Jean P's Soul Food Express-Closed

Jean P's Soul Food Express
2540 Figueroa
LA
213-741-2126

Hided behind a Popeye's is Jean P's Soul Food Express. They advertise 99 cent specials but those are mainly for vegetable items. I ordered a chicken breast and corn and okra for $3.71.

First the corn and okra, which looked good on the steam table. I'm glad I ordered it becuase it was awesome. The corn and okra was in a tomato based sauce. The corn was sweet and cooked perfectly. Almost like having corn on the cob. The okra, which I normally don't like because it's too goey, was good and maybe the tomato based sauce hide the goeyness.

The fried chicken breast left a lot to be desired. First it wasn't hot or even warm, it was sitting in the basket above the fryer instead of a warmer. Then I took a bite and it was as dry as any desert. The skin lacked any crunch and flavor. Bland and flavorless are two perfect words for the chicken.

Service was good. The lady was very nice and took my order quickly. My order was quickly prepared and they were friendly.

I would go back to Jean P's but I wouldn't order the fried chicken. The meatloaf and smothered pork chop looked good. So I may order that the next time I'm there.

Doublz

Doublz
825 Hacienda
La Puente
626-961-9300

Not sure what it is but there are a ton of the burger places within a 2-3 mile area on Hacienda. I tried and enjoyed Burger Depot and now I tried Doublz about a mile south.

Doublz had a 1/4 pound burger for 99 cents, so I ordered two of them. The burgers come with Thousand Island dressing, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a seasame seed bun. The burgers are on the dry side so I added some ketchup. The thousand island dressing isn't overpowering, which I like. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh. One big downside of the burger, it wasn't hot, maybe lukewarm. It seemed as though the burgers were placed in a warmer and then prepared. I expect these burger places to be far from a McDonald's or Burger King.

Service is good and in a heavy Spanish speaking area, the guy who took my order spoke perfect English.

I wouldn't go back to Doublz. The burger is a good size and prized right but I would much rather pay a little extra for a better tasting burger. Oh well there are many other burger places in the area to try.

Golden Bird Chicken-Closed

Golden Bird
801 Manchester
Inglewood
310-671-2900

Golden Bird is in the same restaurant as Porky's BBQ in Inglewood, which I reviewed earlier. Golden Bird used to be one of the better fried chicken places in LA. But something happened and there are very few Golden Bird restaurants left.

I never went to a Golden Bird back in their hey day but I wasn't impressed with the Golden Bird of today. I ordered the two piece, breast and wing, chicken and biscuit combo for about $5. The skin was crunchy but it didn't have any type of flavor. Even today's Pioneer Chicken has a better flavor with the same crunch. But the chicken was a good sized piece and was juicy. But it was just too bland and nothing special about it. I'm not sure what's missing, maybe more spices or something.

The chicken includes a side of mac and cheese which was very good. Soft macaroni with lots of burnt pieces of of goey cheese. Some of the best mac and cheese around.

Golden Bird is ok but I still like Louisiana Fried Chicken much better. I wouldn't rush back to Golden Bird and if I'm in the area I would much rather go to any Louisiana Fried Chicken.

Porky's BBQ-Closed

Porky's BBQ
801 Manchester
Inglewood
310-671-2900

I finally got a chance to go to Porky's BBQ. I don't like to go near the Forum anymore because too many memories about the great "Showtime" Lakers. But I went today to try Porky's. I thought the food was OK but hardly overwhelming.

The pork rib lunch is a steal at $7.99 that includes one side along with dirty rice and Texas toast. I had the mac and cheese as my side. The prestentation of the ribs is eye catching. The put the ribs on a pile of sizzling green peppers and onions. The ribs were well smoked and fairly meaty but it was kind of bland and didn't have alot of flavor. They were also a lit on the mushy side, almost too well done. The mac and cheese was pretty good. Lots of cheese and just slightly burnt that adds a nice tough to mac and cheese. The dirty rice was tasty with greens, spices and some meat which I think is pulled pork.

Service was pretty good. One minor issue, I asked to get seperate orders for the chicken and BBQ but he put it all on one order. Not that big of a deal but still something to be careful of. But if the couple in front of you take forever to order, it maybe awhile before you can place your order. I can't believe some people think they can take forever to place an order. I mean I could have placed my order, paid and got through half the meal and they still wouldn't have decided what they wanted.

