Peking Wok - Cerritos California

You can always go out to a fancy Chinese food restaurant, but some of the best food comes from little small places where the prices are miles apart.

Where this is true most of the time, you get the best of everything at Peking Wok in Cerritos. Peking Wok Cerritos offers excellent Chinese food from the western provinces of Schezwan and Hunan. They have excellent prices, and is a elegant dining experience.

The restaurant has two dining rooms and can seat large parties easily. All dining is casual and parties of two are regularly seated at large booth tables, with bay window views. In 20006 the restaurant went through remodel and now has a beautiful appearance that rivals expensive restaurants.

Servicers and staff members are dressed in formal uniform and polite etiquette is a priority. Our favorite server is "Alice". We are greeted with a bow and a warm “Welcome home.” When you visit ask for Alice, she is adorable.

Now be prepared and come hungry for there are a lot of menu options and food is served family style. Many different varieties of beef, chicken, pork, and duck dishes are offered as well as many vegetable dishes also. It is by far the most extensive menu that I have every ordered from, while still maintaining constant quality on every order.

On this visit we started with the Wor Wonton Soup. It is a chicken stock based soup and had chicken, shrimp, wonton dumplings, broccoli, and carrots. Of every restaurant I have traveled to, this soup is the best I have ever had; 100% perfection every time.

Every meal begins with the restaurants signature “Chinese Nachos.” Basically it is fried wonton strips with three different dipping sauces. This time we added egg rolls and thought it was much food, we knew we would be taking some home.

The entrées we selected were Kung Pow Scallops, Sweet and Sour Chicken, with a side of vegetables. To drink, my wife ordered signature Mai Tia drink, which is a power packing excellently flavored drink; however, Peking Wok has a full bar.

The Kung Pow Scallops are my favorite. The scallops are pan seared and then added to sautéed onions, peanuts, and mushrooms. The sauce is a dark brown gravy and it is served with generous portion chili peppers. The peppers are added so that non-pepper lovers will like the dish also.

The Sweet and Sour Chicken is everything that you want; fresh crisp vegetables, fried chicken meat (not oily), and a perfectly sweet sauce.

No matter what group we come with one person always orders this dish and as it is passed for serving, it is the first to be emptied.

Now the vegetables are happiness in every bite. All the vegetables are steamed and thenserved in a light fish sauce to make an incredible entrée; yes you heard it. These vegetable are a meal themselves.

I think vegetables need to be an important part of every meal and this is a wonderful way to ensure they are enjoyed them..

After dinner, as the check comes and your remaining food is packaged to go; a crisp fortune cookie comes plated with an orange slice, and a fried banana slice with a butterscotch sugar. Yum, Yum, Yum; a perfect ending to a great feast.

The best part is that all this food with the Mai Tai was under $45. It is a bargain and a steal when it comes to the quality and ambiance of the restaurant.

This was a place I would bring clients to for lunch and I never minded picking up the check since entrée lunch prices are under $6.00. Tell me, where can you impress clients for less? It just does not happen. In fact, it is cheaper than eating fast food.

No matter how far you have to drive, come to Peking Wok Cerritos. It is worth every moment.

Rating (1-10)

Food:10

Service:10

11203 183rd St. Cerritos, CA 90703

(562) 860-6068

Map

The Red Pearl - Los Angels/ West hollywood

The Red Perl was not our first choice when picking restaurants, mostly because we had only passed it by with a glance. West Hollywood has many restaurants to choose from and the few we started to patronize just were not going to hit the spot.

Having before passing by, we knew that it would be another trendy Asian fusion cuisine; yet after walking into the restaurant we knew that we were in for a treat.

The design of the dining room was amazing; it had a vintage 1946 World War Two atmosphere and could be used for a movie set. The floor was stained metallic gold and the ceiling had tall rafters providing an open and airy environment. The draperies were deep red and the booths orange. The lighting was dim and yellow so the restaurant looked as if on fire.

