Brent’s Deli – The Best in the Valley

After going to the doctor today and getting a great report, BK and I decided to splurge. Normally, BK cooks a very healthy meal for us – low fat, low sodium and low sugar. However, today we decided to eat lunch out and I told her it was her choice. She chose Brent's Deli in Northridge. We had been there many years ago and then we went a few months ago and loved it. We tried to go for our holiday meal but they were closed for the Jewish holiday so we went to two different delis at that time. None can compare to Brent's. This is a typical Jewish deli with huge sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and enormous desserts – just like New York or the Miami Beach that I remember.

We ordered one extra lean corned beef sandwich with potato salad and a small order of cheese blintzes (consisting of two blintzes) which we asked to be delivered as a dessert. Immediately after we were seated, we were asked about drinks – ice tea for me, diet Coke for BK. Then we were asked if we wanted pickles and I said I did. This was the only average part of the meal – the pickles. We were also brought 3 pieces of warm rye bread. Then our waiter brought our very lean, very large sandwich and two plates. BK and I each took half the sandwich, took out half the corned beef and then had a normal size sandwich. This was the leanest corned beef I have ever had. I prefer some with some fat but BK doesn't like that and I know the less fat, the better for me. We ordered extra lean and that is exactly what we got. The taste was wonderful with the corned beef and rye bread warm. We also shared a small potato salad which was the best I have ever had outside of BK's and my Aunt's. The waiter kept watching as we ate and as soon as the plates were cleared he brought the hot cheese blintzes. Brent's makes their own blintzes. They normally comes with sour cream and strawberry preserves. I asked for blueberry sauce instead of either of those. When I was young, my aunts took me to Miami Beach and they served cheese blintzes with blueberry sauce. I loved it and until now, never found any that I loved as much. I really can't describe these. They are filled with delicious, not too sweet, cheese and the blueberry sauce adds a perfect sweetness to the blintze. We were offered plain blueberries which would have been healthier but we chose the sauce and we weren't sorry. It was well worth it. When we had finished, we asked for a box for the rest of the corned beef and a couple of extra pieces of bread which our waiter brought to us quickly.

If Brent's was closer to my house, it would be the only deli I would ever go to. Jerry's, which is right near my house, can't compare. As with most delis here in LA or in New York or Miami Beach, it isn't a cheap eat. Our sandwich was $11.95 but we actually have 3 sandwiches out of one. I am still satisfied and think the leftovers will be eaten tomorrow. The two large blintzes cost $9.95. They have the usual huge menu with everything you might ever want. Brent's is at 19565 Parthenia St. in Northridge. They also have a restaurant in Westlake Village and can be found at www.brentsdeli.com . They have take-out and they deliver as well as cater. To sum up, in three words, we loved it!

Resnick Pavilion and The Stinking Rose – a Garlic Restaurant

Yesterday BK and I went to a member’s only preview of the Resnick Pavilion, a new art gallery at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).  There were three displays – a large area of fashion and textiles from the 1600’s until the early 1900’s – the center of the building which had ancient art from as far back as 1600 BC – and another very large area which had art from the Resnick residence of which most was from the 1700’s and earlier .  Although we both found much of it beautiful, none of these are of particular interest to either of us.  I can’t imagine having a home with all that art and this is only a sampling of what they have collected. I will post a few pictures on Facebook.

After we went to LACMA, it was time for lunch.  Neither of us were excited about the menu they had at the cafe and the last time we were there we went to the cafeteria and didn’t want to do that either.  So, we got into the car, drove to La Cienega and there was The Stinking Rose, a place we have often talked about but we never went there.  We parked on the street although there is a parking lot which does not have a valet during the day.  The decor is very interesting and I again will have pictures posted on Facebook.  We were seated in a somewhat covered area and were immediately given a large pitcher of ice water.  Someone came and lit a candle beneath the plate where the waiter placed delicious garlic rolls so they were warm throughout our meal.  Along with the rolls, we had a mixture of parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.  We were quickly given our soda and ice tea and our order was taken.  The waiter said it would be ready in 10 minutes and it was.

 

BK ordered fish and chips.  I don’t know what kind of fish it was but it was huge and she said it was wonderful.  She was served enough garlic French fries to feed a family of four.  I tasted them and they were delicious – crispy on the outside and covered with garlic.  We took home enough so that BK had the same dinner at night and I ate the fries.  I ordered salmon which I could have had with any of four sauces.  I chose one with cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic and calamata olives.  It came with a pasta but I asked to substitute the garlic mashed potatoes and I wasn’t sorry.  The fish was tender and the sauce was extremely tasty.  I cleaned my plate.  The waiter brought us a dessert menu and we passed on the garlic ice cream, although one day I would like to try it, but we just couldn’t pass up the super sundae.  This was good but not worth the calories and fat.  With our check, we were given soft minty things to counteract all the garlic we ate.

