jschyun

Shik Do Rak is in Garden Grove on Garden Grove Blvd, right off of Brookhurst. It's in a run down area near a bunch of car dealerships. All the hipster young Korean people with cash are going here primarily for the $40-$60 shared dish (about 4 people I think, for $60 I think you get soju too) where they bring a big platter of shaved frozen beef to your table. Your table has a grill and you're supposed to grill it, dip it in hot sauce or this sesame oil/salt concoction, put it on some shredded lettuce and then take a rice wrapper (mochi? not gyoza, it's rice or ricelike) and wrap the whole thing up and throw it in your mouth. It's all the rage even for people who regularly go to L.A. for Korean food. This is not Woo Lae Oak. I would bring a Korean friend, unless you are adept at the art of menu pointing. Edited for spelling

Hmm, the whole Chinese-Mexican connection is interesting because I thought it was unusual. Apparently not. One of my very favorite places to eat in Irvine, CA (1 hour south of L.A.) is Tenko Teriyako house. Chinese people are the managers and waiters, and Mexican guys are the sushi chefs and cooks. The waiters don't even bother to keep up a facade and greet you in Japanese. They greet you with "How many people?". The food is excellent, prices are low, and the place is usually packed. The sashimi is on par with the Japanese run sushi joints, although sometimes they cut it a little thick. I love their yellowtail. I always get the sashimi platter (3 slices of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, 2 slices albacore, whitefish, octopus, surf clam) is $10.99. Plus you get rice refills for free and soda refills for free. I don't usually get sushi, so I can' comment on that, but the dragon rolls are huge and beautiful. Also, the Todai sushi buffet chain is run by Korean people. I'm Korean, but I don't go there. In L.A. there's that Korean/Brazilian(?) restaurant called temple. My cousin went on a date with the owner. It's a very hip young place and the food is purportedly very good. In Oakland, I believe I've seen a Chinese deli.

Didn't chili on spaghetti start with that guy who started the Empress? Whatever happened to the Empress? Still around? Don't see current references.

I was *cough* at work just now and I came across the site for the venerable Skyline Chili Parlor Skyline Chili I can't believe this is still around. I read about it in Calvin Trillan's book long, long ago, but damn it's still around! Heck, you can even buy cans of their Greek style chili online! Greek style chili over spaghetti with a huge mound of shredded cheese of all. You'll need a bypass after eating that thing

I looked this up because I'm going to Maui as well. I'm taking my boyfriend for his b-day. I found this site of user reviews Maui Restaurant Reviews A nicer review site For your purposes, I would try Roy's Kahana Bar and Grill in Kihei. All the reviews I've seen say they have great food in a nice atmosphere. also, perhaps i'o? Pacific'O seems to be well liked for the food, good view. The chef got an award for being maui's best chef. Maalaea Grill: haven't heard much about this lately, but a while ago, I heard this was pretty good. When you run out of money, you can get a paper plate lunch at Aloha Mixed Grill. I think I read they are the same people that run the Old Lahaina Luau. My friend went to Maui in May and loved this place. When I go, I'll also be trying Cafe O'Lei (same people that do Maalaea Grill), great view, great food in Lahaina. Also, Stella Blues in Kihei for breakfast is supposed to be good. I like the idea of banana macadamia nut pancakes.

I live in Irvine, CA and I tried to get them to sing by leaving a tip. They said thank you and helped the next customer. My friend put another dollar in, and they thanked us again. No songs. The ice cream sucks, but people seem to go there for an amazing show starring minimum wage paid teenagers actually doing something besides talking on the phone. The sorbets don't have fat in them, so they're okay. I had some sort of berry sorbet with blackberries mushed in, and it was edible. But most people do not go to CSC to get sorbet.

I would love to learn how to make high end chocolates. Also, how to temper chocolate perfectly every time. Also, how do they make those candies where you have different crackly pralines in a perfect little dome over the chocolate candy?

