The Palace Grill - Santa Barbara, CA

PART I OF CHARIESE'S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND

Overall Rating: 3.9

He Said: 4 I attended Santa Barbara City College for a my Sophomore year and spent a fair amount of time eating on State St. - I'm a little upset I didn't discover this place sooner. Tucked away a block down from State this Cajun restaurant was exactly what the Dr. ordered to kick off an epic birthday weekend for Chariese. The dining room was busy with people enjoying the dining experience, the service staff making nice with the customers and a stray magician on the payroll making me feel awkward at the prospect of having to reject his services. I enjoyed the experience but will still opt to discover other venues in SB before settling on this solid eatery.

She Said: 3.8. I really liked this place. I don't often eat Cajun, so it was a nice change of pace. The restaurant was lively, and the decor was fun. The menu offered a wide variety of items and it took me apx. 17.3 minutes to finally decide on Jambalaya.

Price: $$-$$$

Ambiance: busy, cozy, funky (is that a word?)

Good for: Those who enjoy spice, a change of pace, seafood

Would we go again? You bet!

Date Visited: 3/18/2011 (Friday)

Special Notes: watch out for the magician - he/magic sucks (srry bud)

Restaurant Website - The Palace Grill 

Stop taking pictures of meeeeee - no really, stop

Our meal came with this great basket of various fresh-baked muffins - my fav was the cornbread

Main Courses:

Kevin's order: Paneed Veal Acadiana - I've never had a meal that I could recognize such a tangible relationship between taste and the relative health value of a plate of food (it was VERY tasty)

Chariese's order: Jambalaya Pasta
This was really good, my only qualm was that I had asked for spicy and this was rather mild, so if you're queen o' da spice like me, ask for it spicier next time. I did prefer Kevin's to mine, ya ya as per usual. Whatever.

Chariese put these coasters in your purse baby...

Open Sesame- Belmont Shore/Long Beach, Ca.

Overall Rating: 3.25

He said: 3 The only reason to go to this restaurant is if you need some variety to get you away from the standard dishes your used to seeing on every other menu. Although I I appreciated the volume of food (a common trend in Mediterranean restaurants?) it was a bit south of what I was looking for. Not blown away or wowed by anything in particular but if it were to come down to CPK or Open Sesame I would go with the latter just for diversity's sake.

She said: 3.5 This place had such hype to it that I had expected something beyond amazing. And while it was delicious, I didn't run home and tell everyone to go there (as I generally do if I love a place). Everything was good, but I shouldn't have set my expectations so high. I'd go back for lunch.

Price: $$-$$$

Ambiance: small, quiet, dimly-lit

Good for: Small groups, dates

Would we go again?: Maybs

Date visited: 3/9/11 (Wednesday night)

Special notes: Make reservations. They have a small location on the corner, then another one a few doors down. But still, on a busy night you will need to have a table saved.

Restaurant website: http://www.opensesamegrill.com/

Appetizer and Drinks:

- Appetizer: Spicy hummus and pita bread (3.5/5). The bread was warm and the hummus was tasty, although not spicy enough for my (Chariese) liking. I wouldn't have ordered this had I read the menu better and realized that our orders come with pita and hummus. Nonetheless, it was good. They offer a few different beers and wines from various parts of the world. All that and I ordered a Stella, while Kevin ordered some foreign beer.

Main Course:

- Kevin's order (left): Lamb kabob on a bed of basmati rice. (3/5) All I saw was lamb (something that's not very common on most menus) so I went for it. It came with some crazy paste shit that was mediocre and this rice stuff that left me satiated at best. The thing that I liked most about this plate was the amount of food that came with it (I was definitely full afterward) but was not stoked about much of anything else. 

- Chariese's order (right): Chicken Tawook  (3.5/5). I thought this was pretty good. The charbroiled chicken is tender and juicy, and the garlic sauce and hummus are clutch. There's also a little hidden pita hiding under all the chicken, marinating in it's juices. So good. It comes with your choice of salad, and I chose tabouli. Not sure why I did, as I'm not a fan of the stuff, but it was probably good. Kevin took the left overs for lunch and they were a superior selection in the cold-lunch bracket but still less than amazing with the dinner crowd.

Herro.