Chandeliers made from kimono material coupled with the Trade Mark Asian girl made me think of Tokyo Rose; yet the there was an eclectic mix of Asian art, statues, furniture, and a noticeable Chinese influence.

The bar areas was alive and people crowded around in a very friendly, inviting atmosphere.

The menu is simple, the food preparation authentic, and the value is in the ambiance. This would be a wonderful spot for birthdays, anniversaries, and even business meetings. Large special event rooms are available and reservations are accepted.

Served family style; we started our meal with Wonton Soup. It has a rich chicken broth, broccoli, carrots, green onion, chicken, and shrimp stuffed wontons. The food was hot, fresh, and the shrimp tender. I could have made a meal and had been satisfied from the just the soup.

We also added Dim Sum, shrimp dumpling, which was light and rich in flavor; yet to my disappointment there was no dipping broth. With the Dim Sun we had Crispy Chicken Wontons; yet over cooking made them a little tough. This did not disappoint me; but was not something I would not order again.

For the main entrees we had Spicy Szechwan string beans, Penang curry, and General Tso’s Chicken. It came served on large, hot, platters, family style.

The green beans were cooked perfectly and had a light crunch to them; however, I added a scoop of chili paste, for I like my food a hotter.

The Penang curry was by far my favorite. It had small slices of filet mignon, bell peppers, and peanuts. It was served with brown rice and was what a good curry should taste like; lightly spicy, not over powering, and a dish to order on a second visit.

General Tso’s chicken came deep fried, with a light sauce that covered each piece. It went well with the curry and gave the meal a sweet taste.

I would have liked to include photos of the food; however, the lighting was not fitting for good photography and with clients, some consisting of Hollywood’s elite, to take the pictures would not have been an annoyance.

The Red Pearl was a wonderful experience and worthy of a second visit. If in San Diego, you might try the Red Pearl San Diego located in Down Town.

Rating (1-10)

Food: 9

Service :9

Red Pearl Kitchen Los Angeles is located on the Northwest corner of Melrose Avenue and North Citrus Avenue One block west of Highland Avenue at

6703 Melrose Avenue

Los Angeles California 90038

Web

Directions

Casa Adelita – Hawaiian Gardens California

Casa Adelita – Hawaiian Gardens

It seems as if every good chef has migrated north from Mexico to take up residency in Southern California. Many good Mexican Restaurants have opened; yet, many compromise their Mexican heritage cuisine to cater to the North of the boarder neighbors. That’s not the case with Casa Adelita. Casa Adelita ignores America’s views on Mexican food and serves tradition Mexican & Seafood at great prices.

"La Adelita" came to be an archetype of a woman warrior in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. An Adelita was a soldadera, or woman soldier, who not only cooked and cared for the wounded but also actually fought in battles against Mexican government forces. In time the word adelita was used for all the soldaderas, who became a vital force in the revolutionary war efforts. The term La Adelita has since come to signify a woman of strength and courage.


I have visited Casa Adelita several times and on almost every visit I have found fresh ingredients served hot to the table by friendly staff. However, on my most recent visit, I will have to take the restaurant rating down a notch as it was not as fresh and the service was neglectful. I am hoping that it was a onetime fluke.

Of all the food we have dinned on, by far the most impressive is the Caldos, broths. Almost any combination of seafood is served in a soup as well as meats.

Albondigas, meatball soup, is rich broth with plenty of thick cut vegetables and the broth is sweetened by the use of cactus. The Chicken Soup came with a large chicken breast cut into four pieces and as the other soups, had large thick cut vegetables also.

A wide variety of Mexican cuisine awaits you at Casa Adelita. Tacos, burritos, fajitas, molcajetes, tostadas, rellenos, and tortas, served in large portions with rice & beans. The Menu is vast with all types of authentic Mexican favorites. Combination plates are offer variety and Platillos Grandes, great dishes, of various cuts of beef, and chicken are grilled to order.