I would not go back to Porky's. While they had good sized portions and the prices were good the food wasn't anything special.

Phillips Barbecue

Phillips Barbecue
2619 Crenshaw
LA, CA 90016
323-731-4772

As people know I love Phillips Barbecue. I have reviewed their other two locations and wanted to review their newest location on Crenshaw. This location used to be Leo's BBQ and now it's Phillips third location and the location with the easiest freeway access. It's about two blocks south of the 10 freeway.

I ordered the half rack of pork spare ribs with their mixed, regular and hot BBQ sauce for $11.75. They charge an extra 25 cents for sauce on the side. The ribs were well smoked and had a nice spicy rub. They were tender and very meaty, you always get your money's worth at Phillips.

The lines are almost always long and it will take awhile for your order to be ready. The people are nice enough but they are more matter of fact then friendly. That may put off some people but it doesn't bother me.

My girlfriend did one of the nicest things anybody has ever done for me in a very,very long time. She went to Phillips after work and brought me a pork rib dinner. She doesn't eat pork and ordered a chicken dinner. She is tough, after all she's from the Bronx, and the area is usually OK, you never know what may happen. So for her to go there after work for the first time, is awesome. She is the greatest thing to happen to me and I love her more each day.

Phillips has two other locations. A Phillips BBQ. in Inglewood and the original Phillips is in Leimert Park.

555 East Steakhouse

555 East
555 East Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-437-0626

I haven't been to a steakhouse in a very long time. So I decide to go to 555 East in Long Beach. It's known for prime steaks served in an old fashioned steakhouse.

I ordered the rib rye for about $47, tax and tip included. The rib eye was cooked just right, medium rare. Some steakhouses have a problem cooking their steaks just right but 555 did a very good job. But the rib eye was disappointing. I wasn't impressed with the flavor or tenderness. It was OK but it wasn't outstanding and sure as hell wasn't worth the high price. The rib eye wasn't also the leanest cut of meat I've had either. Each steak includes your choice of potato or a veggie medley. The veggie medley was small and included, red peppers, green beans, and squash. There was nothing special about the veggie medley.

Service was the food, for our party of ten, was good. Our waitress was attentive and provided quality service. But their reservation systems sucks. I had reservations for ten at 7pm. We didn't get seated until about 8pm. Part of that was some members of our party came late. But when everybody was there, we had to wait for at least 20 minutes before being seated. The hostess gave us the excuse that a table for eight was already set but they needed to wait for the people sitting at another table to have a table for ten. I thought my reservation would take priority.

I wouldn't go back to 555. The steaks aren't that good, especially for the prices.

Walnut Tree

Walnut Tree
382-A Lemon Ave.
Walnut
909-595-6026

Walnut Tree is a small Chinese restaurant that is owned by a Vietnamese family. I've actually never eaten anything other than the chicken salad. The chicken salad has chicken breast, lettuce, crispy noddles and their special dressing, which is really Miracle Whip.

Now I know that putting Miracle Whip on a salad doesn't sound good to some people but it actually works really well for the Walnut Tree's chicken salad. The tangyness of the dressing adds great flavor to the salad. The chicken breast is made with seasame seeds and has a light taste. They don't cover it up with heavy oils or sauces. The iceberg lettuce is fresh. They give you crispy noodles and wontons that add a crunch to the salad.

Service is very good. You are greeted and they don't rush you to order. They do fill your order quickly and they are nice people.

There was a couple eating dinner and the food they ordered look great. They prices on the menu are very good. Only one item over $10 and most items between $8-$9. I would like to go back and try some of their Chinese food soon.

Golden Wok & Louisiana Fried Chicken

Golden Wok & Louisiana Fried Chicken
1725 Garey Ave.
Pomona
909-620-5057

While checking for more Louisiana Fried Chicken locations, I found out that a second Pomona location has opened. Just like the other location, it's in the same store as a Chinese food. This location also serves donuts, 24/7. I was surprised that it wasn't that crowded during lunch time. There are many businesses close to the area.

