graham cracker streusel which totally brings out the pie/shortcake effect. gotta remind them to add some in the middle as well as on top, not all employees do it by default.
the streusel is slightly salty to keep everything in balance
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I really do like their Sunday night Fried Chicken dinner $20. My only complaint is the coating is a little thick.
We had the Mackerel done as a salad with vermicelli, veggies and lots of spice - was awesome.
And those skewers are new to Luv2Eat - Moo Ping, I think it was called. Really
yummy.
Rounded out the Sunday meal with the Crab Curry, and a mixed vegetable curry.
So great.
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After reading about it in @MaladyNelson’s great write-up last month, I went to Tempura House on Sawtelle for lunch. The little take-out only space (other than two lil chairs inside and a table outside) is completely charming and so is the lady who runs the front-of-house.
Food-wise, it was a solid lunch. It’s not the best tempura in town, but if I worked in the area, I could definitely see going there for lunches on a regular basis. The antique store owner next door said that they’re always busy too, which is good. It was nice to drive past the busy part of Sawtelle, sit outside, drink canned oolong tea and eat some tempura.
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Thanks for your very kind words, @President_Mochi! I’m glad that you had a good experience at Sawtelle Tempura House.
It’s true that the tempura combo isn’t going to win any gastronomic awards, but it really feels like someone’s kind grandparents have prepared a meal for you. And what a deal at $7.50!
I totally agree that they’d be my go-to for their bentos if I worked in the area. I’m so happy that you gave them a try!
Monta Factory:
Read that LA Times article on this place hand making those Armenian Manti Dumplings from scratch every day.
Sini-Monta (Regular):
These little Beef-filled Manti are OK. The outside shell is a bit hard and slightly crunchy (from baking?), but otherwise still soft. The flavor profile is rather straightforward (Tomato Sauce, Oregano, some other herbs) and their Garlic Yogurt Sauce. Glad I tried it, but not sure if I’d return.
Spudds:
New Poutine specialist in Pasadena. Thanks to @secretasianman BarryC for the heads up.
Authentic Poutine (Fries, Gravy, Cheese Curds):
Pretty tasty. Only tried it once so far, but the Fries were still crispy, holding up to the Gravy which is Vegan(!), but delicious, and the Cheese Curds were awesome when you mix it with the hot Gravy and it melts and stretches. Pretty good so far.
My 2 Cents:
I’ve heard a lot about this place from @kevin and others. Finally got around to trying it (was really excited)…
Biscuits & Honey:
They’re OK. Slightly flaky, but a bit dry.
Chicken & Waffles (Brunch Only):
Note: The Waffle in the picture above is a regular, average sized waffle (maybe 6 inches or 7 in diameter?). The amount of Fried Chicken (breast meat, boneless) is laughable at best. 
We don’t need giant portions, but it was seriously maybe… 1/5 or 1/6 of the meat of a single piece of Chicken Breast? And most of it was breading.
And they charge $15 for this. 
The actual Waffle was mediocre, bready, not that good. The Fried Chicken was OK in taste. Slightly sweet, but nothing interesting.
Braised Greens:
Were the highlight of the meal there. Tasty, lightly spiced, nice braising. Delicious. 
Pollo ala Brasa (Western Blvd):
Hadn’t been in a whiile. Got their Peruvian Roast Chicken (1/2):
Nice flavor, but saltier than last time (about 1 year ago). Still rather tasty. Chicken Breast was juicy and moist (not dried out).
Leg and Thigh portion were also great, touch of smoke, nicely cooked through.
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the poutine & the sini-monta are two things in pasadena that are on my list. i think i’ll scratch the sini-monta after this report. thanks!
So sorry to hear that the monta were mediocre. I went there a while back to try their veggie manti, but was told I needed to order them a day earlier. It’s quite a schlep for me, and going by your review, I might decide to give it a pass.
Thanks for the info about the vegan gravy at Spudds. It might be a good option if I want to go on an extremely calorific cheat day. Great reporting as always, @Chowseeker1999!
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Rustic Canyon last Friday night
Griddled toast with chicken liver, radish, & strawberry: pickled & burnt.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEkMCt7g-sH/
White yams, green garlic butter, celery, hazelnut dukkah, & aioli.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEkR5RWg-mh/
Local rice congee, duck confit, preserved cherries, & opal basil.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEkYCJoA-iL/
Vista Punta Gorda Ranch banana cream pudding with peanut butter cookies.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEkj2zng-nE/
Loved everything, particularly the chicken liver toast (go figure for a guy who calls himself The Offalo), but the yams were revelatory. Perfect balance of sweet, tart, tender, crunch, creamy, garlicy, etc.
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Finally got “The Cookie” (which I didn’t realize was diff from the plain ole choc chip cookie I had been getting b/f) and Mian Noodle House (also had the wontons, which aren’t pictured):
The Cookie is divine. The second one I got had a bit too much salt sprinked on it, but it was still delicious. It more like a cookie stuffed w/ melted chocolate. SO yummy.
Really liked Mian Noodle House. Even my dad (who is notoriously picky about his Chinese food) grudgingly liked it. I recommend splitting up the wontons ASAP b/c, by the time I got to the bottom of the bowl, the combo of spices was overpowering and unpleasant (sweet and spicy aren’t good when dialed up THAT high), IMHO (unlike @secretasianman, I had no desire to tongue the bowl afterward… 
).
Had a sip of my dad’s beef noodle broth, which was fantastic. Should’ve re-read @TonyC’s review to get something cooling. I was dying for white rice (which they don’t have). We had one jelly dessert, which I thought was a touch too sweet.
The meal ripped up my intestines for about 40 hours, but it was SO worth it (not joking… about either statement).
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Yeah, that, “The Cookie,” is the cause for trips to many health specialists, but ain’t it worth it?
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@Chowseeker1999 - Bummer. Gotta’ get the Shrimp & Cheesy Grits at My 2 Cents. The sauce is like crack.
I inherited the nick name from my dad, because our last name is Cooke.
I do make a darn good Lemon Meltaway though 
I actually had THE COOKIE and Mian on diff days. I have no doubt, however, that, had I had them on the same day, the caloric impact of the cookie would’ve been negated by how, um, QUICKLY it would’ve been escorted out of my system… Ahem.
I had originally been planning to head to Quenelle after Mian, but I was too full. Maybe next time. 
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