Casa Adelita features Mariscos, seafood and nothing says seafood more than a cocktail made with your favorite catch. Large schooners of freshe shrimp, fish, oysters, and octapus are nicely arranged in thin cocktail sauce and garnished with lime and cellery sticks. A seafood cocktail is a great way to start a meal and satisfy the desire for fresh seafood. The menu features many types of seafood cocktails for your enjoyment.

Being a seafood lover, I ordered Ensalada de Mariscos, Seafood Salad, and it came with oysters on the half shell, grilled octopus, shrimp, crab meat, abalone and ceviche. Served on a bed of lettuce with plenty of lime wedges it became a wonderful showcase of South of the boarder Mariscos cuisine.

Also ordered were fajitas, which came with grilled beef and chicken and then sautéed with bell pepper and onions in a wonderful rich sauce. With every dish you can expect a place of traditional refried beans rice and a dab of guacamole and sour cream. Of five trips to the restaurant each had its own charm.

For the most part the staff is warm and friendly. They invite other nationalities to ask questions about annunciation & preparation of their Mexican delights; however, on the fifth trip we got the one person who was in a funk.

Casa Adelita is a restaurant you should try and they have four locations to chose from; Hawaiian Gardens, Paramount, Norwalk, and La Habra. The clientele is mostly Hispanic, but you will fit in quickly during your first visit.

Rating (1-10)
Service 7.5
Food 8

Casa Adelita
11976 Carson St
Hawaiian Gardens
CA 90716

562-420-2620
No Reservations.
WEB

Portillio’s – Buena Park California

Portillio’s – Buena Park California

Living in the land of sunshine usually means we miss out on some of the great historic USA family restaurant chains. Thank you to Dick Portillio for bringing to Southern California your Illinois mainstay. Portillo's Hot Dogs, Inc., started in 1963 by Dick Portillo in a small trailer and soon will be operating in 45 locations.

Portillio’s web site tells a story of a man who was dedicated to customers and eager to serve their culinary desires with great service and prices.

If I wanted to have a Portillio’s Italian Beef Sandwich, I was going to have to travel to one of thirty-eight locations in Illinois or perhaps travel to Merryville Indiana. Yet Dick Portillo set his eyes on my sunny state of California.

Now, one of two locations in California, the Buena Park location is located ½ mile from the famous amusement attraction, Knott’s Berry Farm. The perfect local, the perfect look, and the perfect food bring customers streaming through the doors without many slow times. This store rocks from early lunch to late dinner and everyone leaves with a smile. In fact, I have watched people with giddy laughter as they walk from the parking lot into restaurant.

CLICK A PIC TO SEE FULL SIZE.

Each of the restaurants are themed; the one I frequent is themed like old Chicago when thugs and the mugs roamed the back alleys with their Tommy guns. Chicago’s roaring past is portrait like a museum and you can even catch Frankie in the bath tub. “Time to plug im, Muggs!”

Through famous for hot dogs, the food that steels the spotlight is the Italian Beef Sandwich. Piled high beef is stuffed into a dipped French roll and loaded with sweet, hot, or sport peppers. For those who are hungry there is the Big Beef and even a beef sandwich with a wonderful grilled Italian Sausage. That is what I ordered and as you can see in the picture, it was a meal in its self.

A full menu greets those who order from an order desk; there are eight different types of salads, made for you fresh from their large salad bar and all salads are served with a poppy seed muffin. You can have a different vegetable and poultry feast every time you come to Portillio’s.

Also served are a variety of chicken sandwiches, broiled burgers, hot dogs, chili, and soups. And if you like dessert, there is yummy treats to suit your cravings. Chocolate, lemon, strawberry and Carmel pecan cakes await your approval and smile.

I have been coming to Portillio’s in Buena Park for several years now and have never walked away unsatisfied. Repetitive good food, service, and a wonderful décor make me one of the giddy people that come regularly.

Each Portillo’s carries a different theme; you should look for them throughout Illinois when you’re up that way. I would be interested in hearing your feedback.

