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diggydrew
is currently eating scrambled eggs and salsa"bacon....droool"
My tasting preferences: (10 – love 1- could do without) Salty – 4 Sweet – 8 Bitter – 4 Sour – 5 Savory – 3 Greasy – 6 Creamy -6 Spicy -8
Basically, I love sweet and spicy dishes. Meat is great, but should be balanced with veggies.
- Cuisines:
- Mexican, Asian, Korean, American, Fast Food
- Locations:
Stats
| Reviews | 11 |
| Helpfulness | 100% |
| Friends | 7 |
| Fans | 5 |
| Profile Views | 756 |
Recent Activity
- March 03
- diggydrew replied to a review 10:33AM
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- October 05
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My Reviews (11) rss feed
1 - 10 of 11
Los Gatos Cafe
Mar 3, 2008
i love my nieghborhood breakfast joint!
Undoubtedly the best breakfast place in the bay. The omelettes are fluffy. The pancakes are moist and cooked to perfection.
Watch out, the lines get long.
Not to fear. They’ve done so well that a new one is now on 15662 Los Gatos Blvd (where the Iron Skillet used to be). The line is just as long, but at least there are two joints now!
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Strawberry Shortcake
UNBELIEVABLE. So moist and perfect!!! I always thought of the strawberry shortcake as a dry cake. Not so here. The shortcake is very spongy, and the whipped cream on the strawberries….wow. Plus, it’s complimentary with your meal. Ask for it as your side bakery item.
- I came here for
- a family meal
- My meal cost
- between $10 and $25
- I tipped
- between 15% to 18%
Thailand Plaza
Mar 3, 2008
a true hidden gem
This is a hidden gem I was introduced to by a Thai friend of mine from school. The parking is very easy. Inside, there are two regular karaoke performers. It really looks like Thailand looking out the windows at night.
The food is without a doubt amazing. The best Thai “beer” food I’ve ever tasted. I’ve had multiple friends come out with me and confirm this time and time again.
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Larb
Get the beef larb. It’s vinegary, sweet, and spicy all at the same time. Very good. Very flavorful.
- I came here for
- fun with friends
- My meal cost
- between $10 and $25
- I tipped
- between 15% to 18%
Joan's on Third Catering
Oct 5, 2007
wow....true gourmet
I don’t know what I can say about this place other than, you just have to go and taste it to believe it. This is an uber posh deli/grocery store, where there are some quality ingredients.
They recently renovated the place, and now they have a full-fledged meat station. Can’t wait to try it.
You can eat outside on the street, where it gives off a European cafe feel. It’s just down the street from the Beverly Center, so it’s posh. The price is hefty, but what you get is extremely good food.
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Cheese platter
Wow. You get 3 or 4 different cheeses, nuts, a fruit spread, and bread. You choose the cheeses out of their generous selection. The dude at the counter lets you taste whatever cheeses you’d like. The cheeses are excellent, and the decision to settle on 3 or 4 is very difficult.
- I came here for
- fun with friends
- My meal cost
- between $25 and $50
- I tipped
- between 15% to 18%
Islands
Oct 5, 2007
ashamed? NO WAY! I love Islands!
There are a lot of people who love to disagree about whether Islands is a bona fide burger joint. I say, regardless of what yall say, I love Islands.
Maybe it’s because I’m from northern California. Maybe it’s because I haven’t gone to enough burger joints. Maybe it’s because I don’t know what a “real burger” tastes like.
To all the naysayers…bite me. The burgers here are great….I’ll even dare say, they’re…the best (!)
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KILAUEA
Unbelievable. Compared to the other burgers I’ve had here, this one takes the cake. It’s one of their new ones. The highlight is the pepper-crusted patty--it’s very noticeable. The fried onion strings and the jalapeno sauce takes the burger to another level. The Pasadena restaurant really gets the buns right too--really buttery. In sum, this is one of two burgers I think about…often.
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ISLAND FRIES
With the new trans-fat free oil they use, the fries are not only crispy, but they’re healthier! I love the cut of the fries, and they go swell with ketchup and Tabasco
- I came here for
- fun with friends
- My meal cost
- less than $10
- I tipped
- between 15% to 18%
LA Taquiza
May 16, 2007
Wow...fluffy tortillas!
This hole in the wall is in the corner of an inconspicuous plaza. All I can say is “Wow.” The tortillas here are handmade, fluffy, and flavorful. The portions are huge, the prices are cheap, and the atmosphere is fun.
Parking is fairly easy. The place is easy to miss too. Don’t mistake this restaurant for Chano’s which is on a corner on the other side of the street.
