Food For Thought, or Thoughts on Food
I was tagged by J a long time ago (sorry J for forgetting!) and then recently by Chris for a meme about the five places I like to eat.
The thing with me is that although I like food, I in no way consider myself a "foodie" who is particular about the kinds of foods that they eat. In fact, if I like the atmosphere, the location, and the food is simply good, it will qualify for me as a restaurant I like to go to. And with a four year old, it has been a loooong time since I have sampled fine cuisine. Usually I require a restaurant to serve bread. If they serve some decent bread, I'm all for it. What can I say, I am a simple woman. Seriously. Ok, you can laugh.
In no particular order:
1. The Daily Grill
Classic American food. Hubba-hubba and I had one of our best meals EVER at their Newport Beach location not too long ago. It may have helped that we knew the waiter and for all we know, he made the chefs prepare it especially well. We had some roasted chicken which was paired with a sort of lemon dipping sauce that was to die for. Then, we were treated to a s'mores dessert that was graham crust, ice cream, chocolate and marshmallows, baked in it's own little dish. That photo, by the way, NOT me.
2. Tulsa Rib Company
I like barbeque. It may be a bit bougeoise of me, but there it is. This is the best barbeque I have ever had. Set in an unassuming strip mall, it has been on many top ten lists of BBQ in SoCal. I usually get the BBQ (what else?) pork sandwich that they serve on this pillowy potato bread. Then, if that wasn't enough, they pair it with their famous Tulsa Potatoes. Which are thin crinkle slices of potatoes that they saute in olive oil, then add some sea salt and rosemary. Yummmm...
3. Ottavio's
This is a small family owned restaurant that we used to frequent back in our childless days. Seeing as how it is about two hours away from us, we haven't been there for quite the few years. What can I say? They have yummy bread, lasagna that Hubba-hubba adores, and a strong menu overall. Back in the days of my hotness, I used to eat their fettucine alfredo. They have these great kitschy murals in their themed dining rooms. The above photo is of the "Sicilian" room.
4. Sambi's of Tokyo
I love Japanese food. But unlike most people, I don't like sushi. I can eat California rolls until the cows come home, but we all know that they aren't really sushi. Posers, they are. Sambi's is well-known for their sushi bar and teppanyaki. I'm a tempura, and chicken teriyaki kind of gal and this place has some of the most elaborate bento boxes you've ever seen. I also love their kids menu, which one of Mr. P's favorites. Whenever we go to see Grandma and Grandpa, he begs to be taken here. Besides, they have what amounts to a small lake and fountain in the middle of the dining room, and what's not to like about that?
5. Vintage Tea Leaf
This is a beautiful, relaxing place to take some tea with your girlfriends. You can sit and chat for almost two hours, leisurely drinking one of the close to a hundred tea types they have here. They serve those adorable tiered thingys with the little sandwiches and fruits and the like. They also have some of the best scones. I have many, many happy memories of this place, having been there with friends and family. All the chairs are like the ones in the picture, comfy and cushioned. You can pick your own teacup out of a collection of hundreds, and even compliment your outfit with hats and feather boas if you wish. Needless to say, the estrogen level is extremely high there.
The thing with me is that although I like food, I in no way consider myself a "foodie" who is particular about the kinds of foods that they eat. In fact, if I like the atmosphere, the location, and the food is simply good, it will qualify for me as a restaurant I like to go to. And with a four year old, it has been a loooong time since I have sampled fine cuisine. Usually I require a restaurant to serve bread. If they serve some decent bread, I'm all for it. What can I say, I am a simple woman. Seriously. Ok, you can laugh.
In no particular order:
1. The Daily Grill
Classic American food. Hubba-hubba and I had one of our best meals EVER at their Newport Beach location not too long ago. It may have helped that we knew the waiter and for all we know, he made the chefs prepare it especially well. We had some roasted chicken which was paired with a sort of lemon dipping sauce that was to die for. Then, we were treated to a s'mores dessert that was graham crust, ice cream, chocolate and marshmallows, baked in it's own little dish. That photo, by the way, NOT me.
2. Tulsa Rib Company
I like barbeque. It may be a bit bougeoise of me, but there it is. This is the best barbeque I have ever had. Set in an unassuming strip mall, it has been on many top ten lists of BBQ in SoCal. I usually get the BBQ (what else?) pork sandwich that they serve on this pillowy potato bread. Then, if that wasn't enough, they pair it with their famous Tulsa Potatoes. Which are thin crinkle slices of potatoes that they saute in olive oil, then add some sea salt and rosemary. Yummmm...
3. Ottavio's
This is a small family owned restaurant that we used to frequent back in our childless days. Seeing as how it is about two hours away from us, we haven't been there for quite the few years. What can I say? They have yummy bread, lasagna that Hubba-hubba adores, and a strong menu overall. Back in the days of my hotness, I used to eat their fettucine alfredo. They have these great kitschy murals in their themed dining rooms. The above photo is of the "Sicilian" room.
4. Sambi's of Tokyo
I love Japanese food. But unlike most people, I don't like sushi. I can eat California rolls until the cows come home, but we all know that they aren't really sushi. Posers, they are. Sambi's is well-known for their sushi bar and teppanyaki. I'm a tempura, and chicken teriyaki kind of gal and this place has some of the most elaborate bento boxes you've ever seen. I also love their kids menu, which one of Mr. P's favorites. Whenever we go to see Grandma and Grandpa, he begs to be taken here. Besides, they have what amounts to a small lake and fountain in the middle of the dining room, and what's not to like about that?
5. Vintage Tea Leaf
This is a beautiful, relaxing place to take some tea with your girlfriends. You can sit and chat for almost two hours, leisurely drinking one of the close to a hundred tea types they have here. They serve those adorable tiered thingys with the little sandwiches and fruits and the like. They also have some of the best scones. I have many, many happy memories of this place, having been there with friends and family. All the chairs are like the ones in the picture, comfy and cushioned. You can pick your own teacup out of a collection of hundreds, and even compliment your outfit with hats and feather boas if you wish. Needless to say, the estrogen level is extremely high there.
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