Bruschetta- Recipe

Overall Rating: 5

He said: 8. I've been eating this girl's food for a minute now and this simple dish is BY FAR my favorite. The first time she made it I honestly had ten before the meal was even finished. THERE IS EVERYTHING TO LOVE ABOUT THIS ISH: toast, cheese, prosciutto, roasted tomatoes and greens. The roasted tomatoes are good enough to eat by themselves (I practically ate two whole tomatoes while she was prepping/not paying attention). I know she loves me when she makes this food.

She said:  5. This has become one of my favorite recipes; since first making it for Kevin last Tuesday, I've already made it two other times (once for myself, and the other for my family and Kevin's). I'm a big fan of bruschetta (I'll often times order it as my meal), so I was thrilled to find my own bruschetta recipe that others really seemed to enjoy. Olive oil and garlic are two of my favorite things to cook with, and there are a lot of both in this recipe. The roasted tomatoes are to die for, and the rosemary makes the kitchen smell delectable. The appearance is also great, I love the colors and the bite-sized pieces. It's relatively easy to make, using many ingredients that you may already have. Filing this one under my go-to crowd pleaser recipes.

Price: $

Level of easiness: Easy

Good for: Big groups, friends, family, appetizers, parties, dinner dates

Would we make it again?: Heck yes

Date tried: 3/2/2011

Recipe adapted from: http://susikochenundbacken.blogspot.com/2010/07/bruschetta-with-rosemary-roasted-pum.html?showComment=1299540930323

Notes: I tried them once without the prosciutto (Kevin ate it all), and while it was still good, it's definetly not 5 star-worthy, so be sure to include a good prosciutto.

Kev's big mouth impatiently sneaking bruschetta before dinner.

We first tried this recipe alongside an Italian sausage pasta (recipe here) and red wine (awesome Spanish wine from Trader Joes, La Granja). Great combo.

Bruschetta with Rosemary, Roasted Plum Tomatoes, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (the more the better, for dipping bread in while waiting)

2 large garlic cloves, minced (I tend to add more, no such thing as too much garlic)

2-3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 large plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

12 1/2-inch-thick diagonally cut baguette slices (each 3 to 4 inches long)

12 tablespoons ricotta cheese, divided

6 thin prosciutto slices, cut in half crosswise

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup baby arugula

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Stir 6 tablespoons oil, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Add tomato quarters and stir to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lift tomatoes from marinade and arrange, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet (reserve marinade for toasts).

Roast tomatoes until skin is browned and blistered and tomatoes are very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool tomatoes on sheet. Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, arrange bread slices on another rimmed baking sheet. Brush top of each with reserved marinade (including garlic and rosemary bits).

Roast bread until top is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool toasts on sheet.

Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese on each toast; sprinkle with pepper. Fold prosciutto halves over and place on ricotta. Arrange 2 tomato quarters atop prosciutto. Whisk lemon juice and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add microgreens (or baby arugula) and toss to coat. Top bruschetta with greens. Arrange on platter and serve.

The Crow Bar- Corona del Mar, CA

Overall Rating:4.3

He said: 4.25. This place was buzzing when we showed up - no room at the bar and people were patiently waiting outside in the cold for their table to become available. As we made our way through the upper-level to the downstairs dining room I saw all sorts of food that indicated a wise decision on our part. Aggressive price structure but suppose it was warranted.

She said: 4.5. I'd definitely go back. The ambiance was fun and young, and the food was AWESOME. The menu offers a wide variety for all types of eaters. I have zero complaints. Prices are what you'll find at your average gastropub.

Price: $$-$$$

Ambiance: Upstairs- loud, bar-like, young 20's-30's crowd. Downstairs- quieter, smaller, nice.

Good for: Younger crowd, groups, dates, dinner with mom and dad, after-work drink.

Would we go again?: Heck yes

Date visited: 3/5/2011 (Friday night)

Special notes: Make a reservation, as it gets pretty packed. Downstairs is quieter and a little more romantic, upstairs is loud and bar-like, so choose your table based on who you're going with/who you're trying to go home with.

Restaurant website: http://www.crowbarcdm.com/index2.html

Draanks:

Being that it's a Gastropub, CB has a wide variety of beers. Knowing little to nothing about beer, I flailed my fingers around the extensive beer menu and chose the Russian River IPA and a Delirium Tremens. Mine weren't what I normally look for in a beer (I'm a Blue Moon/Stella/Coors kinda gal), but boy were they strong, so I have no complaints {she choose primarily based on alcohol content - no joke}. K chose a bottle of Whistler Imperial Pilsner followed by a Victory Golden Monkey ale.This would be a good place to ask for recommendations as to which beers went with which meals.