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Carne Asada Taco
When you see the taco, it’s disappointingly, but deceptively simple. “Just a tortilla and meat???” Don’t be fooled. Go over to the salsa bar and top it off with the onions and cilantro mix and one of four salsas. On a good day, the meat is charred just right, with a kick to it. Other days, the meat has flavor but lacks the kick. The tortilla on the other hand carries this taco through. Ever since I found this joint, this has taken over as number 1 for me.
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Baja Ensenada Fish Taco
The fish is crispy, but the guacamole is a bit overpowering. The tortilla is, as always, really good, but for some reason it doesn’t work as well with the fish. Go to Whittier instead…
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Carne Asada Mulita
Unbelievable!!! MUST TRY. This is a tortilla sandwich, with melted cheese, guacamole, and the magical asada. The result is this fluffy, rich, unbelievable morsel of latino goodness. It’s not quite as heavy as a torta, but it’s something in the middle. I usually put salsa on my mexican food, but adding salsa would do it injustice. I can’t say enough about this one. GO TRY IT.
- I came here for
- fun with friends
- My meal cost
- less than $10
- I tipped
- no comment
Simpang Asia
Apr 27, 2007
not as good as I thought it would be...
The reviews prior are all accurate: This is a small quaint cafe in a plaza off of the 10. It’s located in an obscure area, but once you get there it’s unmistakable. Parking is no problem at all.
There were quite a few people who came for lunch. People of all ages were coming in and out to grab a meal.
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Nasi Warteg
Although this dish was tasty, I wouldn’t say it was really good. The presentation was impressive, since it came in a banana leaf. Inside I found the fried egg, noodles, rice, fried chicken, and chunks of meat. The chicken was pretty darn good. It was seasoned in curry and fried to a nice crisp. The noodles and the diced meat were also tasty. The meat was like sweet Chinese sausages. I had a problem with the rice though—it was too dry and choppy, although it was quite fragrant.
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Nasi Uduk
This was clearly the better dish. I had the same problem with the rice here—too dry and choppy. Also, the coconut flavor was too subtle. I thought it would be stronger. This plate also comes with the diced meat and chicken.
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Honey Dew Smoothie
This was amazing. “Smoothie” is misleading, it’s really a slurpie. It was made straight from the fruit. It was so refreshing and fresh—unbelievable. I originally ordered the mango smoothie, but I was told the mangoes were too young. I can imagine how good the mango one must be. Highly recommended.
- I came here for
- a meal on the go
- My meal cost
- less than $10
- I tipped
- less than 15%
Pizza Land
Apr 25, 2007
Korean BBQ pizza!
You read right; you can get Korean pizza here. The menu is simple enough, the food is familiar, and the result is decent.
Although they don’t have many overtly Korean pizzas here, they do have bulgogi pizza. Aside from that, they have “diet” pizzas, and your range of other familiar styles (hawaiian, pepperoni, etc). Hopefully, they’ll start making a kimchi pizza…
The pie tends toward being of the New York persuasion (thin crust), but the crust is actually puffy.
They also make “ho-dduk” from scratch, which is a sweet Korean pancake, filled with a cinnamon-sugar syrup.
Atmosphere: This is in a plaza in a corner next to Hankook market. The parlor shares a space with a frozen yogurt/boba shop. There’s plenty of parking, since this shares the lot for the grocery store.
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Bulgogi Pizza
The pie has lots of vegetables in it (onions, bell peppers). This offsets the generous amount of finely diced bulgogi (Korean BBQ) that hides inside of the equally generous amounts of cheese. Korean BBQ tends to be somewhat sweet and savory, so the result you get is something akin to a BBQ chicken pizza, but more Asian. This is best eaten immediately when the pizza is hot. Each pie is made to order! I partially gave this a four because of its novelty. It’s worth at least a trip, if you’re curious.
- I came here for
- a meal on the go
- My meal cost
- between $10 and $25
- I tipped
- less than 15%
Manny's El Loco Drive-in
Apr 25, 2007
not as good as it used to be...but quick and cheap
Manny’s El Loco Drive-In has now been taken over as Chano’s. It’s a drive-in Mexican restaurant with the typical line-up of burritos, tacos, sopes, tortas, and burgers. These restaurants are a testament to the sheer goodness of Mexican food in LA.
The food here is greasy, rich, and filling. Taco Bell is a joke compared to what you get here. This is Mexican fast food at its best. They advertise that they have the best burritos in Los Angeles—perhaps not the best, but they sure are good.
Definitely stop by for a quick and cheap breakfast. The breakfast burritos are amazing.
Parking is plenty in the back. Only outdoor seating is available, but no worries since it’s always nice and sunny in LA!