I ordered the one item combo with BBQ pork. The fried rice was dry, very little soy sauce was used, and lacked any flavor. Small amounts of carrots and peas didn't add much to the rice. The chow mein looked pretty greasy but it was pretty good. Good flavor but a little overcook and/or sitting on the steam table for too long. The BBQ pork was the worst BBQ pork I've ever had. Overcooked and very tough on the outside and lots of fat on the inside. I wasn't happy with my choice.

But I was happy with my choice of the fried chicken breast. The combo and fried chicken were $6.52. The chicken was fresh and juicy. Not sitting under heat lamps. The outside is crunchy and very spicy, lots of flavor. Inside is moist and juicy.

Service was very good. I was greeted quickly and in a friendly way. When I ordered the Chinese food, she even asked if I wanted to sample one of the items. When I was paying she asked if I wanted a cup of water with my meal. Very nice and fast. I went the day before and they actually cooked my fried chicken to order!!! I ordered two breasts and they only had one. They gave me two freshly cooked pieces of fried chicken. They don't cheat or take the easy way out. Very impressive.

I would not go back for the Chinese food. But I would go back for the fried chicken. It was awesome. I think the fried chicken is much better than the other Louisina Fried Chicken, in Pomona but the Chinese food was much better at China Bowl Express.

I've gotten some emails from people who say the Chinese restaurants I review aren't really true Chinese restaurants. Well I never claimed they were. I know most are Chinese fast food and aren't anywhere close to be authentic. But who cares? Most, serve good food at good prices. Plus I always don't have the time to go to a sit down Chinese restaurant.

Wok

Wok
1247 Diamond Bar Blvd.
Diamond Bar
909-860-2614

Wok is another fast food Chinese place with a steam table filled with Chinese food. As with all fast food places, it all depends on your timing. If you go during a busy time, the food should be fresh. But if you go when it's slow, the food will be overcooked and just bad.

I ordered the teriyaki chicken and Chinese BBQ pork, with fried rice and chow mein for $4.97. The fried rice has some peas and carrots but not much else. It was basically rice and soy sauce. The chow mein had small bits of cabbage and onions. The chow mein was kinda of bland and flavorless.

The teriyaki chicken was pretty tender and the sauce was nice and added a nice flavor. It wasn't salty or anything. The teriyaki was the best thing I ordered.

The Chinese BBQ pork was mostly fat. I would say half of the pork was fat and half was meat. Not a good combo. The pork, what little there was of it, was tender and tasty.

I didn't think Wok's portions were as big as Mr. Wok, which is also in Diamond Bar. I would pay the extra 40 cents to get more food.

I would not go back to Wok. The portions aren't that big and the food is only average. While the prices are lower than other places, they make up for it with their smaller portions.

International Deli

International Deli
2020 Brea Canyon
Diamond Bar
909-861-3354

Deli, sandwich.

International Deli has been in Diamond Bar for over 15 years. It's caters to the Diamond Bar High School and the businesses in the area. The sandwiches aren't anything great but good enough.

Pictured is the large corned beef with mayo, lettuce and tomatoes, on an roll for $5.94. I watched them make the sandwich and they put the cuts of corned beef into the microwave for about two minutes. Then they put the roll into a steamer-like machine for about 15 seconds. That makes the roll very soggy and chewy. The corned beef is like the corned beef you get from a supermarket deli. Nothing great but it does that job. They put a lot more mayo than I like, so next time I'll remember to ask for easy mayo. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and tasty.

Service is good but you get the idea, you're part of an assembly line. Place order. Pay for order. Go down to the end of counter to pick up your order. But the owner/cashier is friendly and you get your sandwich in a short amount of time.

I think International Deli is average. Nothing outstanding about it but then again nothing bad about it. Though prices are on the higher side. I think International Deli is better than Charlie's but that's not saying much.

Costco-Chino Hills

I'm sure almost everybody has eaten something from Costco. Many Costcos have an outdoor food area. I know two locations that have an indoor food area and I'm guessing those two stores aren't doing as much business as the other outdoor stores.

