bluerhapsodies "everyone should own a Menuism hoodie"

In general I don’t like the Cheesecake Factory, something about it just makes it feel very manufactured. The decor is nice, but the selection is a bit too much, and the service a bit too robotic, etc, etc. Plus I don’t find the food that great. Even the cheesecake feels “manufactured”.

But I came here for brunch for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. The food was good and very resonably priced. I’d come back for brunch definitely.

Several reasons why I like brunch here (Sundays only):

• Not small but cozy: dim lighting w/ the open “fireplace” in the middle – very warm, literally and figuratively. :) A setting that’s great for both couples and families.
• A variety of choices, from more traditional breakfast stuff to southwestern selections. At brunch time you can choose from either the brunch or the lunch menu.
• Slightly pricier than average but your brunch includes access to the fruit and dessert bar, which includes Mexican hot cocoa.
• Pretty good service.
• Parking’s not a problem at brunch time.

On the top floor of Ala Moana Center is a bunch of restaurants. We ended up picking this one because it was the cheapest.

We had no idea this was Jackie Chan’s restuarant until we had been seated and saw a few of his movie posters on the wall. There was also a flat-screen TV playing one of his movies. The menu had his pictures and references to his movies. The ambience was actually really good, on the fancy side (more fusion than asian), but personally I think the theme was not strong enough. They can play with the decor a lot more to make it much more fun and much more kung-fu master Chan’s.

The food is not superb but not bad. It’s Asian but with kind of a fusion twist. It’s definitely on the cheap side for Ala Moana Ctr and its surrounding touristy neighborhoods. The wait staff was a bunch of surfer dudes. :)

I must say that the cheesecake was surprisingly yummy!!!

I had no idea about this place until a friend brought me there recently. What a great find!

The place is simple – it is definitely not a place you’d bring a date but definitely a great place to have a casual dinner with a small group of friends.

The food is cheap and yummy. Their menu is the pictures above the cashier counter. You go up to the counter to order and pay for your food, grab your own cup water or hot tea, and then grab your own table. They then bring you the Korean small dishes and then your food.

Oh, note that the $12 meat dishes are probably enough for 2.

I’m really happy I found this place! I thought it was just a coincidence that they were playing operatic gospel music, but I read other reviews and found out that it is apparently what they do! It kind of fades into the background after a while though. :)

This place has been around for a long time and is pretty much the only authentic Chinese restaurant in this area. The food is definitely up-to-par, and the owner lady definitely tries her best to make sure you have an enjoyable dining experience.

This restaurant is very spacious and is great for both small and large parties. You can choose to be seated at a regular table, a booth, or the bar area, where you can enjoy your cocktail and their dumplings (which they make from scratch – yum!), while watching your favorite program on their flat-screen TV.

This is Japanese pub-style food. It’s not just a meal, it’s an experience. It’s sort of like having tapas or dim sum – there’s a social element to it. When you have a large group, you also get to sample many dishes!

Everything here is well-presented and tasty. You have kababs that are served in a kabab-length dishes, pieces of cow tongues that you have to grill yourself, and items that you don’t expect to see in a Japanese restaurant, like fried Brie or seafood paella. Each dish is a conversation piece – so maybe it’s also a good place to take your blind date or people you know that are really boring then? :P

But most of the dishes (at least the ones we ordered) are deep-fried or greasy so a meal at Guu may not be the most satisfying. Also, although the decor is fairly nice and trendy, the restaurant smells a bit greasy. Those are reasons why the place didn’t get 5-stars from me.

I went there as a tourist… which girl wouldn’t want to after seeing Meg Ryan perform her memorable little act in “When Harry Met Sally”? J/K. :) Though this place in reality is more like a run-down cafeteria and does not resemble the diner in the movie, let alone inspiring the “what she’s having” sentiment. :)

The checkout system is somewhat confusing. You have to know where to line up and to remember to keep the ticket until the end of your meal. But if you do visit New York as a tourist, you can certainly consider stopping by for a meal and a “I lost my ticket at Katz’s” t-shirt as a souvenir. :)

Though there’s no doubt that the meats are tasty! This is the kind of Deli that we Seattleites do not see often enough.

I never come to this restaurant unless others suggest so and I think I finally figured out why…

First, the location is just a bit “off the grid” (sorry i just saw the latest warren miller movie :P). Though close to the crossroads mall, it is pretty hidden within a very quiet block. That, and I was just never impressed with the restaurant enough to actually remember it whenever I thought about Chinese food.

Second, I don’t find the restaurant that comfortable. It’s a very old-style Chinese restaurant, with a low ceiling and not very comfortable lighting. But that may not bother everyone.

All that said, the food is actually quite authentic and tasty. In terms of food, it’s probably one of the better Chinese restaurants in the area! The service is okay. Last time they messed up our birthday ice-cream cake (they put it in the fridge even though we told them it was an ICECREAM cake!) and did not seem to feel very bad about it. We ended up scooping the melted cake with a big spoon…

I had gone to the market portion of this store before but somehow did not realize that it was a deli as well. It’s probably just my general lack of peripheral vision. :)

They have a great selection of sandwiches and entrees (duck, lamb, etc). In every respect – ingredients, presentation, and taste – the food is really on par with, or perhaps better than, much fancier restaurants! It’s a great dining experience really – great, fresh food with a classy but casual ambience. The combination just works!

If you like coffee, don’t forget to grab yourself one. They make good coffee there!

I would give it a 5 if it wasn’t because I feel that the staff can be a bit friendlier. They weren’t mean or anything, but I think a friendlier staff could really add to the warmth of the place!