Specializing in Pasadena, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Burbank, Downtown L.A., Hollywood, and the Valley - - Restaurants Rated and Reviewed

RATINGS KEY
• = A YummyEats.com Favorite
• 4 stars = Tops in Yummy!
• 3 stars = Good Stuff
• 2 stars = Fair
• 1 star = Yuk

New Review Section

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 )

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 decor/atmosphere; 3.75 stars service; 4 stars Margaritas )

HE SAYS: Last Saturday we had dinner at Mama Petrillo's in Temple City. This place has the feel of a real old-fashioned neighborhood pizza joint. The place, as the menu states, has been "owned and operated by the Petrillo family since 1961". Like most of these types of pizza parlors, Mama Petrillo's has a large local following, as was evidenced by the nearly full house when we were there.

We started with the Antipasto - the large, or "Papa" size was perfect for four people. This was really excellent. In fact, I'd say it's one of the best salads I've had in this type of pizzeria. The little chunks of provolone really did it for me. For our pizza we had a large, with Italian Sausage and mushrooms. I should say that the pizzas are quite big here - and filling. The crust is what I would call medium-thin. I should warn - for those who don't like it - that the mushrooms are canned. (While I prefer the flavor of fresh, the canned variety doesn't really bother me on this type of pizza). While the pizza is good, I would say I would probably try out an entree next time - but definitely get the Antipasto again. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: On this hot July Saturday night we met up with my husband's cousin and his wife for a dinner at Mama Petrillo's. Walking over to the restaurant (they live close by) we arrived around 7:00 PM (just for the info: there is a smallish parking lot next to the restaurant that appeared to have spaces available at this time). The four of us were quickly seated at a four-person booth at the back of the restaurant next to the door into the kitchen. Mama Petrillos is a small-sized restaurant - a row of red booths along both walls of the rectangular-shaped room and a few tables in a row along the center. There are a few hanging plants above some booths and some non-descript artwork on the walls - - above each booth is a hanging, oh so slightly Tiffany style lamp, the pieces of glass in the shade tinted red, green, and white, in the colors of the Italian flag. The floor is covered in sort of a dingy red carpet - the whole space appears to be possibly original to the restaurant's 1961 opening.

I ordered a glass of Chianti to start (I was given the option of chilled or room temperature and went with the chilled, especially because it was so hot this night). We all started with the "Papa Antipasto" to share. A large platter soon arrived piled high with greens, chopped salami, cubes of provolone cheese, olives, celery, chopped tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and pepperoncinis - all coated in a really delicious Italian dressing. Okay - I have just got to say, this is probably the best antipasto salad I have ever had in a restaurant. It was that good. For dinner we ordered one large pizza with mushrooms and sausage - it ended up being SUPER large, a big rectangular-shaped pizza with pieces cut into smallish squares. The pizza here was really good - and I like the easy to eat sizing of the pieces. By the way, I was already quite warm sitting under the rather hot lamp hanging above our table (felt like I was in some crime drama, sitting under one of those lights they shine over your head during a police interrogation!) - but after all those pizza calories I really was getting uncomfortably hot at this point. All in all, the space here was slightly uncomfortable when you combine the heat with the sizing of the booths (pretty small for four people) - BUT I thought the food at Mama Petrillo's was exceptionally good and the service quick and efficient. Family friendly, recommended. ( She's rating: 4 stars food; 3 stars decor/atmosphere; 4 stars service )

HE SAYS: On Friday we decided to try the Firefly Bistro in South Pasadena, and we wound up having a very nice dinner. Located on El Centro, near the Gold Line station, Firefly Bistro offers an upscale take on down home cooking. The comfortable tented patio gives this restaurant the feel of being in someone's backyard. Maitre D' and Partner Carl Weintraub works the room, making sure the guests feel at home.

The tasty softened and flavored butter that came with the bread was a harbinger of good things to come. We started with the Dunguness Crab Toasts, the only disappointment with which was that there was only three of them. The bacon which topped these - listed as housemade - was exquisite. The Shrimp and Grits was superb - full of delicate flavors, yet with an underlying heartiness provided by the tasso ham. The Country Duck, which SHE had, was infused with subtle, but well designed flavor. The portions not exactly being huge here, we decided to try a dessert. The Warmed Blueberry Upsidedown Cake was quite home-style in its heaviness, while the maple bourbon caramel sauce, with its slivered almonds added an upscale touch. The wine list has something for every taste - we went with the Easton, Amador County Zinfandel at $30. Wanting to linger and soak up the atmosphere a bit, we had an Irish Cream Coffee, which provided a pleasant finale to the evening. ( He's rating: 4 stars )

