Spitz - Eagle Rock

If you're familiar with the Colorado strip in Eagle Rock, I'm sure you've passed by Spitz often and thought, "Why would they name it "Spitz"? Do they "spitz" in the food. lol. I make funny." To tell you the truth, I don't know why they're named that and I'm too lazy to look it up; yes, I'm too lazy to google it. 

It's a small and nicely decorated place with some good tunes playing in the background. I would say it's a pricier, but a healthier alternative to Zankou. For about $11 you can get a wrap or sandwich with a side, preferably the pita chips with hummus, and a drink. There are a few tables inside, but it has mostly outdoor seating with heat lamps and umbrellas. 

I wasn't blown away, but I did enjoy my Chicken Döner, zesty style. I'd definitely go back. Friendly service and good food. 

Official Website: http://www.eatatspitz.com/

Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/spitz-los-angeles-2

Info: 2506 Colorado Blvd.

        Los Angeles, CA 90041

        (323) 257-5600

La Cabañita - Montrose/Glendale

I had an early lunch today at home, went to work, and had forgotten my Clif Bar to hold me over during the long hours. To top things off, I had to run errands immediately after work, so eating was on hold, and by the time I got home, I was starving! One of my errands was getting a haircut before my friend/stylist, Alona, had to leave work. I was telling her how hungry I was and she brought up nachos. The mention of nachos made me instantly crave anything Mexican, but particularly nachos.

After some internet research and a growing headache, I settled on going to La Cabañita with Reza and Gene. We were seated right away and served complimentary tortilla chips that were fresh, crispy, and warm with two different salsas. As soon as we finished the bowl of tortilla chips, the waiter replaced it with a new warm bowl. At this point I figured there's no point on getting nachos.

I skipped the appetizers page and started looking in the combination plates section. The combo plates come with rice, beans, the main dish, and with soup or salad. I remembered how amazing the cream of carrot and cream of corn soup were, so I ordered the cream of corn and Gene and Reza had the cream of carrot. I would seriously go to La Cabañita just to have their soup, it's that good (TRUST ME!). 

There were a lot of great sounding choices as the main part of the meal, but I love cheese, and I chose the Chile Relleno, which is a giant pepper STUFFED with cheese, so how could I resist? I had two of those with my combo plate.

When I finally finished everything, I felt like I turned into a Chile Relleno stuffed with La Cabañita. The food was delicious and beyond filling. Great service, nice decor, and of course, awesome food!

Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-cabanita-glendale

Info: 3445 N Verdugo Rd.

        Glendale, CA 91208

        (818) 957-2711

Best Fish Tacos In Ensenada - Glendale

Before I ever tried fish tacos, I was completely opposed to the idea of them, but I finally gave in and tried my first fish tacos at Rubio's about six years ago and I fell in love with them. I've tried fish tacos at three different places, Rubio's, Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada, and Taco Nazo, and all of them are great and definitely worth trying.

I used to make the drive to the Loz Feliz area to get fish tacos from Best Fish Tacos In Ensenada (BFTE), but one day I went outside to see that another location had magically opened in walking distance from where I live.

The menu is simple and consists of either Fish Tacos or Shrimp Tacos.

The fried fish is juicy with a soft crunch. It's supported by a thick single piece of tortilla, but if you let it sit for too long, be prepared for your fish taco to fall apart, especially after visiting the salsa bar.

I love hot and spicy foods, but I think all their salsas are a bit too hot to go with the fish tacos. I cover the tacos with cabbage slaw, their "hot" guac (not hot at all), and top it off with their Radish Relish and La Crema Magica (it's like sour cream) and I'm good to go.

The fish tacos at BFTE definitely hit the spot and 3-4 should get you full. I'm glad they decided to open in Glendale, because Glendale heavily lacks in the tasty small restaurant department with a few exceptions. They did locate in an area where I've seen businesses fail consistently, but I'm hoping BFTE stays for good, so come on by, tell your friends, tweet, yelp and facebook about it, and help these small businesses stay.

Let me know if you ever go, maybe I'll walk on over and join you or just to say "hi".