I ordered the hot dog and soda combo and a slice of combo pizza for $3.76. Yes, Costco still has 1/4lb all beef kosher hot dogs and a soda for $1.50. You can't beat that deal anywhere. The hot dogs are steamed and then placed on a bun that hasn't been toasted. But for the price it's great. All Costcos have mustard, deli mustard, onions and relish. They also have ketchup but only weirdos put ketchup on a hot dog. Some Costcos will have sauerkraut. But the skinless hot dogs have a good blend of spices and flavor. I put mustard and onions on them. I believe the onions are rehydrated and not freshly chopped onions but they do the job.

The slices of piece just depends on how long they have been under the heat lamps. The slice of combo pizza, pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, and olives, had been under the heat lamp for too long. The onions and green peppers were wilted and not good at all. The cheese and meats were still hot but was starting to become overcooked. If you ever order a whole pizza, if you don't eat it right away, it loses a lot of taste and flavor. One of the few pizzas that do NOT taste good the next day.

Service will vary depending on who is working. My service was pretty good but I've been here when service was very slow.

I go back to Costco every now and then. It's inexpensive and the food is pretty good. It's not gourmet but then again I'm not expecting it to be.

Seafood Village Dim Sum

Seafood Village Dim Sum
1463 Nogales St.
Rowland Heights
626-913-2338

Seafood Village is a sit down restaurant. I will review them soon. But next door they have a Food To Go location where dim sum, BBQ pork, duck, and Chinese dishes are served.

Dim sum during the week is $1.68. On weekends they raise the price to $1.88. I ordered the su mai and steamed BBQ pork buns. You get four pieces of su mai and they are nice and tender pork. It's matches any other su mai you can get from any sit down restaurants. And the price is right.

I wasn't as impressed withe steamed BBQ pork buns. IT's almost like a sloppy joe. There isn't much BBQ pork and the little amount there is is chopped up and pretty flavorless. I've had much better BBQ pork buns.

The BBQ pork and duck are pretty expensive, almost $6 a pound.

Service is OK. They speak little English so be prepared to point or you'll go hungry.

I would go back for the su mai but I wouldn't order the steam BBQ pork bun. But the prices and quality of su mai make this one of the best values aroun

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
667 Brea Canyon
Diamond Bar
909-594-3679

I used to have Charlie's sandwiches once a month at work. While the sandwiches weren't anything great it was easy since they delivered to work. So I decide to give them another try. To my surprised they have moved and changed ownership. The new location is in an industrial location and during lunch they do a good business.

I ordered the small corned beef on squaw bread. Sandwiches come with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles. Cheese is 20 cents extra. The small sized sandwiches you have a choice of bread but the large sized sandwiches only come on an Italian roll, which is very tough and chewy. I would stick to the small sandwiches.

The corned beef was nothing special. It wasn't Boar's Head or a quality corned beef. It was just regular corned beef from your supermarket deli, that was heated up in the microwave or toaster oven. But it was good enough. The bread was slightly toasted and warm. The lettuce was fresh but kind of bitter. The tomatoes were also fresh but they were cut pretty thin and they weren't exactly stacked high.

Service is pretty good. You're greetly quickly in a friendly way. The order was taken but I thought the wait was a little longer than normal. But part of that maybe them filling phone orders. The location is clean, most people clean off their tables but during my 30 minutes or so at Charlie's, I didn't see any employees clear or wipe off the tables.

I think Charlie's has actually improved under new ownership but there are plenty of other sandwich shops in the area that have a much better sandwich. So Charlie's wouldn't be my first choice for a sandwich but I would go back there.

Danny K's Billiards & Sports

Danny K's Billiards & Sports
1096 N Main St.
Orange
714-771-9706

Danny K's is a sports bar near the Honda Center and Anaheim Stadium. During Monday Night Football Danny K's has free hot dogs and happy hour drink specials. $3.50 imported draft beer pints. $5.25 24oz mugs. $2 off 12 in pizza and $1 off selected appetizers.

The hot dogs are pretty damn good. They don't cheap people either. If the buns or hot dogs are running low, another tray is coming up. The hot dogs stop right about half time of the time, so between 7-7:30pm, depending on the game. Chips, salsa and chili are also included.

The hot dog buns are huge, they are almost like rolls. They are soft, but if you get the buns that's been sitting at the bottom of the tray, it will be hard, and chewy. The hot dogs themselves are skinless and made from a combination of pork, beef and chicken. They have a good mix of spices. The hot dogs are long and thin, they remind me of Hebrew National hot dogs. They have mustard, relish, tomatoes, red onions and ketchup to add.