You know, I was just thinking about this. I can't really remember what the problem was with El Cumbre. I assumed it was the spice level but I'll have to ask. I saw on that show $40 a day that you can get a 3 course meal from I think it was called Le Metro Cafe or something like that for $12.50 if you arrive before 6:30. Has anyone had the food here? Q (Clement/4th Ave.) Huge portions? Fried chicken? Mac & Cheese? You just described my idea of heaven. Bella (3rd Ave/Geary) -- How can a place that sells homemade pasta for $10 a serving survive? I mean that's great. Portions? Cajun Pacific (Irving/27th Ave.) I only eat bread pudding if it's the ass-kicking kind. Pacific Catch in the Marina: Hmm, under $10 for seafood...at the Marina. That I have to see Sunflower 16th and Valencia: What do you suggest here? Tu Lan -- That food must be reeeeally good :-)

What is your favorite dish there?

Oh man, I really appreciate your responses. Now I have a bunch of new leads to check out! Y. Ben House sounds awesome. I have to go. I just have to go. Rick and Ann's, I had heard about them, but dismissed them as a diner. I'm not into diner food, but then I didn't realize they had mac & cheese. What was I thinking. Gonna check it out. I've been to the Chez Panisse cafe and I remember spending a lot more than $25 a person. But then their portions are pretty small. I eat a lot for a little person. Still, I agree that for the quality of the food, the cafe isn't a bad deal. I wouldn't say it's a great deal, but it ain't bad. El Cumbre is too spicy believe it or not. In fact, most Mexican food, unless it is specifically gringoized food, can't be eaten by bf. If I go to those places, I just go with my friends. When we first started going out, I made the mistake of thinking this little Indian place I liked was not that spicy. Actually, it really isn't. He agreed after a couple of bites that it wasn't that spicy. Then after the meal, he couldn't get up and couldn't talk and just laid in the car with his eyes closed. He couldn't get up until I got him some ice cream. I've never seen anybody have such a reaction to spicy food, unless of course, it was because they were too full. L'Osteria Del Forno: I went there a while ago. If I remember correctly, it was for a focaccia sandwich and was not impressed with the really dried out bread, uninspired filling. Maybe it was an off day and I should give it a second try. I always see this restaurant on the bay area bargain restaurant list. I used to love Sun Hong Kong in Berkeley. I would save up my after-tuition pennies and splurge on a beef green onions and ginger over rice plate. Back then, I think it was more like $4 for the rice plates. Oh man, I miss that place. I took my friend there and he said it was crap, and I told him it was good and cheap crap. Le Petit Cheval (Berkeley): 3 items and rice is a very good deal for $5. Damn. Tuk Tuk Thai(Berkeley): usually Thai is too spicy but we've had good luck asking them to put no chilies in a dish and they do it. I had been going to a couple of places in North Berkeley (on the same block as Chez Panisse but I always forget the names). They're expensive but there's this place called (something like) "The Thai House" off of Telegraph and I believe Channing. That place had a pretty decent lunch menu, great for students. I've been to Mifune's and it was pretty good for noodles and such, but the portions at Japanese restaurants are usually too small for me. Have you been to Takara? They are supposed to have some good sushi and rice dishes and "Most items come with an appetizer, soup, a delicious savory custard, pickles and dessert." (sfgate/food) I live in Orange County now, and if you ever come down here, we have this great Japanese joint called "Tenko Teriyaki House". It's in Irvine, run by Chinese, employing Mexican cooks. It's always packed. You can get the sashimi plate at dinner for $10.99. Comes with 3 pieces each of tuna, yellowtail, salmon, 2 pieces of albacore, whitefish, surf clam, octopus. That's from memory, they might have more. Also, we like the one item combo with, for example, a big portion of chicken teriyaki, $6.25, including salad, soup, rice. Also, free drink refills, oh yeah and free rice refills. The sushi is about as good as any you can get around here, except for the really high end places (Wasabi). Frankly, I shouldn't say this, because it's already too damn busy. I usually go at 5 on a Sunday evening and there are fewer people there.

I'll definitely try Pochi and Girl Chow's recommendations as well. Thanks!

