Empress Pavilion - Dim Sum!

As a foodie, and fan of dives and food trucks, we planned on going to the LA Street Food Fest downtown LA Street Food Fest LA this past weekend. It looked really cool, a bunch of gourmet food trucks getting together and you can try various trucks all in one place. Unfortunately it was in a very small venue in downtown LA, and way too many people. We were there around 11:30, it started 11am, and the line was around the block and around a parking lot - approximately 2 hours. Also once inside, it looked like a crazy line zoo, and we weren't interested in lining up for 3-4 hours just to eat. Turns out it was a good idea, as later on we found out it was a bit of a disaster with too many people and not enough food trucks or space.

So we brought our hungry stomachs to somewhere even better, DIM SUM! As the day before Chinese New Year, we went and had delicious Dim Sum at Empress Pavilion, a local favorite Dim Sum place in Downtown LA. Dim Sum is cool because you sit down, women with carts of various food roll around and you point and say "I want to try that". We had an assortment of things including pot stickers, pork dumpling shiu mai, shrimp har gow, steamed and sauced Chinese broccoli, roast duck, pork shao mai, deep fried something, and other delicious delicacies. For dessert we had sesame rice dumpling balls. So yummy! The whole time you are also served a very nice hot tea.

One really really cool incident. As we were walking out, I swear that Michael Voltaggio - winner of Top Chef Las Vegas was there. We walked by him and I was like, he looks familiar. Then he sat down to eat and I could see the tattoos on his arm and it looked exactly like him. I was seriously debating to go over there and bug him and say "are you Michael from Top Chef? Can I get a photo with you?", but I chickened out plus I really didn't want to bother him or be an annoying fan, so I didn't. I just thought it was awesome that he was there and really wanted to take a photo with him, but didn't. Who wants to be bothered while about to eat. So 2nd celebrity sighting of all time. Pretty cool.

Anyway, afterwards we had Lollicup Thai iced tea boba and walked around Chinatown for a bit. Then we got some dim sum to go for my mom and sister (pictured here too). A pretty awesome afternoon.

We plan on going back quite a few times and trying different things. The white guys we were with enjoyed the food as well, especially the pot stickers and other items they didn't know what it was but thought it tasted really good. We'll have to plan more trips with more people so we can try more things :)

Life and food are good - eat up!

Enterprise Fish Co.

225 State St. Santa Barbara, CA

Phone: (805) 962-3313

http://www.enterprisefishco.com/

After a day of cleaning house, my hubby made an amazing suggestion to head up to SB for a spontaneous dinner. On the drive north, while our stomachs growled, we listed off all the places we could eat. We settled on the Enterprise Fish Company, a restaurant we'd enjoyed once before, and enjoyed even more yesterday.

Enterprise has a chain restaurant decor to it, but it's crammed with SB locals. Hands down, the best part is the food. Enterprise serves mostly seafood, any style you like it, and they rely on buttery, rich sauces and sides.

As an appetizer, I highly recommend the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp. They're breaded in a light, spicy flour and fried so perfectly crispy that we never leave any on the plate. Served with a creamy mustard or tomotillo dipping sauce - both very different and flavorful.

The lobster bisque soup is a little fishy - not my favorite. But Enterprise serves it with a pastry crust that's so buttery and decadent, it's more like Yorkshire Pudding than plain ol' puff pastry.

My husband enjoyed his steak last trip, served with cheesy potatoes Romano (twice baked potatoes loaded with Romano cheese). This time around he tried the chicken club sandwich - also fantastic, he says, but couldn't point out exactly why. Just a solid, yummy sandwich.

This trip I was feeling famished and splurged to try the Scallop Risotto. I'm so glad I did. After the shrimp appetizer, a dinner salad, and bread, the plate was so rich I was only able to eat a few bites. But they were amazing. The scallops were the largest I've ever seen, pan fried to perfection and sweetly flavored. They were served over a super-creamy and rich parmesan risotto and steamed spinach. It was one of those dinners you want to close your eyes to really taste the full effect of every bite.

So if you're in the Santa Barbara area, walking down State Street, stop by the Enterprise Fish Company for some decadent seafood. Just watch your wallet - plates range from $10 to $25 (more, if you're a lobster fan) but you certainly won't leave hungry or unimpressed!

Holdrens Steaks & Seafood

1714-A Newbury Road, TO
Phone: (805) 498-1314
512 State Street, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 965-3363
Website: www.holdrens.com

Yum. Last night at Holdren's, we celebrated our 2-year wedding anniversary and everything went perfectly. The stars aligned, the wine was fabulous, and the dinner was delactable. While we don't usually need an excuse to go out (we love dining at nice places on random Tuesdays for no good reason - see Fins), we wanted to try someplace new.

Holdren's is a small place tucked into an even smaller mall. But the service is attentive, the food is fantastic, and the atmosphere feels comfortable and relaxed - not too fancy. Ask for Chris L. if you go - he was conversational, accomodating, and knew his wines. Based on his suggestions, we both ordered something we adored right away.
Hob Nob Pinot Noir
Ferrari Carano Cabernet Sauvignon

Mondays try the all-you-can-eat ribs. It was a $1 more than ordering the half-rack on the menu, and my husband raved about how tender the meat was. A rack and a half later he exclaimed, "This is the way ribs should be."