Food

- Appetizer: Grilled dates with chorizo and laura chenel goat cheese filling topped with a port syrup (5/5).  We've ordered stuffed dates at many places, and we will definitely be ordering them from here again. They were perfect. The only problem was that we didn't order more of them.{/they should have given us twice as many for the price but whatevs}

- Chariese's order: Flatbread of the day- Burrata, arugula, pesto and tomatoes (4/5). I ordered this as soon as the waitress said that there was burrata cheese involved, as I am burrata's #1 fan (go fight win). I loved this; it was light and tasty, and exactly what I was looking for. Kevin's burger was definitely better, but being that I don't soberly normally order a whole burger for myself (that's what boyfriend's are for, picking off of their plate), I was happy with my order. You HAVE to order the duck fat fries though. OMGZ.

- Kevin's order: The Crow 'Black Label' Burger with duck fat fries and truffle aoili. This shit was fuckin' delicious. I've eaten my fair share of burgers but this was definitely in the top 1% of my experience. I like my meats rare and this burger was prepared PERFECTLY - conservatively juicy (not messy) light dressings on a Potato bun toasted to the point of optimum juice absorption. The burger was allowed to "speak" for itself with a minimum in ketchup/mustard/mayo/etc - carmelized onions were the only discernible condiments. The duck fat fries rocked my world and I don't even know what an aoili is. THE END.

Will sell bodies for duck fat fries.

I'd like to take a moment of silence for my lost diamond hoop earring, last seen in the picture above. RIP.

Haven Gastropub - Orange, CA

Overall rating: 3.2

He said: (generous) 3- The definition of a conflict of interest; on the one hand my black truffle-infused mac & cheese  was delicious (rich cheesiness married to hearty macaroni in oven-baked perfection) and selection of imported brews was awesome. Reese's brussel sprouts were outstanding (although I would have never thought to order them myself) and I happily cleaned up her leftovers. There was no problem with the food BUT...

A less-than educated remark from our ignorant waiter ("you been drinkin' tonight fella?" [no]) and another requisite that Reese's 14 year-old sister (Ally) wake-up from her napping on her older sister's shoulder ("it's not good for appearances") put a sour taste in my mouth that ruined the experience. I will not recommend a return visit to this otherwise yummy destination.

She Said: 3.5- As Kevin said, the service was awful the last time that we went, but giving them the benefit of the doubt, the other times that I've been there, it has been fine. I actually really like Haven (despite this experience), and will most likely go back. Their food has always been bomb, and their beer selection, even better (although drinks can get pricey). I've had their brussels sprouts (see review below), their mac n cheese (a must-have), truffle fries (bomb), flatbread (meh), and a few different wines and beers (the strawberry one is so delish). I'll most likely be back, especially since it's in my favorite place, Old Town Orange.

Price: $$

Ambiance: College crowd (located down the street from Chapman University), bar crowd at night, on the outskirts of the Orange Circle.

Good for: Wide beer selection

Date visited: January 2011 (Saturday night)

Notes: It gets super packed here, so you may be waiting a while- get a drink at the bar while you wait. Kitchen is open pretty late.

Would we go again?: If our meal was getting paid for by someone we don't especially appreciate - maybe

Restaurant Website: http://www.havengastropub.com/

Chariese's order: Brussels sprouts with prosciutto and lemon juice. I am a huge sprouts fan, and this one was no exception. It was delicious. I'll admit that the mac n cheese is better, but I don't even want to know it's caloric content...so I'll continue making suggesting that people that I go with to the Haven order the mac n cheese so that I can pick off of their plate and not feel guilty indulging in one of my own.

Kevin's order: Mac n' Cheese- black truffles, gruyere, fontina, parmesa. Don't know if I would have included these ingredients in my own home-made concoctions but this shit was fuckin' delicious (excuse my French but it's quite necessary considering there was ZERO meat in this meal).

Don't let these smiles fool you, we were straight mean-muggin' that rude waiter.

