elspie

Duke’s is named in honor of Duke Kahanamoku, the father of surfing, and was begun in Hawaii. The food, as well as the laid-back atmosphere are as authentic as it gets! At dinner, it’s “nice casual” dress; for lunch, you’ll be fine in jeans. They also serve a glorious brunch buffet on Sundays.

The Barefoot Bar is very popular with singles and young couples, and their drinks are all wonderful. Don’t miss their mai tai!

Though the bar is usually buzzing with youthful energy, the dining room is pleasantly quiet and relaxing. The decor reflects its Hawaiian roots, with plenty of surf memorabilia. The entire wall facing the ocean is glass and the views are incomparable on a clear night. Seagulls land on the rocks outside the window; their antics are often quite amsuing. On weekend nights, you will be softly serenaded by a strolling ukelele player with a lovely crooning voice. Be careful, though, his sidekick may try to get you to stand up and hula with him!

This is not an inexpensive meal, though not exorbitant (last time I picked up the check there, dinner for 3 adults and a kid, with 3 cocktails was $140), but sooooo worth the price. If I remember correctly, the menu is a la carte.

I really look forward to weekend breakfast at Rex’s. It’s a welcoming place where the locals gather for breakfast. Many of us walk there because parking can be a challenge, but once you’re there, it’s all good!

The friendly staff will keep your cup full of the best coffee in town. The food is made with nice, fresh ingredients, with baked goods mostly made from scratch. Even in Winter, you’ll get a lovely bowl of fresh fruit with your breakfast!

The chorizo scramble is delicious, especially with the brown rice! The pancakes are easily a foot in diameter, so only order one, unless you’re a really big eater!

They make their own granola, which is a yummy way to do a healthier breakfast, with or without yogurt on top. If you’re really hungry, try the bowl that comes with granola, steel cut oatmal, and hot multi-grain cereal all in one.

They’re open til 2pm for lunch daily, too!

The Black Cow cafe makes some of the most wonderful brunch foods ever! Their waffles are divine, and everything they serve is fresh and beautiful. Their coffee is delicious, and they also have an espresso bar. Be prepared to wait up to 45 minutes for weekend brunch, but the wait is pleasant, and the food is worth it. Service can be a little slow but again, it’s a relaxed, laid-back experience, not a quickie meal.

They also make wonderful sandwiches and very creative and tasty salads (beware, these are HUGE!) and baked goods. The gelato counter has a world of temptation!

Wonderful, fresh, flavorful food, and friendly service. We have yet to eat anything we didn’t love there, and the staff treat us like old friends. This place has ruined us for other thai restaurants. Every time we go somewhere else, we find ourselves wishing we could be at Soho, instead! My boyfriend and I always leave Soho with smug “food-gasm” smiles on our faces!!

My follow-up review for this restaurant. Read my previous review for this restaurant here

Hawaiian Plate Lunch at its finest! If you’re not familiar, “plate lunch” is basically Hawaiian fast food, and it’s DELICIOUS! At L & L, plate lunch includes whatever entree you choose, fragrant jasmine rice, and their very unique and yummy macaroni salad. I’m not sure what’s in it, but I think it may have tuna and some cheese…it’s soooo creamy! The Northridge store usually has malasadas (Hawaiian beignets), manapua (BBQ pork buns, very much like the Chinese cha siu bau), and haupia (they call it a coconut pudding, though it reminds me more of coconut jello…soooo good when the thermometer is topping 90 degrees!), but they aren’t on the menu. Not all L & L stores make these items, but be sure to ask for them, they’re all wonderfully authentic Hawaiian junk food!

This particular L & L store has limited seating, and the lines can be long at peak hours. You can call in your order ahead of time and/or do takeout to avoid these issues.

The “full” order plates are quite a lot of food. Most people will find the “mini” (which has less rice and mac salad) plenty. If you’re a very hungry carnivore, try the Mix Plate, which has chicken, BBQ beef, and ribs. This is a very inexpensive meal, comparable in price to other fast food, and much more interesting to eat!

If you’ve been to England, you know that most “English pubs” in America are sorry excuses for the real thing. The Whale & Ale is a definite exception! When you walk in, your nose is filled with the tantalizing scent of hot, fresh bread (which is delicious beyond description!), and your ears are filled with the happy buzz of conversation and music.

The staff are friendly and professional, and another nice-but-rare-feature in southern California; they accept reservations!

The food is brilliant, and, for the quality, it’s quite cheap. Their bartender makes a very good Pimm’s lemonade, and they have an interesting selection of excellent beers.