I ordered a side of veggies and creamed spinach. (It's not easy being a veggie in a steakhouse). The waiter offered to make me a veggie platter, but the creamed spinach was decadent and just what I wanted. I appreciated the fact that the offered, since not many places do.

All around, Holdrens exceeded every expectation. We'll be back soon!

Limon Latin Grill

1555 Simi Towne Center Way
Simi Valley, CA 93065
Phone: (805) 955-9277
Website: http://www.limongrill.com/

We had a girls' lunch at Limon after a spa day and everyone loved it. I was so impressed that I took my hubby out to dinner about a week later... but really disliked it! It's too bad - even though the food's good, I doubt I'll drive out to Simi for this again.

Limon offers a full bar and tapas in addition to the extensive menu of seafood, meats, and pastas. The food is flavorful and beautifully served with a variety of creative sides such as quinoa or pineapple salsa. Diners fight over the patio seating to listen to thier acoustic guitarists. Fridays and Saturdays the restaurant clears out and becomes a dance club.

On my first experience, I was impressed. The lobster enchilada I ordered was surprisingly large and overstuffed with mounds of delectable fish. Even though it lacked sides, it was perfectly filling and rich. Other fun menu items shared around the table were the mojito chicken, paella, and lots and lots of chimichurri sauce. Dessert was a treat too. Usually, I'm the chocoholic but I let the other girls fight over the lava cake and churros while I dug into the bananas foster made with tart plantains.

At our second attempt, the service and food were both lacking. I asked for the miso halibut that I'd seen my friend order the previous week. (It took a lot of willpower to not take bites when she wasn't looking that day). Sadly, mine didn't look anything like hers. Even though the piece of fish was bigger, it was dry and missing the terriyaki glaze. It was also missing a side of pineapple salsa. I have a sneaking suspicion that the fish wasn't halibut too, but that might have been due to how badly they overcooked it.

Part of the bad experience was my fault and partly bad service. The waiter disappeared, and by the time my husband asked for the manager, he'd finished his meal. They offered to replace the dish with a corrected piece of fish, but by then we were done and I wanted to leave. We paid our $75 bill and left, not exactly feeling worth it.

I may have beat Addy to the punch on this review - feel free to add!

Moz Buddha Bar

30105 Agoura Road
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phone: (818) 735-0091
Website: http://mozbar.com/

Dinner: Open 5-10:30 pm Sun.-Thurs.; -12 am Fri.-Sat.
Bar: Open until 2 am Fri. & Sat.

Happy Hour 5-7 pm, with tray-passed appetizers.
Special events and menus on holidays.

After arranging countless business dinners here, but never having participated in any, I was curious about Moz. Last year, we finally had an excuse – a group birthday event - and loved the food. While I wouldn’t recommend a large party here (2-4 is best), this place is one of our favorites when we feel like splurging. Unlike Fins, we walk away from this restaurant feeling like our money was worth every bite, sip of wine, and candlelight flicker.

The restaurant:

We love the atmosphere here. Low-hanging lights, fresh orchids, and a dark décor make you feel like, no matter where you are, you can drown out the rest of the crowd and have a private dinner. The staff is always attentive, conversational, and helpful when you’re ordering.

Favorites:

- Rock Lobster Chowder: One of the cheaper menu items, but worth its weight in, well… bisque. Absolutely one of my favorite foods to order out!
- Shrimp & Chicken Stir Fry: The hubby’s hard-to-order-anything-else pick.
- Stuffed Chicken with Crab & Asparagus: My hubby was adventurous and ordered something new – and loved it! It was kind of odd that the mashed potatoes came on a separate plate, though.

Dessert: Everything has been a favorite so far. No, really.

- Chocolate Fondue: A huge plate of fresh fruit and cookies with rich, chocolate fondue. Easily shared between 4 or more people.
- Strawberry Shortcake: Oh. My. Gosh. Fresh pound cake served with scoops of real strawberry ice cream, strawberry chunks, strawberry sauce, and whipped cream. And the coup de grace – white chocolate chips. Served in a oversized martini glass.
- Bananas Foster: I haven’t tried this one yet, but similar to the strawberry shortcake. Substitute caramelized bananas, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce for the above.

Drinks:

- Fantastic wine selection. The house wines are some of our favorites.
- Watch out for the Flaming Lunchboxes. Yes, you can light your hand on fire – I’ve seen it done.
- Specialty martinis of the season, such as Kiwi Honeydew, are always fun.

And someday soon, if I can get myself away from the soup, I just might try the dynamite sea scallops. Oh, and the chocolate martini from the dessert menu. I always forget about it until it’s too late.

Fins

Fins Seafood Grill, Westlake
982 S. Westlake Blvd.
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone: 805-494-6494

Fins Creekside, Calabasas
23504 Calabasas Rd.
Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone: 818-223-3467

Website: http://www.finsinc.com/

The hubby and I were in a romantic mood last night and wanted to try something new. We’re big fans of Moz Buddha Bar, a sister restaurant of Fin’s, so we thought we’d try it out. We spent a little too much money, but hey – you only live once, right?