The Stinking Rose is at 55 N. La Cienega in Beverly Hills.  The website is http://www.thestinkingrose.com/pdf/menu-la.pdf . This is not an inexpensive restaurant.  Our meals were $19.95 each with the dessert at $9.00 plus the cost of our drinks which were refilled without asking. I will definitely return because I like garlic.  If you don't like garlic, this isn’t the restaurant for you.

EAT Cafe – Revisited

I reported on EAT on September 29, 2009 when we went there for breakfast as we had on numerous occasions. Yesterday we decided to go there again, this time for lunch also after we had been at the Y in North Hollywood. It was a beautiful day and we arrived at about 11:30, just before the rush. Actually, the restaurant is a bit larger than it was last year because the business next door is no longer there. EAT has put a few larger tables outside on the patio of the building next door. That was good because by 12:15, both inside and outside were full and people were waiting. We chose to eat outside on a beautiful day.

The menu is quite varied with breakfast served all day. This time both BK and I chose to eat lunch. They had a few specials listed on a board outside and BK chose a pressed chicken sandwich which had white meat chicken, basil, feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes. There was a sauce that appeared to be a Russian or 1000 Island on the side but BK didn’t feel the need to use it. She also had a choice of shoestring fries (which happen to be seasoned), mixed green salad or fruit. She chose the fries and liked them. The sandwich was delicious, just about perfect, she said.

I decided to have the Halfer which is in the I’m Sure I Forgot Something section. It was a half sandwich (choice of tuna, ham or turkey) and either soup or salad. As you might know from past reviews, I seldom choose a salad so this time I had corn chowder soup which was the soup that day. The soup was thick with corn and some vegetables. It tasted somewhat creamy but not heavy with cream and it did have a very slight zing to it. Not having eaten a ham sandwich for a very long time, my ham sandwich, which I got without the Swiss cheese or onion, but with lettuce, tomato and mustard mayo on whole grain bread, was great.

This is not a greasy spoon. This is a restaurant that says the tuna is dolphin safe. They have various burgers, melts, sandwiches including wraps, salads and soup. Every other Tuesday, we eat lunch out after we go to the gym. I know we will be going to EAT much more regularly than once a year. The address is 11108 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood – website is www.eatnoho.com .

Chi Dynasty and more

Labor Day Weekend, 2010, and we decided it was time to eat out rather than have BK’s delicious cooking. One day we went to Chevy’s Mexican restaurant in Burbank and had a very good meal. I am not writing up a review of Chevy’s but almost everything I have ever had there has been good. On Sunday they have $3 guacamole made at the table which was quite tasty.

On Monday, we decided to go to a new Chinese restaurant that we hadn’t tried – Chi Dynasty. A few years ago, a new building was erected and it was designed in a Russian motif. It housed a more elegant Russian restaurant upstairs and a café on the first level. They went out of business and recently this Chinese restaurant opened in this Russian looking building. We received a menu in the mail and thought it was a good time to try it out.

The interior is very nicely Chinese with a lot of red and black. The music that was playing sounded like Chinese pop music and was quite nice. We started out with a Chinese chicken salad since it had been voted the best in town. The waiter (all are Chinese and dressed in black Chinese outfits) brought a large bowl and the ingredients for the salad were all in the bowl. He mixed it at the table and then split it into two dishes for us. It was all white meat in small strips tossed with ginger, scallions, ground peanuts, sesame seeds, crispy rice noodles, lettuce and dressing. It was delicious, as good as the best I have had. My only complaint is that there was a little too much dressing but I am one who likes very little dressing on my salads. When I go again, I will tell them when I order that I want light on the dressing. The salad was $7.25 and plenty for two people.

We also ordered the dim sum sampler. This is made up three types of dim sum depending on what the cook decides. The waiter told us what was in the sampler today. We got two pork, two shrimp and two vegetable. Interestingly, the wrappers of each type were different. This was served in the traditional wooden dish and were all steamed, not fried as we see at some restaurants. I really liked the pork and the vegetable. I found the shrimp to be a bit tough. This sampler was $6.25.

