alcove cafe

i'm a big fan of fancy sandwiches. i'm not too sure what it is about them, i'm usually not a fan of delicate food that seems like it's made for a princess, but if you put it between bread... done! i really like alcove for their somewhat odd takes on sandwiches. i got a ham and cheese sandwich and it had a surprise, apples! the apples didn't make me mad, i liked that they added some crunch and that they added some type of texture and a surprising hint of sweetness, that made the sandwich good. the philly cheesesteak panini was pretty damn good also, the beef was good and it comes with some dipping sauce that makes it that much more flavorful and messy. you know something is good if it ends up making a bit of a mess. get your mind out of the gutter, i know where you were going with it, sicko. the only thing about alcove is that it's kind of pricey. it seems that you can't find fancy sandwiches for a good price. both the ham and cheese and the philly cheesesteak are in the twelve dollar range. that's kind of a lot, but you do have your choice a fries, onion rings, house salad, caesar salad, or some apple-pear coleslaw. i got the fries, i'm not about to get some crazy side, things remain a classic for a reason. they have a really nice outside seating area, their inside seating area leave something to be desired, it's cramped, the outside is like eating in a really nice backyard. alcove also has breakfast and desserts which look really good but i haven't tried them, yet, but i can't wait to.

four out of five

1921 hillhurst ave
los angeles, 90027

lucille's

i have never really thought about what my version of heaven would smell like but when i walked through the door of lucille’s restaurant in torrance i knew that was what it would smell like. the smell of barbeque sauce smacks you in the face and that’s when you realize that you are in for an amazing taste sensation all up in your grill. the menu is pretty bit considering that they are best known for their barbequed entrees, they have a lot of sandwich options and surprisingly, some vegetarian options. they cook their meat for a really long time, so that way it’s all soft and nice instead of just ok. i got the brisket and really liked it. you have the option of two sides with your meal, if you get one of the barbeque meals, that is. you have to chose between a lot, it’s a little daunting, the exact amount of sides that they have is fourteen; yow-za! i had the shoestring fries, they were yummy-tastic, and coleslaw which i liked but i prefer my coleslaw with a bit more mayo, theirs was a little dry. i almost forgot, the best part of going to lucille’s, other than the smell, is the fact that they have three different kinds of barbeque sauce on the table, it’s like ihop with their syrups. the sauces are pretty much mild, medium and hot, i really liked the hot sauce, it’s the kind of hot that lulls you into a false sense of security because it kind of creeps up on you and smacks you in the face a little later. since the barbeque is cooked all day, you get your food in about a second after you order, who wouldn’t like that? the only thing that i didn’t like was that it’s really loud in that restaurant, it’s the music, i don’t like yelling my order at someone unless it’s at a drive-thru window.

three and a half out five tummy pats

thirteen locations throughout southern california, nevada, and arizona

spitz

do you like somewhat middle eastern food stuff? do you like sandwiches stuffed with meat, hot sauce, tzatziki and veggies? you do? well, then i have the place for you: spitz. i am such a fan of this place, and the doner sandwiches that they have made their name on. if you have traveled through europe then you are familiar with doner, or turkey, which is where doner originated. so, a doner is like a gyro except it’s more like a sandwich, it has the tzatziki sauce but it’s on two pieces of crispy bread, you can get a wrap, but what’s the point of that, you may as well go at it with a bang. you have the option of having chicken instead of the beef mélange one, but then it wouldn’t be a true doner, it just would be a chicken sandwich, and you can get that anywhere. you have your choice of four options when it comes to your sides, i usually get their seasoned fries, which are awesome. one thing though, some days the fries are better than others, they’re a little inconsistent. you can get sweet potato fries, they are a dollar extra, pita strips with humus, the humus is good but i wish it had a little something more, i feel that there is something missing to make it truly great, and finally they have salad, if you want to be lame, also for a dollar extra. i suggest that when you go to spitz you get the passion berry iced tea, it’s popular, and i am a fan of it. they have gelato, try it, you’ll love it, trust me. the gelato is really creamy and thick and oh so good.