Our entrees were neither great nor bad - just okay. The problem is that the prices are so high you want to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Mostly we felt as though we’d paid for the ambiance, and ate some food while we were there.

I’d go back. But next time, I’d be happy with a glass of wine, munching on some bread and soaking in the atmosphere.

The Good:

Wine: They have many flavorful selections. I don’t think we’ve had one yet that we’re disappointed with. Maybe it’s the wine list, or maybe it’s just our luck.

Appetizer bread: It could have been that we were starving, but the bread was so good that we ordered more and polished off both plates, even though we were excited about our entrees. Served with super-creamy butter and olive tapenade.

Ambiance and design: Romantic, white linens, and candlelight. We took advantage of the late-night Sunday evening and enjoyed a majority of the restaurant to ourselves.

The Bad:

Raspberry chocolate chip cheesecake: Disappointingly dry. The crust was way too thick and heavy.

Music: Salsa, and loud. It didn’t fit into the romantic ambiance at all. But it didn’t really make you want to get up and dance, either.

Phones: For some reason, the phone at the front desk was outrageously loud and reverberated throughout the restaurant. It really put another damper on the ambiance.

The Indifferent:

Filet Mignon: Dry rubbed, with mashed potatoes, sautéed garlic spinach, and crispy onions. Nothing new or exciting to this combination, that's all.

Ravioli Florentine: The best part was the goat cheese sprinkled on top, which lent it a rich flavor. Otherwise, it would have tasted like any other ravioli. It also mentioned a parmesan crust on the menu, but I never saw anything resembling it.

Tiramisu: Not the most flavorful I’ve had, and it should be, given that it’s soaked in rum, Kahlua, and espresso! They layered it with chocolate chips which gave what should have been a creamy dessert an out-of-place crunch.

Gladstone’s

17300 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Phone: (310) 454-3474
Website: http://www.gladstones.com/

Lower your expectations a little for Gladstone’s and you’ll have a great time. I think so many people come to the restaurant expecting fancy seafood, and they’re disappointed. This is good, solid food, but can be a little pricey. It’s the price you pay for being right on the beach…

Gladstone’s serves a great selection of fish, and some of the best clam chowder you’ll ever have. I could skip all the rest of their entrees and indulge in clam-chowder dunked sourdough bread. Cheap and easy.

Their steamers are classic – nothing special, just covered in butter and yummy! Their seafood is fresh and unelaborate. And their fried clams (if you can find them on the menu) have always been a family favorite.

The last time we were there, I think I ordered the parmesan halibut, but I can’t tell you how it was because the power went out. We were fed free clam chowder and bargained our way into a slice of cake for the road too… and even without a full course, everything was amazing.

If you order the chocolate cake, invite over the next table. A single slice has to weigh 5 pounds, and could last (even me) a week.

Oh, and don’t forget to bring $4 for parking.

Duke's

On the Sand at the Outrigger Waikiki
2335 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 116
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808)- 922-2268
Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Website: http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/

The best drinks in the house are Kalapaki Ritas – a margarita made of tequila, triple sec, passion fruit and pineapple juice. Make sure to order one while you’re at this location, because they aren’t made on the mainland! And although you can find Lava Flows all over the Waikiki area, Duke’s are some of the best.

Duke’s dinner menu has some great food but can get pricey, so we usually stick to the bar menu. It’s just as good. Favorites include the macadamia nut crab wontons, a huge pile of waffle fries, or occasionally they offer specials like beef dip au jus.

At the Water's Edge in Malibu
21150 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
Phone: (310) 317-0777
Open for lunch & dinner
Website: http://www.dukesmalibu.com/

In comparison to the Waikiki location, it’s disappointing that Duke’s in Malibu doesn’t have any beaches to wander. But it still has a spectacular view of the surf from its cliffside perch.

The menu here lets you to select any fish of the day and its preparation. My favorite: Parmesan and herb crusted mahi. I only wish they’d splurge on a few more macadamia nuts in the mix. And yes, the hula pie is just as good as they claim, so skip the appetizers like coconut shrimp (which is still pretty great with its super-sweet lilikoi sauce!) to save room for it.

Tiki’s Bar and Grill

Tiki’s Bar above the ResortQuest hotel is the epitome of what you’d expect on the main drag of Waikiki. Drinks can be ordered in ceramic tiki mugs and tiki lamps burn brightly all night long. Feeling the theme? What will surprise you is the strength of their drinks and the quality of their food!

2570 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815-3663
Open for lunch and dinner
Phone: (808) 923-TIKI
Website: http://www.tikisgrill.com/

Their mai tais were a little too strong for my taste, but (luckily) the bar also provides a great selection of local beer. We moved on to dinner in the main dining room and were not disappointed. My husband ordered a steak that he was able to cut with a butter knife. I munched on the house poi bread with homemade banana butter. Way yummy. If we ever make it back, I plan on trying the seared scallops – they looked great.