We forgot to take pics this last night that we went, but all photos are courtesy of Yelp. 'cept for that dashing glamour shot of us. That's from fordmodels.com (jk).

Old Vine Cafe- Costa Mesa, CA

Overall Rating: 4.5

He said: 5-Despite our unwritten rule about not visiting the same restaurant twice I have advocated revisiting this place multiple times - the perfect balance between a hearty & filling meal contrasted with a complexity of flavor that is difficult to replicate. My omelet Espana was a little different than what I expected (with the healthy vegetables and what-not) but was delightfully surprised and summarily vacated my plate. Playing clean-up on Reese's Italian Quiche was the cherry on-top as she eats like a 6 year-old and never finishes her meal. Knowing what sort of work they put into their breakfast we HAVE to get back for lunch and/or dinner another time.

She said:  4-One of our favorite hidden gems, this place is g-r-e-a-t. The ambiance is so so wonderful, and makes you feel so at ease. The staff is warm and not all up in yo grill. We sat at the bar stools at the front of the restaurant, making it outdoor/indoor seating, and loved it. I loved the creative menus, and the fact that you were given your own carafe of water at your table (pictured below). I ordered the quiche and coffee, both of which were perfect (see review below). I've recommended this place to multiple people, and will definitely be back.

Price: $$

Ambiance: Casual, quiet, relaxing

Good for: All ages; small restaurant- not good for large groups. Impressing your friends with your knowledge of restaurants that can't be seen from the street.

Would we go again?: Heck yes

Date visited: 1/23/2011 (Saturday)

Special notes: Management had set out a flier for a five-course "dining experience" that sounded excellent after having experienced their bfast so I suspect they do specials every now and again. They also have a tasting menu and pretty extensive wine list. We'll be baahck.

Restaurant website: http://www.oldvinecafe.com/

Chariese's order (pictured above): Italian Quiche (Italian sausage and gouda cheese). I really liked this, and even though it looks small, it's very filling (Kevin happily scarfed down my left overs). The crust was perfectly flaky, and the sausage and cheese were a perfect combo. The side of potatoes and dried fruit really complimented the cheesy and meaty quiche. I probably wouldn't order this for breakfast again (it was a little heavy {not true} for my preferred fruit and oatmeal breakfast), but I had zero complaints. The coffee came with a little nummy cookie which was delicious.

Kevin's order: Omelet España (Prosciutto, Artichoke, Red Bell Peppers, Mushrooms & Fresh Manchego Cheese) - LOTS of food that you can either scarf or take your time to analyze and appreciate. Our selections were both fail-safes but expect that other selections are just as delicious as our pre-ordering intelligence gathering produced some tasty sights.

Upper West- Santa Monica, CA

Overall Rating: 3

He Said: I have probably driven past this restaurant more times than I care to recognize and the only reason I made it was because she recommended it (as always). The parking situation is a little hectic (if you don't care to pay for the valet you have to battle for parking on busy Pico). Once we were seated the service was attentive, the drinks "good" and the food somewhat forgettable. If I were out for drinks with a larger group of friends or got a late-night hankering for something to eat (as most food is more agreeable when under the influence) I would promote this spot. I would not reorder either of our selections and would instead try the Seared Tuna.

She said: While the food was good at Upper West, I think it's their great drink specials, fun atmosphere and eclectic menu that would bring me back. I had their corn chowder (see review below) and we split a bottle of wine because we're drunkards young and fun. The waiter (young hipster type in late 20's) was super attentive and friendly.

Price: $$

Ambiance: Dark, cozy, busy

Good for: Mid-20's/30's crowd, dinner date, drinks

Would we go again?: Probably/maybe with a group of friends

Date visited: 2/8/2011 (Tuesday)

Special notes: Their happy hour goes until 10 (!!) on Mondays! And all wine bottles are 50% off on Tuesdays! They have a cool indoor patio type of room where they show classic movies. It seemed like a fun place to chat, drink and mingle.

Restaurant website:  http://www.theupperwest.com/

 Kevin's order: Meatloaf sandwich because he's white with a side of french fries.

Chariese's order: Roasted corn soup with black bean falafel. I thought it was good; the falafel added an unexpectedly tasty touch. I probably wouldn't order it again, but I was satisfied. I'm not much of a meatloaf lover, but preferred Kevin's order to mine (as per usual). Especially the fries.