SHE SAYS: Deciding to finally give a try to this local restaurant, we parked easily down the street from the Firefly, arriving right on time for our 7:00 PM reservations. A warm summer night, we walked into this inviting patio restaurant and were seated at a small, two-person table in the center area of the room. The Firefly is an outdoor area completely enclosed in a big tent - it gives one the feeling of being at a friend's tent-held wedding reception. Surrounded by french doors that are open and peek out at vine-covered garden walls, with Christmas lights surrounding the upper parts of the tent, twinkling in blue and white - the effect almost combines so that you see green in the lights too. In fact, the color scheme here definitely has a blue and green look to it - green plants sit here and there amongst the tables, ocean blue cushions cover the long seats along the walls, a large modern-style painting in green and blue perches on the wall above a table of diners. There are ceiling fans and floor fans - none of which were turned on this evening, giving the room the atmosphere of being in a light sauna (though it was pretty comfortable in the restaurant, it was a bit warm and I could have used at least a few of the ceiling fans going). This Friday night, the restaurant was about 3/4 full when we arrived, filling up quickly over the next half hour - when we left it was about half full.

We ordered a bottle of wine to start, and decided to try one of the several interesting sounding appetizers they serve here - deciding to go with the "Dungeness Crab Toasts". Arriving at our table pretty quickly, we were served a small plate of three crab toasts - almost more like the trendy "amuse bouche" (okay, yes, I've been watching a lot of "Top Chef" lately) than full-sized appetizer. The crab toast (even though the crab meat seemed to be out of a can) had a nice homestyle flavor and was quite good - especially the tasty bacon on top. For my entree I went with the "Country Duck", which was very tender sliced pieces of duck with a wonderful red-eyed gravy on top that had just the right amount of spice - really, really delicious. Along side the duck was a small portion of sauteed peaches, some green beans, and a pretty tiny amount of mashed potatoes - all very nicely prepared and delicious with all the yummy gravy to sop up everything with - so good! For dessert we decided to try the "Warmed Blueberry Upside-down Cake, with brown butter ice cream" - the cake was okay, though would have been a lot better if it were more delicate and light, the ice cream was delicious though.

All in all, I liked this restaurant and thought it had a spendidly nice atmosphere. Service here was very fast (almost too fast sometimes), each item arriving fairly quickly after ordering (I do sometimes like to relax a bit more at a restaurant, so don't particularly like everything coming out in such rapid-fire progression). And - since we did want to relax a bit more before heading home, we topped off the evening with a nice Irish coffee for each of us, which really hit the spot. This restaurant is a short walk from the Mission station of the Metro gold line; they also offer Sunday brunch. ( She's rating: 4 stars food entrees, 3.5 stars appetizers/dessert; 4 stars decor/atmosphere; 3.5 stars service )

HE SAYS: Sunday morning we decided to have breakfast at a Burbank institution, Lancers Family Restaurant. This place always looks packed on weekend mornings, so we thought we'd give it a try. Happily, Lancer's is located in the corner of a large parking lot, so no matter how crowded it might get, there's plenty of parking. Inside is typical modern coffee shop decor, complete with a long counter. We sat in a booth off in a side room.

When our server came to the table, the first thing she asked is if we wanted anything to drink - now, that's the ticket. The breakfast menu even prominently lists Bloody Marys and Mimosas. I tried the latter, which was nice because it came with an individual little bottle of champagne. A flute of orange juice is served, and one adds the champagne at his own pace. There is a pretty extensive breakfast menu, but I went with the Breakfast Special #2, which is 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns or fries, and toast or pancakes. Everything was real good, especially the hash browns - diced potatoes with bits of bell pepper. Lancer's is also open for lunch and dinner. There are daily specials and a spate of "south of the border" items. As an added bonus, there is a cocktail lounge with full bar. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: This morning we got up and headed over to Lancers in Burbank for breakfast. Arriving about 10:00 AM, we were immediately seated in a big booth in a room just off of the main entrance, with a view from my seat to the front door that leads to the large parking lot outside. Lancers has the look of an 80s coffee shop, the layout reminded me of many a diner/coffee shop I have been to in the past - along the front is a long hall with a row of booths next to the window across from which is a long counter and bar stools. The decor is a color scheme of pink and teal, the walls covered in nondescript artwork - the whole place seemed to be decorated by the same people that perform the decorating duties in your standard, low-budget motel room. There are glass cases that display pies and no-nonsense waitresses in sensible black shoes and black & white uniforms - the clientele here was mainly older, very casually dressed - a lot of senior citizens, as well as a number of families, and a few forty-something couples.