Official Website: http://www.bestfishtacoinensenada.com

Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/best-fish-taco-in-ensenada-glendale#query:best%20fish%20tacos

Info: 604 W Glenoaks Blvd.

        Glendale, CA 91202

        (323) 466-5552

Cha Cha Chicken - Santa Monica

Caribbean weather calls for Caribbean food and that's what I got with Cha Cha Chicken. I enjoyed their funky, yet appropriate decor, especially because some of their customers were funky, yet appropriate as well.

They serve a variety of chicken plates that all sounded tempting, but I went with the popular Jerk Chicken Enchiladas. The enchiladas are covered with their sweet spicy mango pineapple sauce and it came with rice & beans, and delicious fried plantains on the side.

The plantains were unfortunately the highlight for me, because everything else tasted mediocre. All the different foods sort of meshed to have this universal taste, so it really didn't matter what you ate. I think it had to do with the sauce that they use and how it just mixed with everything on the plate. Nothing really stood out for me (except the "B" they got for their sanitation grade) and the prices were okay.

Cha Cha Chicken Plate

Ropa Vieja

I wouldn't ever make the drive to Santa Monica for Cha Cha Chicken, but if I happen to be in the area, I would give this place a second chance.

Official Website: http://www.chachachicken.com/
Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/cha-cha-chicken-santa-monica
Info: 1906 Ocean Ave

        Santa Monica, CA 90405

        (310) 581-1684

Fab Hot Dogs - Reseda

It was a warm sunny day and I was driving down Tampa Avenue keeping an eye out for Fab Hot Dogs and that was when I spotted the busy hot dog joint. I was starving and a topping filled hot dog was exactly what my stomach was howling for (yes, my stomach howls).

It was one of those menus where everything sounded equally amazing, but one hot dog special definitely stood out for me, the Bacon Cheddar Melt Dog. I wanted to order a second one, but had such a hard time choosing, that I asked, Suzie, at the register to choose her favorite and without hesitating, she rung up the L.A. Street Dog. I also ordered a side of tater tots with Root Beer.

When they called my name to tell me my order was ready, it was as if I won a special yummy prize. First up was the Bacon Cheddar Melt Dog. Right when I picked it up, I noticed how soft and perfectly warm the bun was, just how it should be, hugging all the ingredients inside without getting in the way. This hot dog was epic from the first bite to the last. The combination of the soft bun, grilled onions, mustard, oozing cheddar, and the crispy bacon made this the best freaking hot dog I have ever tasted.

I was sad to have finished the Bacon Cheddar Melt, but I had another hot dog waiting. Oh no! I'm starting to feel full, what the heck!? I sat back in my chair, taking deep breaths, hoping to open up some space in my stomach, but like an impatient eater, I kept stuffing tater tots in my mouth while I was waiting. The tots made a great side to go with the dogs and if I didn't finish them, I would have stuffed them in my pockets to save for later.

There was a party on my L.A. Street Dog and that party wanted to be eaten. I scarfed the L.A. Street Dog down and it had a perfect balance of toppings to make this hot dog great. The toppings consisted of bacon, grilled onions, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, mustard, mayo, and ketchup.

In my opinion, the Bacon Cheddar Melt was the winner of the two, probably because of all that cheese, but both are worth trying. I felt full for the rest of the day, so I might do one next time I'm there (even though I want to try every hot dog on the menu).

Although the place has very limited seating, customers were coming in non-stop. Fortunately, Fab Hot Dogs will be moving a few blocks down to the corner of Tampa Ave. and Victory Blvd. into a bigger place with their own private parking. Lastly, the prices are pretty good for what you're getting. I paid $11.47 for everything, but obviously it will be about $4 cheaper next time because I'll be getting one hot dog.

See you soon Fab Hot Dogs!

p.s. Check out the youtube link below. I just found out that they were featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives with Guy Fieri".

