Tag Archives: California

THE SIX

January 5, 2013 6:24 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE:  THE SIX in Studio City on Ventura Blvd., near Coldwater Canyon.

We visited the San Fernando Valley over the holiday break to have a post Christmas celebration with Tiffany and her daughter, Presley (two of our best girlfriends).

The Six is located on Ventura Boulevard near Coldwater Canyon with convenient parking and a gastro pub feel.  It is cool and easy.

MOTHER SAYS:

We ordered the kale salad which was so appetizing, with crunchy kale and a savory dressing.  We tried the vanilla roasted beets which turned out to be the most delicious, the variety of flavors from the burrata, beets and hazelnuts popped in our mouths.

Tiff was “obsessed” with the turkey sloppy joe sliders, they came with red bell peppers and fried pickles on top.  They were a tasty comfort food.  The burger sliders were less than palatable, but we enjoyed the sweet potato fries.

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

I ordered the taco trio.  They were so good.  I ordered them plain and dipped them in guacamole, so spicy and good.

I liked the sloppy joe sliders the best.  For dessert, I had S’mores (below), I wanted more.  So Yummy.  So fun.

image

OVERALL RATING:

LOCATION/AMBIANCE: 6 out of 10 – nice ambiance with a cozy patio, located on Ventura Blvd (not on the main drag of Studio City).  Has a very young, hip vibe, we liked it.

SERVICE: 7 out of 10 – we never had to wait too long for anything.  Our waitress was very sweet and pleasant.

FOOD: 7.5 out of 10 – yummy salads and upscale comfort food.

OVERALL: 7 out 10 – a great, newer restaurant in Studio City.  Have a glass of wine, sweet potato fries and a salad, and you will not be disappointed.  A Studio City fave!

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

image

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

SALT

December 6, 2012 6:55 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE:  SALT in Calabasas.

SALT is a delightful addition to the Calabasas/Malibu Communities.  It opened in October and has a cool, modern vibe – all food is local and organic.  We went with some of our favorite foodies so we could all weigh in…

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

I love how the soft drinks are served in Mason jars, so original.  I ordered the special, seared albacore tuna over a cauliflower puree, it was fresh, light and flavorful.  I had a bite of my 4 year old, Rivers, mac and cheese and wished I could have ordered from the kids menu.  It had mushrooms and toasted bread crumbs on top.  The crunchiness made this the best mac and cheese I have had in a long time.

image

MICHELLE SAYS:

The caesar salad was very safe, light on garlic, dressing and anchovies.  I like my caesar salad with generous amounts of dressing.  The stew (fish) was delicious, but the tomato soup was unoriginal.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

The Pasta a La Ned (grilled chicken breast with angel hair pasta and parmesan) was really good and really cheesy.  This is the best restaurant ever because you get candy for free.

image

OVERALL RATING:

LOCATION/AMBIANCE: 6/7 out of 10 – a strip mall in Calabasas… but the interior has a New York loft feel, very different from any other Calabasas restaurant.

SERVICE: 9 out of 10 – the waitress was wonderful and the hostess stole the show, entertaining the kids and giving them smarties and pixie stix after dinner.

FOOD: 8 out of 10 – fresh, light and healthy.  Exotic salts are served to accompany your meal.  Our favorite kids menu yet, so nice to see a kids menu that gives children a chance to experience rich, diverse flavors.

OVERALL: 8 out of 10 – healthy, delicious food for kids and adults, great service and lots of originality.

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

image

Best kids menu…

image

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

BUI SUSHI

November 14, 2012 7:07 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE: Bui Sushi, Malibu CA.

Am I allowed to say that I might like Bui more than Nobu?!? Bui is easy, tourist free and divine sushi.  The ambiance does not compare to the new oceanfront Nobu, but the sushi and neighborhood feel make up for it.  Char and I met some friends at Bui tonight and had the best time.

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

There are so many good things on the menu… my favorites are the rainbow crunch roll, hamachi carpaccio, peppered crusted tuna roll and their mixed green salad.  All are spicy and flavorfully diverse.