As if that wasn’t enough to eat, we also ordered sesame chicken. We were asked if we wanted rice so I rightly suspected that there was an extra charge. I got brown rice and BK got white rice and we were charged for each. Since both of us had a lot left over, next time we could only order one. The sesame chicken ($8.75) was a bit disappointing because it was more like sweet and sour than other sesame chicken we have had in the past. Also, some of the chicken was so small that after frying, it was a bit tough. Other pieces were very tender. We ate all of this as well and it was quite a large amount. We arrived there at 3:15 and found out we could have the lunch menu until 4:00 which was very nice.

I had jasmine tea which was surprisingly served with just a cup of water and a tea bag. It was very tasty but I had to ask for more hot water which cooled rather quickly. Serving a closed pot of water would have been better. BK had diet Coke and was charged for a refill even though it was presented as if there would be no extra charge.

We left there very full and satisfied. I would definitely return, again for lunch because it can be quite pricey for dinner. We had very good service. They deliver with a $3 delivery charge and I am sure we will do that in the future. Chi Dynasty is at 12229 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City. They also have a restaurant in Los Feliz.

After enjoying the Labor Day eating-fest, today we went to the gym. When we came back, BK cooked a wonderful, healthy lunch – angel hair pasta with grape tomatoes, garlic and parmesan cheese, garlic bread made with olive bread and cantaloupe. All I can say about our lunch today was that it was fantastic and I am so lucky to have my personal chef.

Lookout Bar and Grill in Channel Island Harbor

Yesterday we took a lovely ride up Highway 1 without any destination in mind except to drive along the coast. By the time we got to Oxnard (actually Channel Island Harbor) we were ready to eat. In my quest to sit at the ocean, we first tried a place called the Lobster House and it is no longer in business, at least that is the way it looked to us. Unfortunately, many stores in the harbor area that are near the ocean are closed, a sign of our times. We drove down the road and went into various areas where there were shops and restaurants and finally found one that had two places that sounded interesting to us. One was an Italian restaurant and the other an English pub. I chose the English pub which we had to enter by walking up a flight of steps. It is called the Lookout Bar and Grill at 2800 South harbor Blvd. in Oxnard. http://thelookoutchannelislands.com/

The restaurant/bar has large windows so we could sit inside and still feel like we were close to the ocean. Why did we choose to eat inside on a beautiful hot day? Although it was 97 when we left our apartment in Studio City, it was sunny but very cool at 64 near the ocean. Too cool for these valley women to sit outside when dressed for the heat. This is truly an English Pub. In fact, they even have the Union Jack newspaper there. The menu had a number of English items as well as American items on the menu. There were fish and chips, bangers and mash, cheese and onion pastie and cottage pie, which sounded to me like my mother’s shepherd’s pie, to name a few. BK chose chicken and mushroom pie. For sides she ordered clam chowder and baked beans. The soup was very good but couldn’t compare to Delmonico’s; however the price for food was considerably less expensive although not cheap. The pie wasn’t like any pot pie we would think of. It was actually in a large filo type pastry shell exactly like my pastie only larger. Inside was a creamy sauce with chicken and mushrooms. BK thought it was very tasty and she loved it. The beans were Heinz beans so they were nothing special.

I wanted something I had never had before so I had the Cornish pastie. This had the same shell which was flaky and very tender. The filling was ground beef, onions, peas, carrots, potatoes which must have been chopped very small because I didn’t see them. There was no sauce but it had some very nice seasoning. I loved it more than I thought I would. I usually don’t care for food in pastry shells but this was wonderful. The sides I picked were coleslaw, the mayonnaise, creamy type which I like, and peas which were the frozen kind with no sauce or seasoning which I also like. I belonged to the clean plate club after this lunch. I have put pictures of both lunches on Facebook. The service was good after they saw we hadn’t been waited on. Our waiter was attentive and we got refills on our drinks in an appropriate time. I would return there when I am in the neighborhood

As we began our journey home, we drove past a festival in Port Hueneme and there was a lot of traffic so everyone was going slowly. That was good because a very large goose decided to cross the street right in front of us. Everyone stopped to let the goose go. BK put pictures on Facebook. As we drove up the coast (or maybe down), we stopped along the way to watch some windsurfing. The waves were quite high and it looked like a lot of fun – for someone else, not me. We decided to take a different road back over the hills to the Valley – Highway 23. Although this was a beautiful, very curvy ride that reminded us of driving through the mountains in Colorado, I wouldn’t take it again because it took us an hour. It is quite a bit longer than going over Malibu Canyon probably because of the switchback driving. Even the 101 wasn’t crowded. This was a wonderful ending to a beautiful day.

