in this area, it has three different types of vegetables and they give you alot! Their salad is typical green salad with Italian dressing. Soup is full of seaweeds, tofu, and green onions.

Now the sushi:
Deluxe Sushi Lunch set ($9.90). Wow are you kidding me? I am getting 8 pieces of nigiri sushi plus 6 handrolls on top of everything else? With this price I can barely get a set lunch at niko niko down the block! Sushi consists of Salmon, Tuna, Red Snapper, Shrimp, Shrimp Eggs, Surf clam, egg and white fish, along with 3 pieces of cucumber cut roll and 3 pieces of tuna cut roll. portion wise, its more than enough to fill you up unless you have big appetite.

Supreme Sushi Lunch Set ($16.90). This is their most expensive lunch menu item, except the Omasake set ($40). It consists of more expensive items such as Cho-Toro, Yellowtail, Sweet shrimp, Tuna, Sufr Clam, sea eel, egg, Uni, Salmon eggs, Halibut Fin (This you usually don't get it elsewhere) and 6 pieces of california roll w/shrimp egg. Best of all, this also comes with free greentea/redbean ice cream of your choice! Their uni is big in portion and full in taste. So Sweet!

My only gripe is that their chu-toro has tendons in it which kinda ruined the whole buttery taste. But rest of the sushi items were fresh and tasty. Next time I would ask for less wasabi in my sushi since I like to taste the fish's natural taste more.

I think their Omakase is really good value ($40) . It has many items that's not on the menu and you will get the authentic Japanese taste and presentation. Its definitely not "fancy". However, for the high quality, good value and cozy family-like enviroment, this is the place to be.

More pictures of the sushi restuarant can be found at my own blog (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/05/kantaro-sushi-torrance-ca-cp.html)

[Los Angeles] [American Cuisine] Eva Restaurant

Eva Restaurant

7458 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 634-0700

www.evarestaurantla.com

Solid 5* Luncheon Experience.

The ingredients that they used are definitely fresh and tasty. I love this place from the moment that I stepped in. Very cozy and they divided into indoor & outdoor portion. We picked outdoor portion since it was perfect weather.

The lunch meal consists of Appetizer, Entree, and Dessert of your choice.

I picked Cherry Salad, Linguine with Clams, and Berries. Cherry salad used fresh, ripen Bing cherries and the salad itself used vinaigrette dressing which is also very refreshing. Like others mentioned, the Linguine w/ Clam (they used udon instead of typical linguine pasta) is off the chart. Pretty mind blowing experience. I was surprised this dish can be THIS good. Perfect balance between the udon, the sauce, and the clam (esp the green leaves in the pasta sauce...I wonder if its shiso?) so good! Berries n Cream is fresh too but nothing to write home about.

My friend had Asparagus, which is very good with the olive oil (served warm). Albacore is also an excellent choice, and the cheese plate for dessert.

Its definitely beyond my expectation and I was very pleased to dine in here. I will definitely return to try their famous Sunday Supper Menu!

For more pictures and detailed review in Chinese, Please Visit (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/06/eva-restaurant-west-hollywood-ca.html)

[Redondo Beach] [Japanese Cuisine] Izakaya Bincho

Izakaya Bincho

112 N International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 376-3889

izakayabincho.com/

"Hole in the Wall" Izakaya. The first thing for me to do when I came back from this restaurant to write how cool/good it is.

- This restaurant has almost no sign from outside, only insiders would come here or those adventurous people who bypass the restaurant yet its still full.
- They only open for dinner, and they are exactly how izakaya should be in Japan. Very informal, friendly atmosphere. Everyone is very laid back there.
- The food price is very reasonable and the taste is superb.
- The customers were all Japanese, age varied from young to old. That tells you this place is catering to true Japanese food lovers.