We tried the paradise roll tonight and it was not paradise, we had to send it back…

Peppered crusted tuna roll below (shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber inside, topped with peppered tuna and jalapeno salsa)… so so heavenly.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

I ate the avocado roll, it was soo good. I ate noodles (the lo main garlic noodles with tiger shrimp), it was my favorite. I had rice and miso soup and mixed them together it was so yummy.

image

Unfortunately they were out out of the fried popcorn shrimp, which is a favorite for our boys.  They served us shrimp tempura instead, which none of the kids enjoyed.

If you order anything at Bui, it should be the tempura pancake banana split, it is one of our top five favorite desserts in the universe.

OVERALL RATING:

Location/Ambiance: 7 out of 10- nice outdoor seating with fireplace, cozy all throughout, complete neighborhood feel.  Accommodates kids.  However, it is near Ralphs, CVS etc..

Service: 9 out of 10-  very friendly staff, you get to know them. Fun. EASY.

Food: 9 out of 10-  usually it is a 10, but the shrimp tempura and paradise roll were less than mouth watering.  As long as you know what to order you can expect a 10.

Overall: 8 out of 10- it is our favorite Malibu sushi…

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

GJELINA

November 7, 2012 4:17 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE: Gjelina located in Venice, CA.

On Sunday, my family (Christa included), took me to a birthday brunch at Gjelina on Abbot Kinney in Venice.  It was a leisurely brunch filled with so many unique flavors, from light and delicate to rich and savory…

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

The Rose champagne was crisp and dry, perfectly refreshing for the 80 degree November day.

Christa and I shared the Tuscan kale salad, it was fresh, but it was missing something… it did not have the WOW factor we were expecting.  The light kale salad did combine nicely with the tomato burrata pizza; juicy sweet tomatoes, basil and rich burrata.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

I ordered the lamb sausage pizza.  I sort of liked the vegetables on the pizza and the sausage was yummy, but I don’t like the crust.  It was my mom’s birthday.  It was fun, we also had fries, delicious.

The Chocolate Gelato is the yummiest thing in the world!

image

CHRISTA SAYS:

The lemon ricotta pancakes Rivers ordered were ridick, lemon ohh, ricotta, best of life. The fries with the romesco and aioli are the best fries ever.  Why is the flourless chocolate cake so amazing?

… maybe it is the hint of ginger or the hazelnut crunch, the most mouth watering birthday dessert.

image

OVERALL RATING:

LOCATION/AMBIANCE: 7 out of 10 – a nice hip outside garden feel, while inside is loud and happening.

SERVICE: 8 out of 10 – don’t try to modify your order, it is clearly stated on the menu that changes and modifications will be politely declined.

FOOD: 9 out 10 – they support local, sustainable & organic practices whenever possible.

OVERALL: 8.5 – a favorite, with satiating food, a hipster ambiance and good fun.

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

image

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

SAN YSIDRO RANCH

October 30, 2012 5:37 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE:  San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito, CA.

Charlotte and I were lucky enough to go to an intimate wedding at San Ysidro Ranch over the weekend.  The groom is the biggest foodie, so it was no surprise that every morsel of food was pure delight.  We wish we could have had every bite of everything.

This is the the first wedding in years I have been to, that kids were also invited to.  The special touches provided for the children were beyond thoughtful and quite enchanting.

Click the RSS button to the right side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

I wish I had five stomachs to eat all the delicious food.  Cocktail hour started with bite sized crab cakes with a dab of slightly spicy aioli sauce, fried artichokes, fresh bruschetta with the ripest multi-colored sweetest tomatoes as well as a lobster roll to die for.

I enjoyed the Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc, it was light and dry, not fruity at all. I loved it.

image

The dinner started with a bang…  a spicy ahi tuna with corn and avocado salsa and a cilantro vinaigrette.  Next was a little gem lettuce with avocado, manchego cheese, watermelon radish, and whole grain mustard vinaigrette.

Honestly, I wish I had had the main entree first, by the time it came I was so full, but there was no way I could resist the parmesan crusted halibut with gnochetti, kalamata olives, oven dried tomatoes and and pesto beurre blanc.  It melted in my mouth.

I could only survive one bite of the pan seared filet of beef… I was too full.