We both ordered a Mimosa to start - it was served as orange juice in a champagne glass with a mini champagne bottle on the side to add into your drink as you like - nice! I felt like an omelette and decided to go with the "California Omelette", which comes with avocado, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese. I must say this breakfast was surprising and delicious - though Lancers appears more like a low-end coffee shop, the food had the appearance of what you might get in a much trendier breakfast spot. Served on a large platter-like plate, the omelette was gorgeous to look at, with a hugh pile of hashed browns on the side of it. You also get your choice here of toast, muffin, or two pancakes (I chose the toast, they give you two slices and one small package of jelly - could have used a bit more jelly, actually). My omelette was very, very yummy - with just the right amount of goodies mixed in with the egg. The hashed browns were almost home fries in style, sort of half hash-brown style potato, half larger potato chunks, and a little green bell pepper in the mix too. Yum - real good. Though Lancers isn't exactly the place to take a date or mix with the young and the beautiful of L.A., it serves a real good breakfast in a comfortable atmosphere. They also have a large menu that features a variety of lunch and dinner items - everything from sandwiches and burgers to veal parmigiana and chicken fried steak. Family friendly; they have a children's menu. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars food; 2.75 stars decor; 3.75 stars service )

HE SAYS: Saturday night we ate at Buca di Beppo in Pasadena. Because of the many "family style" priced items on the menu, this popular chain is a great place to go for large group celebrations. SHE and I were with a party of 11 for a friend's birthday. We arrived early so we could have a drink at the bar. I had enough time before the other guests arrived to have a Martini and a draft beer - the latter being served in a colossal glass.

We were seated at a long table in one of the restaurant's many boisterous rooms. The Garlic Bread with Mozzarella was really almost a pizza, with a thick coating of cheese on top. The Fried Calamari, which came with a marinara dipping sauce, was a pleasant iteration of this popular dish. We tried the Caesar Salad and the Chopped Antipasto Salad. Both were nice, but I especially liked the Antipasto Salad, as it was full of Italian meats and goodies. The Tuscan Beans & Escarole is a nice side dish. It now has a bit of marinara sauce on it, which is a new touch since the last time I was here. Of the pastas, the Penne Arrabbiata had a nice, tangy sauce, with spicy sausage - real good, but the Spaghetti & Meat Balls were pretty pedestrian. The ultra thin crusted Margherita Pizza was excellent. The Double Dark Chocolate Cake was rich and delicious. They do have a wine list here, but I found the house Chianti fine for washing down this family fare. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: Arriving early for a 7:00 P.M. birthday dinner/gathering at Buca di Beppo in Old Pasadena, we found parking down the street (a couple of blocks walk), got into the restaurant at about 6:15 P.M. and headed into the bar area for cocktails -- I ordered a Gin Martini and it was really, very good - and very large! The bar here is quite nice - medium-sized rectangular area with booths along one side and the long wood bar along the other side, which is backed by a long window through which you can barely see the street traffic going by through the decorations and booze bottles that line the front of the window. Along the center of the area is a half wall/low table with a few stools in front of it where patrons can lean or sit (if lucky enough to get a seat) - behind which is a wall on which hangs a variety of retro 50s/early 60s high school yearbook photos of different young ladies and fake bios (I think it says something like "Miss Buca" on the top of each photo). On this occasion the bar was almost empty when we arrived - we were the only people sitting at the eight-stool bar - but was completely full by 7:00 P.M. when the rest of our party group (eleven of us total) arrived and we were soon all seated in one of the big, noisy rooms that have mainly seating for large groups. Our table was a big booth at the end of the room to which they had added a second table sticking out from the booth. The room, in fact, all the rooms in Buca di Beppo are decorated with wall to wall, top-to-bottom vintage photos of famous and not so famous Italians (our room had practically a shrine to Frank Sinatra's picture on the wall, decorated with flowers and decor surrounding the large photo - nearby I noticed a prominent photo of Gina Lollobrigida) - even the ceiling here was completely covered with old Italian opera posters and the like. A really cool space - love the look of the place. One room we have sat in the past is called the "Pope Room" - it features walls decorated with images of the Pope and a large round table to eat, which some people we know love (I personally think that table makes it feel a bit too conference-room like).