Official Website: http://www.fabhotdogs.com/
Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/fab-hot-dogs-los-angeles-reseda
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PqC7QSDtYQ
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reseda-CA/Fab-Hot-Dogs/46886359853?ref=search&sid=30502511.1107216111..1

Q-cina Green Cafe - North Hollywood

Q-cina is easy to miss and I hate using this phrase, but it is really a "hidden gem". They have a small menu, but there's something for everyone. If you're a fellow carnivore such as myself and have weird vegetarian/vegan friends, you can bring them here too. Located in North Hollywood, Q-cina is a small and intimate place crawling with hipsters and former hipsters (old people).

My friend, Shannon, and I started with the "Asparagus Guacamole with Pita" appetizer. Although it was quite tasty, it really doesn't make a good choice for an appetizer. When it comes to starters, I like to have a quantity of food instead of taking a few bites and realizing that your food is gone, as if the starter never started (cue X-Files music). I'll probably go with the crisp nacho french fries next time.

They had selections from pastas, salads, pizza, burgers, and mouth watering entrées. Everyone raves about their 1/2 lb. Kobe burgers, so I had to try it. With a great variety of cheeses to choose from, I decided to go with provolone. It also comes with your choice of salad, and garlic or sweet potato fries; I went with garlic fries. I used to always order my burgers well-done, but in the last year I switched to medium-well to get some juiciness and more flavor from the patty.

Look at all that cheese melted on the patty. (wiping drool)

Shannon ordered the seared salmon salad (try saying "seared salmon salad" three times). I got to try a piece of the salmon and I can safely conclude that everything here is outstanding quality.

With tax and tip, we paid $15 each, which is not bad for what we ordered and I'm sure healthier if we ordered something similar from somewhere else.

Our server was very friendly, constantly refilling our water, and always checking on us, but not to the point where it got annoying. I really enjoyed my experience at Q-cina and will definitely come back soon.

Official Website: http://www.q-cina.com/index.html
Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/q-cina-green-cafe-north-hollywood
Info: 5650 Cahuenga Blvd.
        North Hollywood, CA 91601
        (818) 763-6896

Folliero's Pizza & Italian Food - Los Angeles

Folliero's is located in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles, so my expectations were a little low, but that's the fun of trying new places, taking a risk.

Right when I opened the door to the restaurant, I was somehow waiting in line already. I'm not a fan of waiting-a-long-time-to-be-seated, but the sensational aroma, the fitting interior decoration with brick walls, and seeing every table occupied with happy families and groups of friends, made my impatience vanish.

We were welcomed by the cordial Titina Folliero, the daughter of the family that opened this restaurant about 42 years ago. The entire staff was friendly and so inviting, that I was excited for the rest of my experience there. When we were seated, our order was taken within minutes, which was nice and surprising seeing how busy the place was. Before I even start talking about the pizza and lasagna that we ordered, let me dramatically emphasize how freaking amazing the root beer was. You might be thinking, "Come on Mustafa, it's just root beer" and I say "shut up ! it wasn't just root beer!". I would have to say that it was the most flavorful and delicious root beer that I have ever had and I've had some awesome root beer in my life.

Now to the food. My brother and I decided to share a lasagna dish and a medium pepperoni pizza. Again, I was expecting to wait a while, but the food was brought out fairly quickly. Now you might be asking yourself the ol' philosophical question, "what came first? the lasagna or the pizza?" Well my friend, the pizza did and then a few seconds later the lasagna. I took a long look at the pizza and saw about 8 pieces of pepperoni on the entire pizza and was a little disappointed. After letting out a long sigh from the disappointment, I scarfed down the lasagna. It was easy to cut through, wasn't messy, and easy to eat, even though it looks messy because it's covered with awesome sauce ("saucesome" for short).

I picked up a slice of pizza, took a big bite, and BOOM! pepper-freaking-ronis hidden underneath the cheese and holy cheezus, what a surprise it was. It's like coming home on your birthday and you see your family and think, "oh, it's just my boring family" and then all of your friends jump out of the dark and yell "SURPRISE!!!", it's exactly like that. The pizza was delicious, cheezy and thin, with hidden pepperoni surprises. I barely started my pizza, but had already finished my root beer (yes, I'm back to the root beer), and I was worried it was going to be one of those restaurants that you only get one glass of whatever drink you ordered, but I soon found out that they had free refills on their super-root beer (I almost fainted).