four and half out five tummy pats

two locations, eagle rock and little tokyo in downtown

malo

monday night is the best night of the week, as long as you go to malo for their dollar taco specials. the tacos start at one dollar and go up to two fifty, if you’re feeling fancy, or just got paid. normally the food at malo is rather pricey, i ate there once and was shocked at what i had to pay for a soy-rizo quesadilla, dude, it’s not even real meat. the tacos look small but they are stuffed to the brim with their fillings, and that makes them slightly messy and all that much better. my favorite taco is the potato cheddar, the potatoes are mashed and there is cheddar mixed in with the potatoes and then it’s fried, so it’s a crispy taco. the carne asada and the carnitas ones are really good too. carne asada comes with onions and cilantro, like a taco you would get in mexico, and the carnitas comes with guacamole, sour cream and tomatoes, very yummy. we also got a quartet of salsas to go with our chips and all four were pretty good, i liked the spicy one, i don’t know the name but it was good; the salsas are not a part of the specials. if you do go to malo, on mondays, don’t be surprised at the cost of the drinks; they’re not on discount, sadly. i paid five dollars for a pacifico beer and my friend paid eleven for a spicy cucumber margarita, her drink was pretty good in that it was kind of weird and different. my suggestion is that when you do go to dollar taco night, go early, it starts at six and gets super crowded, you don’t want to waiting for a long time to get your tacos, then you’ll get all cranky and won’t be able to enjoy them.

four out five tummy pats

in silverlake on sunset, next to the elliot smith wall

twitter

i decided to try out this twitter thing for the blog-a-log-a-ding-dang. follow me and i will return the favor.

cravings

craving is the buffet at the mirage hotel in las vegas, and it’s my favorite buffet in vegas. i have eaten at a few other buffets in vegas but they aren’t as good. the great things about this buffet are the shrimp and the crab legs; they are huge. i have been to other buffets where it looks like the got their shrimp from a baby. their seafood isn’t the only thing that’s good, they have pretty much any type of food that you would want. they have the foods in different sections which makes it that much easier for you to find what you want. there is also sushi, which is pretty decent i have had better, but not in a buffet. i am impressed that they have hand rolls of sushi as well as cut rolls. one of my favorite things at the buffet is the mashed potatoes. i know that it sounds pretty simple, and kind of weird, but trust me i have not had any better mashed potatoes any where. they have a barbeque section, i liked the ribs, a latin section, which didn’t impress me because there really wasn’t much there. in the morning they have make you own omelet’s, which is always a hit with anyone, i don’t like eggs but as long as i can get them covered in cheese with ham I’m happy. the deserts are decent but i wish that they had a bit more of a variety, they have a lot of cake but i didn’t see ice cream. all in all, the next time you go to vegas hit up the mirage buffet.

four out five tummy pats

the stand

as you can tell by the name the stand has usual hamburger stand type food. they have hot dogs, which are their big draw, that are one dollar on mondays for the plain, and two fifty for the fancy ones. they have all beef hot dogs, just in case you're not into mystery meat, which i am not. BUT you have to be a member of their "stand card" which is just some savings card, you know the savings card every business has now. i had the abc burger, it has avocado, bacon, cheddar and its sauce is ranch dressing. i know, sounds so crazy and gross that it has to be good, well it was. i love avocado in burgers and the avocado was ripe and good, i have a problem with places that give you rubbery avocado, the stand is not one of those places. i really liked the burger but the fries weren't that great, and they charge a dollar extra if you want fries. usually they give chips or slaw, i was told that the chips are good. my companion got the patty melt which she liked but the only problem was, the bread was bigger than the patty. i hate when that happens. it was kind of expensive for the type of food it was and the type of restaurant that it is. overall i liked the stand, and they have a few locations around l.a. so you don't have to fight traffic getting there.

three out of five tummy pats

encino, century city, woodland hills, westwood village