Food here is served family-style in large or small platters which are passed around the table for all to share. As we had eleven people we were able to try a number of dishes. First up we had the Fried Calamari appetizer, which was not the best calamari I've had, but quite decent with a mild marinara dipping sauce. They then served us the two salads we ordered - one was the Caesar Salad (I was last in the table pass for this - gone, except for one leaf that tasted okay - again nothing out-of-this-world). The other salad we ordered was the Di Beppo "1893" salad (which is a really tasty chopped salad we have had in the past and loved) - I noticed the salad had changed, and looking at the photo on the website now I realize that they actually served us the "Chopped Antipasto Salad" instead. This was really good too, so no complaints actually - a big platter loaded with greens topped with lots of Italian meats and cheeses, tomatoes, cucumber slices, and pepperoncinis - one of my favorite dishes of the evening. We were also served at this time the "Garlic Bread with Mozzarella", which was like a small, deep-dish pizza pie - cut and served in slices out of an aluminum pie pan, this was quite cheesy and tasty. As each dish was mostly eaten up and whisked away (even when not quite eaten up) they next brought out the main dish courses - we ordered the "Spaghetti and Meatballs" and the "Penne Arrabbiata", both were decent pasta dishes, though nothing to write home about. The meatballs were fairly tasty, the spaghetti needed more sauce. The Penne was topped with some really, nice spicy sausage pieces, which were good. On the side we got the "Tuscan Beans & Escarole", pretty tasty and the "Margherita Pizza", quite good - topped with way more than enough mozzarella cheese. For dessert, the "Double Dark Chocolate Cake", brought out with loud "Happy Birthday" sung by waiters and us, and a lit candelabra. We all had a slice of cake - it was rich and delicious, I must say.

This is a fun, frolicking, very noisy restaurant to go to with a large group (because of the way they serve the platters of food, you don't see many smaller groups or couples here). By the way, when the hostess brings your group to your table they ALWAYS lead you (at least it's been that way for me here) right through the bustling kitchen area (where there is actually a booth that one group can eat at - looks fun to me). While the food is more like something you might be served at someone's own family party (very homestyle, reasonably good, though nothing fancy) I would recommend Buca di Beppo as a really fun place to take your group or have a party - great atmosphere, they have a friendly young wait staff, and the restaurant is also kid friendly (they have a kids menu too). ( She's rating: 3.5 stars food; 4 stars decor; 3.75 stars service )

HE SAYS: On Friday we ended up eating at Crown City Brewery in Pasadena. The original appeal of Crown City was it's vast, international selection of draft and bottled beers. If you're adventurous - and thirsty - enough, and have ample idle time on your calendar, you can try to fill out a beer passport, upon completion of which (i.e. drinking 100 different beers), you will be entitled to have your name etched on a plaque on the wall. For us however, on this evening, it was just dinner and a few suds to wash it down. (For the record, I did have a Fuller's London Pride upon arrival, and we shared a pitcher of Bass with dinner).

I ordered the Grilled Albacore Sandwich. This was a good sized hunk of meat, and was grilled just right. Sandwiches come with a choice of french fries, small green salad, cole slaw, or baked beans. I should also mention that Crown City is well appointed as a sports bar. Plenty of televisions are strategically positioned around the large room. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: Arriving about 7:00 P.M. this Friday night, parking was easy in the lot next to the restaurant. We were quickly seated at a two-person table next to a rail that overlooks the sports bar area - the restaurant was about 3/4 full, but filled up soon after our arrival. Crown City Brewery is sort of a factory looking space, with big open piping on the ceiling and an all wood interior - it's decorated with lots of neon beer signs, many TVs showing a variety of sports games are on the walls surrounding the bar area (you can easily see the TVs from where we were seated too) and best of all, a whole wall of beer bottles behind the long bar. The area is split into two levels - the restaurant above, which overlooks the bar area below. Vintage, mainly 70s, rock music plays in the background here - but not so loudly you can't talk.
They have a large variety of beers to choose from - I decided to start with a Samuel Smith Imperial Stout, which proved to be very good. They offer a choice of food from burgers and sandwiches to dinner specialties like pork chops and flat iron steaks. I decided to get the Guacamole and Salsa Burger, which comes with a side choice of french fries, cole slaw, or baked beans - I usually get fries with a burger, but today felt like beans. The burger ended up being really big and really, really good - I was VERY pleasantly surprised, this was possibly the best guacamole burger I've had (and it's a kind of topping I often order for burgers). This was a very messy burger - dripping with tons of creamy, tasty, fresh guacamole and topped with a delicious, homemade salsa with a nice spicy bite to it. Tops in yummy! The baked beans were more what I would call a Mexican-style bean in flavor, and seemed to have a little cheese mixed in - the beans were very good and went well with the tastes on my burger. We were having a good time, so ordered a pitcher of Bass and watched the goings-on down in the bar area. A nice place to go to eat some tasty food in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars food; 3.5 stars decor; 3.75 stars service )