For the price and quality, you can't beat Danny K's for their hot dogs. They have the typical sports bar food. What what I could see they are served in huge portions and most items are less than $10.

Service is below average. It took awhile before a server came by. I'll grant her there was a decent amount of people and the place is huge, but I shouldn't have to wait around 5-7 minutes before getting an order. The waitress was also pretty rude and for somebody working at a sports bar had not clue about sports. I asked for the baseball game to be put on TV. She actually asked "Which game?" HELLO there is only ONE GAME on at this time. Keep up with the sports. She also took a break and smoked like a chimmney. So when she came back to ask me if I wanted another beer, she smelled like an ash tray. I wish people would at least spray some perfume, even cheap perfume after smoking. Hell better yet, stop smoking.

Danny K's must be a hang out for fans of that steroid, criminal, college football program, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I would be ashamed to have a wall with Husker Red all over. Especially that scumbag, Lawerance Phillips, who should be locked up and they should throw away the key. But Danny K's has a huge wall filled with Husker football items.

There are four huge projection screens, along with many smaller, 27 in. TV's in the back area. The front area has one projection screen.

I would go back to Danny K's. I don't have high expectations for service at sports bars and Danny K's met them. The hot dogs are great and the happy hour prices for beer are great too. I also thought the appetizers, burgers and pizza looked good and I may go back to see the Cornhuskers get their butts kicked.

JoJo's Pizza Kitchen-Closed

JoJo's Pizza Kitchen
3560 Temple
Pomona
909-444-9113

JoJo's location in Pomona is listed on their website and menu as being independently owned and operated. I enjoy the pizza but I was surprised from the lack of people there at lunch. With Cal Poly Pomona so close, I figured it would be very crowded for lunch. But while there was a steady crowd it was nothing overwhelming.

I ordered the lunch special, two, one topping slices of pizza and a soda for $6.48. The pizza is a thin crust, NY style pizza. It wasn't crispy or charred, like many NY style pizzas, but it was hot and fresh. They were also huge, I would say about a quarter of a large pizza. I thought the amount of cheese and pepperoni was very good, they don't cheat you out of anything. The pizza is a little on the greasy side, so that could be good or bad depending on your point of view.

Service is very good. You're greeted quickly and the person at the cashier, who looks like he is the manager or owner, was friendly and helpful. There seems to be regular lunch crowd because he was joking around with many people. The pizza came up quickly and like I said was hot and fresh.

I would go back to JoJo's. The pizza is very good and for whole pizzas, after the third topping, all other toppings are free.

Update June 7, 2008.



I went back to JoJo's and ordered a large half pepperoni and half sausage pizza for $19.76. The pizza was great, though the crust was a bit undercooked. There was a ton of cheese and both pepperoni and sausage though it needed a little more sauce.

Service was OK. The guy who took my phone order spoke with a heavy accent. It took a little longer than it should, but in the end the pizza was great.

Molcasalsa

Molcasalsa
580 Beach Blvd.
La Habra
562-691-0035

You want fast, quick Mexican food at inexpensive prices? Go to Molcasalsa. They have good Mexican food at great prices. Nothing on the menu is over $5.50 and that's for a combo with beans and rice. Tacos for $2. Burritos for $3 and they are huge.

I had the Flying Saucer tostada and an al pastor tortas for $6.57. The flying saucer tostada has beans, shredded beef, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese all on a nice crispy tostada. As you can see this tostada is huge. I couldn't finish it. There was a ton of shredded beef and all the other ingredients were fresh and tasty. This is one of the better tostadas I've had. Much better and less expensive than the tostada from
Casa Gamino.

The torta wasn't as good. The Al Pastor was tender and tasty and the bread was good but it was very dry. They had a small amount of guacamole and a little lettuce. I would like some mayo and/or salsa. I would either order a taco or burrito instead of a torta. But overall Molcasalsa is a very good place for inexpensive Mexican food.

Service was very good and friendly. She was helpful and didn't cop any attitude when I asked what's on the flying saucer tostada. My order was quickly served. And the great thing about them? The drive thru is opened 24 hours!!!!