Now the Food:

I noticed his frying skill is like one of the best.
I highly recommend:
1) Fried Chicken Nuggets, Japanese Style
2) Fried Spicy Chicken Wings
3) Agedashi Tofu
4) Meatball Hot Pot
5) Chicken Zousui
6) Stewed Pork Belly

The food is a bit towards salty side so if you don't like the salty stuff, its not for you.

This place has more meat dishes than seafood dishes. If u want seafood, the Seafood market place next door is a good alternative.

I can't wait to return to that place!

[San Gabriel] [Taiwanese Cuisine] Half & Half Tea House, San Gabriel, CA - 伴伴糖茶屋

Half & Half Tea House

120 N San Gabriel Blvd, Unit H
San Gabriel, CA 91778

(626) 309-9387

** For Pictures of this place please click (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/04/half-half-tea-house-san-gabriel-ca.html) - Chinese Version of the blog ***

Among the Chinese Boba places. This is definitely one that's worth mentioning. The drinks are far superior than Tea Station or other similar competitor's drink.

We tried their Pudding Milk Tea and Coffee Jelly Milk Tea. They were both creamy and delicious. The drink automatically comes with honey boba. So if you don't like boba like myself, tell them ahead of the time when ordering. Best of all, they use the cane sugar when making their drink instead of the syrup. Its not as sweet as other stores where I have (MUST) request 75% reduction of sugar or I will have diabetes within a year or so. They also gives big chunks of real home made pudding..soo good. Coffee jelly were smooth and full of flavors too.

Service was nice and efficient. Due to the size of the store, it can be packed from time to time but you can buy it to go and receive 10% discount on all drinks.

tip: come with small party (2 to 3 people max) and you should be seated fast. I think if you have a big group (like 6+) you'll have to wait for a long time at this place.

[Redondo Beach] [Japanese Fusion] Maison Riz, Huntington Beach, CA

Maison Riz

112 Fisherman's Wharf
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 379-1300

For Pictures, as well as Chinese Version of the Review (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/04/maison-riz-huntington-beach-ca.html)

What's up with the hype of this place??

Not so good FUSION food = ConFUSION food

I agree with other posters regarding the hype of this place. Yes, it has a fantastic view. Yes, the services were nice. Yes the presentations are nice but No, the food is nothing that WOW me.

This place is owned by the same Korean owner that runs Pacific Crab company next door but this one he decided to make it Japanese-French Fusion cuisine. The view and interior is beautiful. I like the little details that they are very thoughtful about. However the food, its not worth the price tag in my opinion.

We ordered the "Experience" and the "Voyager" options of the set meal so we can try a bit of everything.

Tofu Bread with Seaweed butter - The original tofu bread and seaweed butter is a nice thought, but the butter itself is hard. It will be nicer if its softer and easier to spread.

"Experience" consists of more meat dishes.
1. Roast duck appetizer was very dry and tasteless. It has alot to do with the texture of the duck itself but I was hoping the sauce and make up for it, but didn't.
2. Tuna Tataki Salad with onions - I liked the dressing but I prefer Albacore instead of tuna since tuna meat is not as tender as Albacore.
3. Crispy Seabass with Dashi Broth - one of their signature dish and it does presented well. The fish was flaky and the broth goes well with the fish.
4. Australia "Kobe" Filet Mignon - Bad Bad Bad. How can they named "Kobe" when its actually "Wagyu" beef? Kobe is just the name of the place where the cow was raised/breed at. The steak itself has nothing that really stands out compare with other USDA meats. However, the sauce (Veal Port Wine Reduction Sauce) was BITTER, something wrong with the wine? or the chef uses it to highlight the taste of the meat but failed to do so? I had much better steak at the "Steakhouse" in Torrance for the real Grade A5 Japanese imported Wagyu Beef (Same quality as CUT in Beverly Hill, yet fraction of price).
5. Dessert - Almond Cake, Chocolate Cake & Orange Jello. Orange jello was the most creative item out of the three.