HE SAYS: Saturday evening we had dinner at Colombo's Italian Steak House in Eagle Rock. The original establishment on this site was the Lord Boss, the remnants of which can still be seen on the restroom doors, where a painted "Lords" and "Ladies" is still partially visible beneath the modern blue "Men's" and "Women's" signs. After that, it became Jack Steele's Porterhouse, and finally Colombo's. Reservations are a good idea here, especially on the weekend, but we didn't have any, so we gave our name and were lucky to find a couple seats opening up at the crowded bar, where we enjoyed a brisk martini.

Seated in a comfortable booth, we enjoyed the musical stylings of singer/pianist Erik Ekstrand, who covers a vast range of material spanning many decades, from older standards through Elvis, the Beatles and beyond. Later in the evening a nice Jazz combo held sway.

I started with a Caesar Salad, which was very good, with plenty of tasty croutons. The Chicken Cacciatore was pleasant - quite juicy and tender - with a nice sauce. It lacked, perhaps, the deep, characteristic braised flavor I associate with this dish. I tasted some of SHE's lasagna, and I have to say that it may be the best I've had. It was full of a real home-style flavor and had the unique presentation of three cheese-topped cylinders on the plate. Excellent! The wine list is small - but the quality to price ratio is excellent. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Tonight we decided to try Colombo's again - a local restaurant we haven't been to in several years. Arriving about 7:15 P.M., we found parking easily on the street in front. Columbo's was packed, so we waited in the bar for a table. We each had a martini in the crowded bar area, even managed to get a couple of seats after about fifteen minutes at the long wood bar, which seats about twenty. Behind the bar there hangs a prominent painting of a nude, reclining woman. We ended up having to wait about 45 minutes to get a table in the small dining room, but live music was playing nearby - a selection of jazz standards, with vocals and piano by talented pianist Eric Ekstrand. Colombo's dining area is basically a small rectangle with big, red booths along two sides, a row of tables down the center, white tableclothes, strings of little white lights, and a piano and stage spot at the front of the area for live performances. On the walls hang an assortment of paintings of the old-fashioned variety. A quite comfortable room to enjoy a pleasant, cozy dinner. We were seated in a large booth along one side, which was quite nice and roomy.
On the table they gave us a basket of warm slices of garlic toast, which happened to be very yummy. For dinner I ordered the "Sam's Recipe" Hand Rolled Lasagna, along with a dinner salad to start (not to mention we ordered a bottle of wine for the two of us). The salad was simple and excellent - a well chilled bowl of greens, topped with tomato and olives. The lasagna ended up being one of the best restaurant lasagna's I have ever had. Four rolled-up lasagnas, in a lovely tomato sauce, stuffed full with sausage and cheeses. Really, really yummy. Each rolled piece looked small, but was very rich - I had to take home some as I became very, very full. We sipped the rest of our wine and enjoyed a second act which started at 9:00 p.m., also very good. Colombo's is a great place to enjoy a nice, "comfort food" style dinner while enjoying live jazz - and, bonus, the prices are very, very reasonable. We will return! ( She's rating: 4 stars food; 3.75 stars decor; 3.75 stars service )

HE SAYS: I had not been to Ai Japanese restaurant, near the Rialto theater in South Pasadena, since the days when they had bright, plasticized examples of the food displayed out front. The decor has modernized a bit since then, but the food is as good as ever.