If I was in the area I would go back again. I wouldn't make a special trip, the food isn't so outstanding that I need to drive out of my way for it, but if I'm in the area, I would gladly go back.

My Expectations

Here are my expectations from hosts/hostess and servers.

1. When I walk in, I should be greeted quickly, in a nice friendly manner. For a host/hostess not to say anything to me is wrong. A simple Hi. How many people? Or Hi, What would you like to order? is fine. I've worked in retail before and you are trained to greet each customer. The customer shouldn't have to greet you.

2. Once I'm seated, my drink order should be taken within a couple minutes. I won't wait around for a server to come. If you're going to be my server and you're busy, all you have to do is say "I'll be right with you." At the very least acknowledge I'm there!!!! I've been to restaurants and a server passed by me 4-5 times and actually told me "Sorry I didn't see you there." Then that server must be blind.

3. Servers aren't blind. If you see my water glass or drink glass empty, ask me if I want more to drink. Also advise me if the restaurant doesn't offer free refills.

4. This is a pretty big pet peeve. When a server picks up the money, don't ask me if I need change. That's rude and arrogant. I'll normally say something like "We're good. Or It's all your's." OK, I sometimes forget to say that and I'll usually put an extra buck or two for wasting the server's time. If I don't say that, just bring back my change. If you as a server are too damn lazy to make an extra trip, maybe you should get another job.

5. If you had a bad day or even a bad customer before me, don't take it out on me. I didn't do anything to you. But you're hurting your chances of a good tip if you take out your anger or frustations on me.

6. If you're going to ask 'How is everything?" don't ask it 2 minutes after you served the meal. Give me a few (at least 5, no more than 10) minutes before asking how things are. Believe me if something is wrong I will tell you. Also come back to the table at least once before asking if we are finished eating. Drinks maybe running low, I may want to place a take out order, whatever.

7. If something is wrong with my order, don't argue with me. Just take it back and being me the correct order.

8. I'll admit I'm picky about things. I like dressing for salad on the side. I like BBQ sauce on the side. But those aren't that big of a deal and doesn't require that more more effort. Don't cop an attitude if I ask for those things.

9. I also don't like to feel rushed, whether to order or to finish eating. I know if places are busy and I'm taking up space at the restaurant. I also know when the restaurant is about to close. Don't rush me.

10. I know people who work as mystery shoppers. I know what the companies are looking for. I know how companies train their servers and what their expecations of servers are. Yes, I don't go to many chain restaurants but the type of restaurants I go to can learn a lot about customer service. The privately owned restaurants I go to, need the good customer service. Food can take you only so far.

11. I don't care about your life or your problems. So don't cry or talk about your life or problems unless I ask. Believe me I won't ask.

12. If I ask for something that should be at my table already, silverware, napkins etc, don't cop an attitude or make an excuse. Just get the damn thing. I don't want to hear excuses and I don't want a damn attitude. If the other server or busboy didn't do the job, don't complain and cry to me. Take it up with the person who messed up, away from my table.

The best service I've had is at Michaelangelo's Pizza. Great friendly service.

Ameci-Closed

Ameci
1345 Diamond Bar Blvd
Diamond Bar
909-396-6800

Ameci is a local pizza and pasta place. They have been in Diamond Bar for over ten years and it looks to me as though they have changed ownership recently. They used to send coupons, 2 for 1, half off pizza, etc but now they only have daily specials.

I ordered the chicken parmigiana sandwich for $5.40. The chicken is nothing but a breaded chicken patty, much like the Tyson chicken you get from the supermarket. The chicken is most white meat, so I'll give them some credit. The marinara sauce is good and has some spice to it. The roll is toasted and has a nice chewy center. But overall I wasn't impressed with the sandwich. I mean I could go to the market and buy some Tyson chicken patties and either buy a jar of Rago or get some marinara from an Italian place and make my own sandwiches.

Service was pretty good. I was greeted quickly but I asked what else comes on the sandwich and he had to ask somebody. After he took my order and I paid him, he didn't tell me how long it would take for my order. I had to ask. But he was friendly.

There are many other sandwich places in the area to go to. I wouldn't go back to Ameci. Food isn't bad but it's nothing special either.