|
REVIEW:
| Neomeze - Old Town Pasadena - - -> Neomeze's Website | | 20 E Colorado Blvd, Ste 102 - - phone: (626) 793-3010 |
Friday: July 27, 2007
HE SAYS:
In need of a late night meal in Old Pasadena we decided to try Neomeze. As the name implies, Neomeze offers a "new" take on the concept of the meze (pl. mezethes), which is an Eastern Mediterranean version of the small plate - something similar to the Spanish Tapas; more than an appetizer, but less than a full entree, usually enjoyed as a complement and enhancement to alcoholic beverages.
There was a full, boisterous crowd when we arrived. A DJ spun tunes to entertain the crowd, which spread across 2 large rooms - one the lounge, the other the dining area - and spilled onto the outdoor patio. Some of the wine selections are a bit pricy, but the Montecillo Rioja we tried ($32) was quite nice - very dry.
The first Meze plate we tried was a Mixed Baby Green Salad, which was lettuce, tomato, radicchio, red onion, cucumber and kalamata olives, with a nice vinaigrette dressing. It was somewhat halfway between a green dinner salad and a greek salad, and was quite tasty. The Heirloom Tomato Ravioli with burrata cheese and coconut froth were delicious. Next up was Pork Tenderloin; this cames with delicate slices, stacked on a bed of rocket over mashed potatoes, and sprinkled with slices of pear - very nice. The Fresh King Salmon with Couscous, and Citrus Brown Butter was listed as coming with spinach, but came with corn instead, which I felt actually worked better than spinach would have. It was another excellent blend of flavors. At the suggestion of our helpful waiter, we then tried the Squash Blossoms, stuffed with Mozzarella and fried, with a Crimini Mushroom accompaniment. I'm glad we took his suggestion because we really enjoyed this dish.
There is not a great selection of desserts, but the Warm Chocolate Ganache called out from the menu. It came topped with a generous scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream, and was exquisitely rich and yummy. At about $12-15 per small plate, Neomeze is not particularly easy on the wallet, but the food is so good that it is definitely a place to which you are likely to return. ( He's rating: 4 stars )
SHE SAYS:
Arriving at this restaurant/hot spot around 10:20 P.M. after seeing a play at a nearby theatre, we parked in the large structure behind the restaurant (and the lot was nearly full - but we managed to get a spot all the way at the top). A short walk to the back side of the restaurant where they have a small outdoor patio area which was absolutely packed with people (there are some tables I noticed, but most of the people seemed to be "standing room only" - it was that crowded). Neomeze consists of a large rectangular dining area with a small bar at one end, a separate lounge/bar area, and the outdoor patio area. A DJ was playing music that loudly thumped through the entire space, a trendy-looking area comprised of brick walls, plain lines in orange and black, hard-wood floors, white cases above the bars that showcase the liquor bottles with florescent lighting, and dining area tables with unusual modern-looking thickly padded chairs that are actually quite comfortable! We were seated in the dining room at a small two-person table against one wall and right next to the bar. The whole restaurant was loaded to the gills with mainly trendyish twenty-somethings in club attire - ladies in tight jeans and black tops, men in jeans and loose-fitting shirts (yes, everyone here was pretty much dressed alike!).
Soon greeted by our friendly waiter, we looked over the menu to try and decide what to order. Neomeze specializes in small plates, some hot, some cold - served family style. You have one small, white rectangular plate to serve yourself food on, then each dish is brought on it's own little white rectangular plate. Okay - there were many odd but interesting sounding items on the menu to choose from; it was difficult to decide what to order. We decided to start with four items - first to arrive being the Mixed Baby Greens salad, almost Greek in style and topped with a tasty vinaigrette. When almost finished our second plate arrived - Heirloom Tomato Ravioli (recommended by our waiter), this was absolutely YUMMY! It was topped with a coconut froth, sounds a bit odd but tasted really good. After finishing this up, shortly up came our next two plates at once - Pork Tenderloin, very tender and flavorful, and the Fresh King Salmon, also quite good. I must note, a few of the dishes were different than described on the menu - especially of note, the King Salmon, listed on the menu as over spinach actually came with corn. BUT - everything did taste really great, so no complaints. Still hungry, we decided to try yet another plate - the Squash Blossoms. Sounded weird to me, but recommended by the waiter, this was really good too. Came with five pieces, not a lot - but tasty. This is a very hip spot, excellent food, excellent service, and lively party-like atmosphere (at least at the late hour we were there). ( She's rating: 4 stars food; 4 stars atmosphere/decor; 4 stars service )
REVIEW:
| Villa Sombrero - Highland Park | | 6101 York Blvd - - phone: (323) 256-9784 |
Friday: July 20, 2007
HE SAYS:
On a recent visit to Villa Sombrero in Highland Park I noticed that things had changed a bit - some for the better; others, not so much. They used to make some decent seafood dishes here, and one of my longtime favorites is the Camarones a la Plancha - bacon-wrapped shrimp. While these used to be succulent and tender, the last couple of times I've been there they have been dry and overcooked. Next time, I'll probably just stick with a Number 1, Taco & Enchilada combo, which is pretty good. I should add that the bowl of soup served with the dinners is quite tasty. Along with our Chips and Salsa we had an order of Guacamole, which is very simple, chunky and fresh. Another change - and this time a very positive one - is the Margarita. The run-of-the-mill, mild restaurant margarita has been replaced by a spectacularly huge Grande-sized drink, served in an attractive goblet. (You can still get a small one, but the default seems to be the Grande). At the suggestion of the house, we got ours on the rocks; it looked as if many in the restaurant had gone with this recommendation. They seem to be justifiably proud of what is one of the best Margaritas in town. ( He's rating: 3.25 stars )
SHE SAYS:
A very local restaurant for us, we arrived at Villa Sombrero around 6:30 PM and parked easily in the small lot next to the restaurant. Quickly seated at a table next to the window in the bar area, we started with some fab Villa Sombrero margaritas - grande, on the rocks, with salt (their standard margarita, I would guess) - oh boy! The downstairs area of the restaurant consists of a small dining room with booths along the walls, and a small bar area, where we were seated, which was tables along the windows, a jumbo refrigeration glass-doored cabinet stock full of beers and jugs of salsa, and a small five-stool bar at the end of the room. The walls are decorated with celebrity photos, the wood chairs have backs featuring carved sun gods, a TV set hangs above in one corner (not *on* on this occasion), and waitresses stroll by wearing traditional Mexican white blouses and flowing skirts colored in red, white, and green. There is also an upstairs dining area in this restaurant where we were seated only once - when we had a large group.
Starting with an order of guacamole, it quickly arrived at our table - served in a large molcajete and appearing to be freshly prepared, this was a good-sized portion of very, very fresh guacamole. It was simple (seemed like mainly just avocado and a little tomato) and very good. For dinner I ordered my standard Mexican restaurant #1 combination plate - beef taco, cheese enchilada, with rice and beans. The taco was small, in a crisp shell filled with a tasty shredded beef, some cheese, and a little shredded lettuce - pretty good. The enchilada was small and very tasty too. The rice and beans were good, though not out of the ordinary as Mexican restaurant fare goes. The dinner started with a small bowl of soup, which was very tasty as well. All in all, a very enjoyable meal - Villa Sombrero seems especiallly good for it's well done Margaritas and fresh guacamole. The service here was efficient, Villa Sombrero is family friendly. ( She's rating: 3.5 stars food; 3.5 stars atmosphere/decor; 3.75 stars service; 4 stars Margaritas )
|