We passed up the small, popular sushi bar and opted for a full dinner. The "boat" dinners were between $15-19 so we went for one of those - the Chicken Teriyaki version. The dinner easily served both of us, even with a bit left over, though it is technically for one. We did have to order an additional Miso Soup and rice at a nominal price since we were splitting the dish. The soup was rich and satisfying. It was served along with a bit of pickled cabbage. The boat contained quite a lot of the teriyaki chicken which was very tender and delicious. There was a sampling of sashimi - tuna and an especially tasty salmon - which came with a bit of Wasabi on the side. There was a good deal of tempura, including 2 large pieces of shrimp, along with carrot, squash, asparagus and sweet potato. There were a few tasty gyoza-style dumplings. A hot dipping sauce was also provided. Adding to the cornucopia were a green salad, cucumber salad, and fresh fruit - orange and watermelon. We both had a glass of the house Chardonnay. This was a very nice, inexpensive meal. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Arriving around 6:00 P.M. we found easy parking in the lot in back of the restaurant. Close to full when we walked in, we luckily were seated immediately at a comfortable 4-person table with booth seat on one side, two wood chairs on the other (within minutes the waiting lobby across from us was full of people waiting for tables). Ai is a very clean looking restaurant, smartly decorated in a simple style colored in blacks, whites, and reddish-orange colors, with big Japanese modern-looking paintings on the walls. The space is divided into two dining areas, separated by a low wall, one long booth seat along each sides of the wall, and the rest of the area filled with faux wood formica-toppped tables and chairs with red cushioned seats. Off in one corner is a small, eight-stooled sushi bar - packed to the brim with patrons, by the way. We both started with a glass of chardonnay, then ordered the Chicken Teriyaki "Love Boat" to share. The boat came with a whole lot of chicken teriyaki, shrimp tempura, three meatball type items, salad, a big slice of watemelon, and a plate of sashimi. The teriyaki was especially tender and flavorful. A quite enjoyable meal worthy of a return visit. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars food; 3.75 stars decor; 3.5 stars service )

HE SAYS: On a recent morning we went to long time downtown favorite, Philippe the Original. I hadn't been there in about a quarter of a century, which represents about half the time they have been at their present location. The row of wooden phone booths along the wall, and the good cup of coffee for 9¢ certainly help bring to mind earlier days. Framed clippings of reviews from magazines and newspapers, many of which have not proven as long-lived as has Philippe's, adorn the walls.

Since they are among those who claim to have invented it, I had to try the French Dip sandwich. It was better than I remembered from 25 years ago - perhaps helped by their "famous" mustard, which is a quite good, spicy, horseradish/chinese style, and which I probably eschewed on my previous visit. We shared some cole slaw and potato salad, both of which were quite passable. They do have a selection of wines now, but I couldn't pass up the 9¢ coffee. The two of us got out of there for under $15 - now that's a real trip back in time! ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Today for lunch the two of us rode the Gold Line and ate at Philippe's downtown. "Home of the French-Dipped Sandwich", Philippe's is an old-time establishment (originally opened in 1908, at the current location since 1951) that still retains it's very vintage look complete with long formica-topped wood tables all around the room, old, wood backless (uncomfortable) barstools at each table, a long deli counter where you order (full of yummies under glass and vintage neon signs above), old articles about Philippes mounted on the walls here and there, sawdust on the cement floor, a row of old-fashioned wood telephone cubbies along one wall, old-time candy counter, a booth at one end selling Philippes souvenirs, and just LOADS of atmosphere - plus a ton of patrons there to enjoy it!
We arrived about 11:30 A.M., just before the rush, and did manage to step right up to the counter to order (soon after a line started forming going out the door) - we each got a French beef dip sandwich which Philippes is famous for, and an order of coleslaw and potato salad on the side to share. The food is served on sturdy paper plates, then on a big tray which you carry to a table - - if you can find one! There were very few spots left to sit this crowded lunchtime Sunday, but we did find spots at a table right near the entrance where the line was forming, and with a good view of the counter (I have since read there is an upstairs dining room where you can find seating if it is too crowded downstairs).
I have eaten here once before - the sandwich this time was better than I remembered. The first time I ate here it seemed a bit dry - it was still drier than I would like, but good. I believe you can ask for your sandwich to be double-dipped, perhaps that's the way to go. The bread roll it comes on was fresh and tasty, the sandwich had just the right amount of sliced meat. They have little containers of Phillipe's own mustard on the tables - a hot, horseradish mustard that tasted really good dabbed on my sandwich. The coleslaw is great - an old-fashioned style to it with a creamy, sweet sauce. The potato salad - really excellent too, very flavorful, also has a bit of sweetness to it. Loved both the sides and was full to the point I could almost not finish my sandwich (so there was plenty for both, even though sharing the sides). I noticed lots of yummy looking pies in the counter that you can order a slice of - but was too full up.
They serve breakfast here, which I am interested in trying another time. Service here is fast and friendly, prices low, and the restaurant is an easy walk from both the Chinatown gold line stop or Union Station. Oh, by the way - coffee here is still just 9 cents! ( She's rating: 3.75 stars food; 4 stars decor; 4 stars service )