I have been doing a lot of "research" on this topic and I was hoping to get some additional suggestions to my pitifully short list of good cheap restaurants in the Bay Area. When I say cheap, I mean entrees of less than $10. Also, I go with my boyfriend who can't eat spicy food. I got sick and tired of paying $100's for a meal that sucks. I'm thinking Sent Sovi, French Laundry, and those of that ilk. I would still go to some expensive restaurants (Boulevard) because they offer a decent value for their food, I think. But frankly, is a meal that is 10-50 times more expensive going to be 10-50 times better? Not necessarily. 1. Chow: I love the gingerbread cake with ice cream and I think caramel sauce. It's really good and pretty cheap. I don't like most of the entrees; not because they're bad but this place can charge less because they keep their portions small. The exceptions are the grilled items like the half chicken and pork chop. Those come with a huge mound of mashed potatoes and veggies and seem like a good value at $9.50. 2. Ton Kiang: Dim sum can be cheap or expensive depending on your appetite. It's pretty cheap for me, because I only eat my favorites. I like the shrimp dumpling. If you know of another cheaper, better dim sum place, for the love of God reply to this post. 3. Mehak: Great lunch buffet for $6.99. On Dwight and Sacramento in Berkeley. The butter chicken is the best, but I usually eat the vegetarian stuff. The buffet is very small (about 10 dishes) but it's just so damn good, we keep eating there. Also, the food is mild enough for BF but tastes damn good to me and I prefer loading up on the chilies. The big exception to the cheap rule 1. House of Prime Rib: This restaurant is contributing to the expanding waistlines of Americans and I just don't care. I love their prime rib and it is a great value. I am normally not a meat-eater, but damn, it's good. Comes with a ton of salad, fresh sourdough bread (also some cornbread sticks if you dine around 7pm), yorkshire pudding, mashed potato and creamed spinach (skip the spinach and get double potatoes). $25 for the regular size portion and $28 for the "King Arthur" one. Suggestions are appreciated because I've tried the SF Chronicle guide and their cheap eats section isn't that great. Instead I comb their 100 Best section and cull out only the cheapest ones. Rereading this post, I realized I said the words "damn" and "good" a lot. Hmm...

The food poisoning didn't have to come from the sushi either. I got a horrible case of food poisoning from O-NAMI sushi buffet restaurant in El Toro. I was lying on the bathroom floor in a fetal position all night, or at least between bouts of you know what. I had heard from a friend later that other people had gotten sick at that restaurant. The common denominator? The desserts. I remember thinking the desserts looked defrosted and not very fresh but I love dessert so I ate one anyway. My co-worker who was eating with me that day didn't get sick. He doesn't eat dessert.

I think what made it spectacular was the quality of the black tapioca pearls. He said that instead of being sticky and kind of mushy, like at some of the places here, it was kind of bouncy, but not too bouncy. Also, he just got the basic milk tea and said it was awesome. So basically I'll be going to every place near (not in) Seattle Chinatown looking for great bubble tea (boba), unless someone knows of a real standout. If they're all good, then that's cool, I'll just go to a couple and compare them. I'm sounding a little compulsive. Well, I figure the people on this forum would understand. **After reading about "boba" being the slang for nipple, I have to admit, my cravings are going down a bit.

My co-worker came back from Seattle raving about the boba tea he got somewhere on the outskirts of Chinatown in Seattle. He said it was even good the next day when he slurped on a leftover cup of it (gross). Has anyone ever heard of this joint? I'm a really big boba fan so I really want to know before my trip on Aug 7-11. Joan

We've been to the Todai's in CA and you no longer eat for free on your b-day. They give you some crappy gift certificate for a future date, but you can only use it on a weekday lunch I think. The free b-day meal might still exist in the other Todai's but not where I live. It used to be a good value for us, but frankly, if you're not a big eater, it's not really worth it in my opinion. This is after eating at various Todai's for several years. OFF TOPIC**The Todai in Beverly Hills Mall is absolutely the worst one I've seen hands down. Dried-out, old, disgusting looking fish. I remember long, long ago thinking it was okay, but it has steadily declined in quality. The best I've seen is in a strip mall in Orange, CA.