DAUGHTER SAYS:

The bite sized fried artichokes were my favorite of the night.  The tuna was very good and the pizza was good, I wish I could have ate more.  I loved the carrots and celery served with the ranch and peanut butter.  It was fun.  The dark chocolate cake was yum, much better than the milk chocolate cake.  I love weddings.

OVERALL RATING: 10 on everything, it is the San Ysidro Ranch!

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TRA DI NOI

October 19, 2012 4:17 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

WHERE: Tra di Noi is located in the Cross Creek center in Malibu, CA

Charlotte (8yrs), Rivers (4yrs) and I went to Tra di Noi for an early dinner.  As usual, it was perfection!

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

It is the most idyllic location, I sat with a glass of wine and a magazine, while the kids played on the playground in front of the restaurant.

I had a glass of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, it was light and dry, the wine is a little pricey, but so worth it.

The bread is fresh (two-types) and it is served with a delicious olive tapenade. The Burrata E Pomodoro is my favorite item on the menu — Mozarella stuffed with mascarpone cheese over mixed greens, seasonal tomatoes, lemon, oregano and olive oil.  This may be my favorite item on any menu.  It is so mouth-watering, pair it with with their wine and you are set, add their pizza if you are feeling extra decadent.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

Charlotte ordered the Angel Hair Bolognese:

So yummy, a lot of meat. It was really good. One-hundred percent good.

She ate every bite…

image

Rivers had the cheese pizza, which I also nibbled on.  It is a superb restaurant pizza, the crust is thin yet substantial and the topping is flavorful but not overpowering.  R gave it a thumbs up, which is saying a lot…

OVERALL RATING:

Location/Ambiance: 9 out of 10- insane food while your kids play.

Service: 10 out of 10- I sat down and they served me a glass of wine.

Food: 9.5 out 10

Overall: 9.5- A Malibu fave

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

CAFE HABANA

October 13, 2012 4:22 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

image

WHERE:  Cafe Habana, Malibu, CA

Charlotte (my 8 year old foodie) and I went to Cafe Habana in Malibu on Saturday,  for a girl’s lunch with one of our besties, Corie… it was perfect weather, great service and pretty good food.

Click the RSS button to the side to be notified about each blog we post… or your email address to subscribe.

image

MOTHER SAYS:

The chips at Cafe Habana are always only average and the salsa a little too runny and burnt tasting for me, but Charlotte likes it — especially if we order the guacamole, which too is very mediocre.  I usually skip the chips and order fries, wine and a salad.

The salads are yum…very fresh.  I ordered the Raw Vegetable Salad with chopped carrots, green beans, corn and their house dressing with manchego cheese. it is pretty good.  This chopped salad is fine and good, but I have had better.  I was originally served the malibu wine which I gladly exchanged for the Chateau St Michelle, which was much better!!  The fries are perfect! When in doubt stick to fries and wine.

image

DAUGHTER SAYS:

I have chips and salsa, it is good. I ordered a pork taco with avocado but nothing else.  the chips and salsa are a little bit spicy but good and yummy.  I don’t like the cheese on the tacos, so we take it off. The pork was good. I was not interested in anything on the kids menu.  The lime was good.  The rice and beans were good, and the lemonade was good. The waitress is good, she let’s us sit outside. I went with my mom and Corie, but Corie did not write because she was just our guest.  This job was fun for the first time.  It was our first time ever, I thought it was super fun.  The end.

If Charlotte likes something, she thoroughly enjoys every bite, she is a true foodie… She ate only half of one taco…  I am sure these tacos would be much better with the pico de gallo and all the trimmings.  You will have to be the judge.

image

Corie ordered the fish tacos and thought they were as good as they get, with a delicious sauce and array of fresh vegetables and pleasantly seasoned fish.  I have heard from many others that the fish tacos are mouth-watering, the best item on the menu.  I think next time I will have to try.

OVERALL RATING:

Location/Ambiance: 8 out 10

Service:  7.5 out of 10

Food: 6 out of 10

Overall: 7 out of 10- a great meeting place for a drink and a snack (on Wednesdays, they have a bustling Karaoke from 9pm).

Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.

And don’t forget to click the RSS feed to be notified about every blog we post.

Thanks!

_______

Posted in: Best Restaurant, California Restaurant, Food Blog, Food Reviews, Foodies, MoDaFoodies, Restaurant Reviews ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,