The Voyager (Seafood-focused meal)
1. Salmon Tartare - It was FISHY. I hardly had salmon thats fishy but here is the first. Argh , I wonder if chef actually taste the dish before they bring it out?
2. Crab Salad - Small yet presented nicely.
3. Fried Oyster, Rockefeller style - Crispy outside with juicy oyster inside. very delicious choice.
4. Tamari Soy Marinated Black Cod - I actually liked miso marinated fish more but this one is still delicious. But I can relate to how people complain about small portion..its about 4 to 5 bites max size
5. Seafood Bouillabaisse (1/2 portion) with Cheese risotto - I am actually surprised that its not as delicious as I thought. They suggested the risotto goes well with the bouillabaisse..but no.....seafood is OK fresh, the soup was not that delicious...I am disappointed.
6. Dessert is same as the other course. I would think they should be different?

Our dessert actually took 30 mins to came up. However while we were waiting for so long, our waitress was nice enough to comp our coffee/tea. Everyone's dessert came out at the same time, and it all seems like the same dishes (I guess something happened in the kitchen that night).

Would I go back to the restaurant? I doubt
Would I recommend people for the view? I will, the view and the service was outstanding, but the food was much less than desired experience especially with the expensive price tag.

[Gardena] [Japanese Cuisine] Shin sen gumi Yakitori

Shin Sen Gumi Yakitori

18617 S Western
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 715-1588

Came here for the anniversary special. 4 of their lunch sets were discounted to $5 each. Pretty good deal and we did get seated quickly. The review is for the lunch set only (Saba set, Yakitori set, Yakitori Bowl, and fried chicken set)

1. Yakitori Set. Both of the set lunch came with salad, miso soup, and croquette. I don't know the taste of the yakitori is inferior due to the special or not, but for sure it does not worth the $9 dollar price tag in my opinion. The chicken was not grilled to my liking and the meatball was lack of flavor, their yakitori sauce was nothing to write home about either. I had much better yakitori at Kappo Honda. I actually think the salad dressing was the best part of my dish.

2. Saba set. Exactly the same thing except the yakitori was substitute for the fish instead. The fish was also grilled to order too. The portion seems bigger since they give 1/2 fish instead of 3 skewers. However, the fish had some bones and it does taste fishy when the fish started to cool down. Its a better choice of the two, but still not worth the $8.50 price tag too.

Overall, I was disappointed with their sister Hakata Ramen Chain, and yet this Yakitori chain too. I believe this place is popular but I do not think their taste is truly authentic. Its already modified to local's liking so its good if you want some bargain or u don't mind the not-so-authentic taste yakitori. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this place to others unless they have discounted their regular menu.

[Los Angeles] [Korean Cuisine] Chosun Galbee, Los Angeles, CA

Chosun Galbee

3330 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019

(323) 734-3330

More photos can be found in the Chinese Version of the Blog (http://travelsmart8.blogspot.com/2010/04/chosun-galbee-los-angeles-ca.html)

Highly recommended. This is one of the best Korean BBQ Place in town.

I remember my first visit back in college. It was very upscale dining experience for Korean BBQ. The service was top notch for Korean restaurant. They do not rush you and they do NOT have the attitude when they serve you and expect you to pay top $$$ for tips.

The meat is always delicious. You can tell that they actually uses better quality of beef rather than those cheap meats thats being served at other all you can eat Korean BBQ joint. The Kalbe and Bulgogi that I had was tender, moist and very minimal fat/tendon.

The dining area divided into the indoor (non smoking) and outdoor (smoking) so fits different people's needs. They do have very good ventilation system so you will not smell like a piece of smoked meat when you are done with your meal.

They were very generous with their side dishes too. They usually refills without asking.

Tip: Come during lunch if you want to sample their food and paying only fraction of the dinner price.

Overall: Quality meats, Friendly Services, Everything looks clean & fresh. Will definitely recommend.