Delmonico’s Steak and Lobster House

Last night we went out to celebrate MT’s birthday at Delmonico’s Steak and Lobster House, 16358 Ventura Boulevard in Encino. I have been there before and have always thought of the restaurant as one catering to lobster and seafood but they do have some steaks on the menu as well. They used to be called Delmonico’s Lobster House so I wonder why the change in name. The menu appears to be just about the same.

There were 5 of us – me, BK, MT, BJ and GT. We were seated at a large, round table which made conversation very easy. Immediately we were asked for our drink orders which consisted of soda and iced tea that were refilled constantly throughout the evening. We were then asked if we would like their sourdough bread or if we would like the cheese garlic bread (extra cost) or a combination of both. We chose the combination and were very happy with that. Those who ate the garlic cheese bread said it may be the best they have tasted. I loved the sourdough as did others. I do wish that all restaurants would serve butter that isn’t freezer hard. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case here.

Each of us ordered soup – three having Boston clam chowder and two of us enjoying lobster bisque. The clam chowder was thick with clams and declared excellent. BJ and I had the lobster bisque which had many small pieces of lobster and a decidedly wine flavor. We also thought it was excellent. As the specials are really lobster, MT and GT had the two lobster tail special which they said was tender and very good. BK had lobster risotto. She was served with a lobster tail atop the risotto which was easily removed from its shell. BK said the tail was delicious as was the creamy, cheesy risotto but it was a little salty. BJ had salmon which came with fantastic corn and average string beans. The salmon saw wonderful. I had veal marsala. The three thin pieces of veal came covered with a mushroom wine sauce which was excellent. However, the first piece of veal was a bit tough the other two were better with the last one being very tender. MT and I also had a baked potato which was just like any baked potato. We also had mushrooms which I thought were excellent. GT had fried string onions which I loved.

Then came dessert. The restaurant was told that it was MT’s birthday and they provided a fantastic looking dessert. The problem with this was that none of us were told it was coming so all except me ordered dessert. They served our desserts and then came with the special one and we all sang. There is a picture of the dessert which MT took home to eat at a later date. So, be aware that if you tell them in advance about the birthday, they will provide a lovely selection of various small cakes. There is a picture of this on Facabook. The other desserts were all very good. MT had a delicious crème brulee. BK had a fantastic white chocolate banana cream pie. GT had what to me looked the best – chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce topped with a chocolate truffle. It was moist and wonderful. BJ had Belgium chocolate ice cream that had been drizzled with chocolate that hardened, laying in an almond cookie shell which I loved.

The food was excellent. The service was a bit on the slow side but we were attended to well. This is a special occasion restaurant with dinners ranging from around $20 up to $60. It is a very nice setting and a good choice for the birthday dinner.

The Rack

After we saw Flipped, we decided to go to The Rack in the Woodland Hills Promenade. We had gone there once before but hadn’t been there in ages. I hadn’t remembered that it was a sort of sport’s restaurant/bar/and pool hall. We sat in the bright restaurant area and saw the TV declaring that Brett Farve had again come out of retirement. We were quickly given our menus and I happily could get Sprite Zero. Since I have stopped drinking caffeine (except for some tea), I find it very hard to get a caffeine free, diet soda in a restaurant.

The menu contained a special “stimulus” lunch menu with all choices under $10. http://www.therack.us/images/menu/lunchstimulus.jpg It looked great to both of us. We both ordered the same thing but with different choices – two BBQ sliders and a cup of soup. BK had one BBQ pork and one BBQ chicken along with a cup of chili. I had one BBQ pork and one BBQ brisket which, for reasons I can’t explain, I had a taste for. I never eat brisket but this was a good choice. The other choice was BBQ tri-tip. I picked vegetable tortilla soup. It was filled with vegetables, some cheese, avocado and tortilla strips. It had just a little spice and was absolutely delicious. BK loved her chili but did say it had quite a bit of a kick. As for the sliders, we loved them all but I think both of us thought the pork was the juiciest. Both of us put the side dill pickles in the sandwich and added more BBQ sauce to the chicken and brisket. When the sauce is just cooked into the meat, it is great. However, the side sauce for me was a bit too spicy but not awful. Our lunch cost $9.95 each and was well worth it. Service was very good.