Now for the best part. The check comes and it's $19.20. For lasagna, a medium pizza, refillable super-root beer, that's just too much awesomeness in one sitting for me to handle, but I handled it, barely though.

Folliero's won my heart, but more importantly my stomach. I will see you very soon.

p.s. I love you, Folliero's.

Official Website: http://www.follieros.com/
Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/folliero-pizza-and-italian-food-los-angeles
Info: 5566 N Figueroa St.
        Los Angeles, CA 90042
        (323) 254-0505

El Taquito - Pasadena

By REZA SAYED

In L.A., when it gets dark and cold, it also gets empty. So at 1AM, it’s comforting to see the glowing oasis that is a parked taco truck, piping out steam, and surrounded by happy people.

As I approached the truck, I heard it playing music: the soundtrack from Rocky IV. One of the food preparers was rocking out to "Hearts on Fire", which plays during the movie's training montage. Except, this guy wasn’t training to fight Ivan Drago, he was however, doing something just as epic: preparing the garnish for the well known $1.25 tacos of the El Taquito taco truck. If food absorbs the energy of the cook, this was a good sign. He looked happy, pumped up by the beat. In fact, everyone was happy. People from all walks of life walked up to the truck. Entire families parked their cars and kids ran around the lot. We weren’t actually there at 1 AM this time, we were there at about 10 PM, well before the post-night club rush that usually begins 3 hours later.

The taco menu shows:

-Carne Asada
-Al Pastor
-Carnitas
-Chicharon
-Lengua
-Cabeza
-Pollo

The carne asada taco is simple and perfect. The meat is citrusy and juicy with charred black edges and hints of garlic. The tart, smokey flavor of the meat, the cilantro, and the crispy chopped onions are all held together with two corn tortillas. Yes, El Taquito doubles up on their tortillas the way a good taco place should. There is a good balance of meat and other parts of the taco. Perhaps the tacos have a little too much meat, but this is way better than too little meat, as is a habit of many other taco places.

Across from the truck, there's a bench where friends gather, each balancing a fine presentation of street gourmet in one hand and devouring tacos with the other. Next time you're in Old Town, skip King Taco's boil-in-a-bag and head East on Fair Oaks for some real street tacos.


Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-taquito-mexicano-truck-pasadena
Info: 510 S. Fair Oaks Ave.
        Pasadena, CA 91105
        (626) 577-3918

CiaoCristina! - Burbank

Hidden near the Toluca Lake end of Burbank is an intimate Italian restaurant called CiaoCristina! You'll notice the bar as soon as you step foot into the place and you'll be happy to know that they have 20 different types of beers on draft. A problem I have when it comes to Italian restaurants is that I tend to order the same dish, fettucini alfredo, but I resisted (because I didn't see it when I skimmed the menu).

You are first complimented by a wine glass full of long garlic sticks and if you're not careful when breaking them into smaller pieces, you'll have some fly on to the person next to you like I did.

The lighting inside is dim, but you'll have artificial candles illuminating your food in front of you. I got there around 7 p.m. on a Sunday night and it was pretty empty, so I assumed the food shouldn't take too long to bring out, but boy was I wrong. If you come here on a date, make sure to have a list of things to talk about, maybe make up some long-wait jokes like "I should have ordered breakfast instead of dinner!" and if your date doesn't laugh, you should bail because you don't want to be wasting your money on someone humorless. This brings me to my next disappointment of the night, the prices. I was shocked to see that everything on the menu was overpriced, like the $8 beers.

I wasn't really feeling the $14 pastas, so I ordered a $10 Stromboli (a calzone, but with mozzarella cheese). It was definitely tasty and cheesy to my liking, but not worth the price.

I don't mean to put this place down, but money matters, and I think this place would have a lot more business if they dropped the prices by a few dollars.

Official Website: http://www.ciaocristina.com/
Yelp!: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ciaocristina-burbank
Info: 4201 w. Olive Ave.
        Burbank, CA 91505
        (818) 563-2426