shpladaow "Mamma Mia!"

Excellent food for the price. The curry soup shines, as does the risotto. Comfortable, trendy decor. Great date place. I’ve only been here twice, but the food has been superb on both occasions.

This is the best pizza I’ve ever had. Better than Grimaldi’s, Lou Malnati’s, Cheeseboard, and Zachary’s. The toppings are very high quality and the crust is perfect, (thanks to La Brea Bakery’s Nancy Silverton). Mozza does thin crust pizza to perfection, and it’s currently my favorite place to eat in LA.

Make reservations though, because this place is packed and pretty small. If you’re lucky, you may be able to walk-in and get a bar seat.

If you’re looking for a nice dinner in the South Bay, Christine is the only place to go. The cuisine is
“contemporary Pacific Rim and Mediterranean with French influences”, but I just call it Californian.
This place feels very much like Chez Panisse. Tucked away in a tiny business plaza, it’s very easy to miss. The dining room is intimate, but has a very casual, relaxed vibe. Overall, Christine fits right in with the affluent-yet-informal city of Palos Verdes (which is right up the hill).
As far as the food goes, the brick-flattened chicken is excellent, as well as their risotto (usually) and pork chops. Their Oven Roasted Filet Mignon Medallions are also very popular.
But, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu- at the very least it’ll still be good.

http://www.restaurantchristine.com

Gourmet pizzas made with fresh, flavorful ingredients. I only wish I had more time with them… unfortunately, my days at Berkeley were too short. I like Cheeseboard even better than Zachary’s (but then, I’ve never been a huge fan of the thick crust). Also, only having one flavor of pizza a day makes it easy to pick what you want. ☺

In case you want to check out what flavor of the day is before you go:
http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/Pizza%20Collective/PizzaPage.html

Weird name, but who cares? Beard Papa focuses on one thing and does it very well. Their delectable cream puffs are made with a large, crispy puff pastry shell, filled with an amazing custard/cream filling. The two main flavors are vanilla and chocolate (vanilla being my favorite) and they have a special flavor every week, such as pumpkin or green tea. It’s really, really tough to eat only one. I hear the lines can get pretty long, but both times I went I only had to wait 10-15 mins. If you’re near the Metreon, you have to pick up some!

Amber India serves North Indian food in a tiny, cheap-looking strip mall off of El Camino. If you like Indian food and you live in the South Bay, then you probably already have eaten here. Their prices aren’t cheap (it’s even $1-2 more at the Santana Row location), but they serve high-quality Indian food and have been called the best Indian restaurant in the Bay Area for several years now.

For me, it’s all about the Butter Chicken (aka Chicken Makhani). With some fresh, hot naan, I don’t think I’ve had a better Indian dish. The sauce is just… flavorgasmic.
The Chicken Biryani is cooked with rose water, giving it a very nice flavor (but the chicken chunks are too big for my taste).
Their tandoori dishes are tasty, and the Mulligutwany soup is also pretty good.
I used to like the Dum Aloo Bukhara, but on a recent visit it was disappointing. Also, their kormas are a little too creamy for me. But again, it’s all about the Butter Chicken.

I’ve never really liked hot pot until I tried Mongolian hot pot in Taiwan and loved it. Finally, they have one in the Bay Area! Apparently Little Sheep is a big chain in China and they’re just starting to open up over here. If you’ve never had Mongolian hot pot before, it’s just like regular hot pot but with a ton of herbs and spices. Most people get a half spicy/half plain broth. From there you pick from the usual variety of raw meats, veggies, and noodles, which you cook yourself. The spicy broth is what gives the hot pot it’s robust, unique flavor. If you ever thought traditional hot pot was too plain, then Mongolian hot pot is for you.
This place gets pretty crowded during peak hours, but it’s in a plaza with a Marina market and Tapioca Express, so there’s places to wander around while you wait. If you get tired of waiting, Banyan Tree (a good Malaysian place) is in the same plaza.

If you like deep-fried n’ battered pai gu then this is the place for you! I hit up this hole-in-the-wall joint every time I’m in LA. Not only is the pork chop battered and fried to perfection, but they cut it up so lazy people like myself don’t have to deal with bones. And it’s cheap! The watermelon juice is also good (probably due to the fact that half of it is sugar syrup).

I love thin crust pizza and this is the best I’ve had. I just wish they’d open another one near me. While the toppings and crust aren’t exceptional- it’s the sauce that makes the pizza shine. Try the Hawaiian.

Get here early or be prepared to wait. The french toast is great, and so is the artery-clogging “breakfast of champions” (two pancakes, three strips of bacon, three sausages, three eggs and hash browns). I subbed the regular pancakes w/ banana-blueberry and got linguica instead of sausage. While you’re waiting, stop by Icing on the Cake and get a slice of their pumpkin loaf- mmmm.