All in all, we had a wonderful day – a good movie followed by a very good lunch. The Rack is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have many evening specials. Lunch was great and I will certainly return.

La Sandia at Santa Monica Place

Today we decided to go to the new Santa Monica Place.  It just opened last week and what a difference.  It is now an open mall with a layout that reminds me very much of Hollywood and Highland.  There are three floors that go in a circle with the middle like an open atrium.  Although the temperature at my house was 92 when I got home, it was 64 in Santa Monica with a thick marine layer.  This is a high-end mall with the anchor stores being Bloomingdales and Nordstrom, which isn't open yet.  Don't expect to find anything like Kohls at this mall.  The third floor is mostly dining.  Eventually there will be something called The Market with what appeared to be food stalls.  There is a food court with seating both inside and out. The food court had various cuisines and the food looked very good. Seating on the third floor allows guests to view the Ocean while eating which was hidden by the marine layer today. There are also some upscale sit-down restaurants.  We chose to sit down at what is described as a modern Mexican restaurant, La Sandia.

After a short wait, we were led to an inside table that actually feels like it is outside.  It has lots of natural light and long windows.  Immediately, our waitress asked for our drink order (iced tea for me, diet Coke for BK).  She returned with chips, a little thicker than I would like but not a drop of grease and very tasty with no apparent salt, excellent salsa with just enough spice but not too much and a small side order of very good guacamole which I ordered. 

For my meal, I ordered Tacos al Pastor - adobo marinated pork / grilled pineapple / onion / cilantro / salsa verde in three corn soft tortillas.  This came with refried black beans and Mexican rice.  Everything was cut in small pieces and the amount of rice and beans was also just the right size.  I am so tired of going to restaurants and having to order huge amounts of food which I can't finish.  I cleaned my plate. The pork was tender and tasty and the pieces of pineapple added a wonderful flavor. BK ordered Chipotle Barbecued Chicken Salad - grilled all natural chicken breast / crispy tortilla strips / pico de gallo / corn /Panela cheese / black beans / napa cabbage-romaine salad / cilantro ranch dressing.  Everything was very fresh and BK said it was very good.  Although we didn't order dessert, the waitress told us that the desserts are like small tastes but we were both too full for even a small dessert.  It took a little long for us to get our meal but one of the hostesses came over to say that our order was taking some time but would be out soon and it was.  My tacos were $9.50 and BK's salad was $12.  This is a restaurant which I would like to visit again

There are other interesting sounding restaurants in Santa Monica Place which I would also like to try.  I don't get there very often but I will remember this when visitors come as well.  We walked around the entire mall and then stopped in at the Ugo Cafe on the first floor where they have coffee, pastries and gelato.  After having a taste of the gelato, I ordered a kid's size raspberry and it was fantastic.  BK had a Napolian which she thought was delicious.  All in all, our trip to Santa Monica was an epicurian delight.

Los Arroyos

It has been a long time since I have written a restaurant review. Part of that is that I am not eating in many restaurants these days.  Another is that I just haven't felt like writing anything.  However, this past week I went to the the outlet stores in Camarillo.  I needed a new pair of sneakers which I always buy at the Nike Store there.  It was the nicest day we had here in a long time and I was feeling like I really wanted to go out, something which I haven't done for a while.  After being quite successful with shopping, we were hungry.  I don't like the food court there and I am watching my food these days.  My sister likes a BBQ place in the old town of Camarillo but I didn't feel like BBQ.  We went to the new section of the outlet, near the Croc store, and there we saw Los Arroyos, a Mexican restaurant, one of my favorite ethnic foods.  I looked at the menu and felt I could eat there. 

The ambiance is decidedly Mexican with Mexican music playing as well.  The waitpeople were very helpful explaining that we ordered at the registers and the food and drinks would be delivered to our table.  BK and I decided to share a fajitas combo of chicken and steak, minus the green and red peppers and sour cream.  She also ordered a cup of meatball soup.  I had tropical iced tea as well.  BK liked her soup which was thick with meatballs and vegetables, including avacados.  Although there were Mexican spices, they were not overwhelming, just enough to give it a good flavor.  BK was concerned that there wouldn't be enough food for us to share but there was plenty.  The chicken and steak were both flavorful and tender.  It came with rice and black beans and we chose corn tortillas.  Because we asked not to have sour cream, we were given a double helping of guacamole which was excellent. The fajita combination cost $14.95. Both of us were very happy with our meal and now when I go to Camarillo for shoes, I will definitely return to Los Arroyos.