-
Burrito w/ chorizo
The burrito was mostly chorizo (spicy ground pork sausage). There were also refried beans in there. If you have a hankering for chorizo, this does the job, but I wouldn’t say it was the best I’ve ever had.
-
Breakfast burrito
This burrito is one of the best breakfast burritos I’ve had in LA. They fill it with potatoes, scrambled eggs, and a breakfast meat of your choice. The tortilla is usually soft, but thick so nothing leaks out. The amount of food inside this burrito is astounding for the price you pay.
-
Orange Bang
I know this really isn’t a dish, but I had to put this one down because I’ve had dreams of this ever since I was a kid visiting Koreatown with my parents. This is like Orange Julius (a creamy frothy orange drink) but better. When I re-discovered it when I came down to LA, it was like the heavens parted. Every time I get a chance to get this drink, I always go for it. It’s simply the best orange drink in the world.
- I came here for
- a meal on the go
- My meal cost
- less than $10
- I tipped
- less than 15%
Hodori Restaurant
Apr 25, 2007
this is where you go after clubbin
The caption above should actually read: “I came here for: sobering up.”
This is a 24 hour Korean joint where all the clubbers come to sober up before they wander home. It’s a mainstay for clubbers to check out the other clubbers after hours. Overall, this restaurant is decent for the hours they’re open.
Atmosphere: It’s on the corner of Olympic and Vermont, which is one of the busiest intersections in LA. They’ve been doing some brisk business and have added more lights and decorations, so you can’t miss it. Hip-hop is usually playing in the evenings when clubbers are there, but is relatively quiet during the day.
There is a free parking lot in front, but it may be a pain in the butt when it’s busy on the weekends.
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Yuk Kye Jang
This is a spicy Korean noodle soup. The color of the soup should tell you that it’s spicy; it’s bright red. Most people will choose not to eat this, but if you do, the taste is standard fare. The soup is refreshing, but somewhat salty. The shredded beef they use is too tough and sinewy. The green onions are supposed to be chopped coarsely, but I didn’t particularly like it. Overall, the soup is perfect for sobering up.
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Tonkatsu
I’ve tasted quite a bit of tonkatsu before. This is not the best tonkatsu, but it works because you can get it at 3AM. A lot is given, but the breading is just par. For the price you can get much better elsewhere…at an earlier time of course.
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Dol Sot Bibim Bap
If you’re in the mood for something substantive, this would be it. This is rice, topped with pickled vegetables, julienned carrots, spinach, lettuce, dried seaweed flakes, Korean BBQ, and a fried egg—all sizzling in your own stone pot. You can add the sweet red pepper sauce to taste (highly recommended). Again, I have tasted better, but this is probably the best and most impressive dish here.
- I came here for
- fun with friends
- My meal cost
- between $10 and $25
- I tipped
- between 15% to 18%
El Taurino
Apr 24, 2007
tasty Mexican late-night eats
This Mexican restaurant is known by locals (both Latinos and Koreans) as a tasty, cheap place to grab some spicy, meaty and tasty soft tacos, sopas, tostadas, tortas, and carne burritos. The plates are somewhat small, but each plate is cheap and brings sheer delight once you dig in.
Atmosphere: This is located on a corner south of Olympic Blvd at Hoover, and can be easy to miss. Inside you’ll see a consistent crowd of people waiting in line throughout the night—but the line moves quickly. Jukebox latino music is playing as people rush up to get their food. Free parking is available. Make sure to bring cash as this is cash only.
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Soft taco w/ Carne Asada
This is the quintessential Mexican dish down to its purest perfection. The dish is very simple and addicting. The cooks start with a small warm round corn tortilla, add some carne asada (or your meat of choice), and throw on some diced onions mixed with cilantro. That’s it. Oh, I forgot the special ingredient—the salsa. Watch out, the red salsa creeps up on you. It’s very spicy, but unbelievably good. Ask for the green one or just completely to the side if you’re risk averse.
Once you start, you’ll start ordering a few of these…often.
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Sopa w/ Carne Asada
This is the same as the soft taco, except this comes on a crispy corn tortilla at the bottom and crumbly Mexican cheese on top. Equally exceptional. Try it with beer.
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Tostada
This dish is perhaps the best dish I’ve tasted so far. It’s very addicting. This is basically a sopa, except buried inside with the meat are a slice of tomato, avocado, Mexican sour cream (crema), and sweet(!) and moist white onion slices in the middle. The result is a series of crispy, meaty, sweet, and cheesy bites. Add some of the red salsa on it, and you’ve got something really special. I personally would highly recommend getting this.
- I came here for
- a meal on the go
- My meal cost
- less than $10
- I tipped
- less than 15%


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