Rating

Service – 9

Food – 9

Portillo's - Buena Park, California
8390 La Palma Ave.
Buena Park CA 90620
714-220-6400
Theme: 30's Prohibition
Map

Web

Story Teller’s Cafe – Anaheim California

I have a story to tell you about a wonderful restaurant in a magical place. I have been eating at this restaurant for several years and it is constant every time with some of the best food preparation in all of the Downtown Disney Restaurants.

What sets this restaurant apart is that it is Disney owned and operated. You may think that at the mention of the name Disney that quality would be sacrificed for volume. However, this is where Disney has turned it around in recent years.

Disney has taken the time to select quality chefs and to train them to cook with fresh and healthy ingredients. This has set the Disney Restaurants apart from all others.

On this visit to the Story Teller’s Café, we were caught without a quality camera and the photos are from a cell phone camera. I almost did not write up the dinning pleasure; however, it was such a wonderful time, I could not help but tell you about it.

Downtown Disney is not a long drive from church and I and my family headed to the Anaheim Resort in hopes of a good meal. It was my selection and the Story Teller’s Café located on the grounds of Disney’s California Grand Hotel was my selection.

The California Grand is a wonderful hotel that resembles the resort atmosphere of the High Sierra. High vaulted ceilings and a breath taking lounge area gives way to a beautiful landscaped walk down to the Story Teller’s Café.

Walking through hand carved wood framed glass doors; you instantly know you’re in a special place. Modeled to depict the American pioneer’s art of storytelling, the restaurant motif will captivate your imagination. The pioneer days of settling California care in every detail of the kitchen and dining areas.

Most mornings guest find a massive breakfast buffet featuring carved meat stations, omelet stations, mounds of fruit, deserts, and bakery items. At lunch a menu of good variety follows by a stupendous dinner menu. Throughout each meal visits from Disney characters entertain guests and feature a child’s sing and follow parade that weaves its way through the dining areas.

We were warmly greeted at the door and seated by a cheerful staff. Drink orders were quickly taken and followed by a bread basket full of a delicious variety of bread and muffins. They made it apparent that they were going to make this lunch a delight.

I ordered four cheese ravioli, salad, and a bowl of Chicken Corn Chowder. The salad came to the table with a bright green fresh look offset by bright red cubed tomatoes. The Chicken Corn Chowder was creamy, thick, and had a flavor that made me eat the complete bowl. I was so delighted that I had share some with my family. Thin pieces of chicken were in each bite and with the whole kernels of corn throughout, it made a perfect dish. Crumbled bacon and a light sprinkle of parsley on the top allowed me to find a new favorite.

The Four Cheese Ravioli was also a great selection. Homemade ravioli with tomato pesto sauce sautéed with asparagus and a few spinach leafs and “Gilroy” Garlic, came together to make a tasty party in my mouth. With each bite I caught myself making noises of delight.

Also ordered that day was the spaghetti with meat sauce. It was also well flavored with bits of carrots throughout the sauce. It had a mild flavor, perfectly cooked pasta, and a nice meaty texture. Served with garlic bread we all had a taste and loved it.

My wife had a grilled Chicken Pear salad with red wine vinaigrette. Though there was too much dressing for her taste, the dressing was sweet and complimented the nice arrangement of assorted greens and tender grilled chicken.

It was all very nice and had very nice resort price too; if you get my drift. I would classify it as medium pricy; but worth every penny.

The Disneyland Resort is located next to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. After meal walks are pleasurable with a unique shopping experience and even nighttime entertainment. If you have never visited Downtown Disney, it is a must go see. Then if you do visit, make sure you take in the majestic sights of The Grand California Hotel and consider eating at The Story Teller’s Café. You will not be disappointed.

Rating

Service: 10

Food: 9

Story Teller’s Café

The California Grand Hotel

Web: http://is.gd/40NA

1600 S. Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92803
(714) 635-2300