Black & white tees on servers, nose rings, male hair buns, sandals in the Winter, multi-colored hair design, jeans – formerly it might have been referenced as a “Yuppie” hangout. Let’s just say, instead, that TOAST on Temecula Parkway has a contemporary, hip vibe and, if today’s crush of anxious guests is any indication, it likely will be on a lot of to-do lists for breakfast or lunch (and they serve booze, too!).

The menu includes plenty of espressos, mochas, lattes, etc., but no Maxwell House. Visitors have a wide selection of craft beers on tap, wines, unusual cocktails and an array of Bloody Marys at their disposal.

My choice for breakfast features “Reuben Benedict” with rosemary potatoes preceded by a honey brown sugar latte. Susie opted for Biscuits & Gravy with potatoes preceded by an orange mocha. Both of these entrees caress the palate in a good way. The drinks achieve success in encouraging the taste juices to dance around (with “Bud”?) in the first place.

A noisy din envelops the environment which seats about 100. The service is just fine considering how hectic the circumstances are today. Prices are reasonable.

Looking to return soon to this small hoppin’ joint tucked away in the middle of a village shopping center. I desperately need to try that “Farm” Bloody Mary because sometimes one just needs a kick in the derriere!

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Smudged Menu

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As for my physical health, that is another story. A week at the gym (at least) to undo this damage at the delectable SHERMAN’S DELICATESSEN & BAKERY in Palm Desert (that is, if I still frequented the gym). Another location tempts in downtown Palm Springs.

Howzabout a gargantuan cream puff followed by eggs, potatoes & knockwurst??? That cream puff is too much even for someone of my girth. My own personal Bakery Hall of Fame has another item ready for the pedestal. Yumalicious!

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Altar of the Unique Foodie

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Strolling the neighborhood streets of Culver City for a pre-show bite to eat, these wanderers find an array of eating outposts nearby the Kirk Douglas Theatre (Center Theatre Group (CTG)) in this enclave close to Beverly Hills. CITY TAVERN appears to have an intriguing menu with appropriate pricing. Bingo!

Indoor and outdoor spaces for dining are available and the locals seem to be “eating up” all of these restaurants nearby. Closer inspection of the menu options offer us plenty of choices from the latest foodie trends.

Susie puts her finger on Macaroni & Pimento Cheese accompanied by Blanched Brussel Sprouts w/ Pork Belly. Bill selects a Poutine with Pork and Pimento Cheese Curds Over French Fries (apparently a favorite at this restaurant). The affable waiter reminds us of the 10% discount for theatregoers and promises to send us on our way in time for the curtain.

The food proves highly satisfying. Skipping the extensive beer menu (it is a “tavern” after all) may be a mistake, but at least the wallet is thankful.

The dining experience is peaceful under the newly blooming Jacaranda trees. A return visit seems likely.

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Smudged Menu

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Walking the streets of Manhattan, one notices a Jewish deli on every other corner (it seems). In San Diego, however, it’s a horse of a different color. Dig deep, though, and enthusiasts will find a gem in the rough somewhere, able to supply pastrami and corned beef sandwiches until the stomach would likely burst. Many have specialty bakeries as well, tantalizing frequent visitors with sugar overload. Located in FLower Hill Promenade at Del Mar close to the racetrack, Susie Reese and I have discovered just such a den of temptation – MILTON’S DELI.

Fortunately we use opentable.com to make a reservation for brunch on Sunday morning (damn… it is bursting at the seams just like my pants in another hour or so!). In fact at this time the parking lot options are a challenge as well. After looking over the deli foods and baked goods in the lobby cases, the next step involves getting settled at a comfortable table and perusing a many-faceted menu. Excellent service, too.

Susie chooses a tasty cheese omelet featuring havarti. Bill opts for a couple of scrambled eggs and a plain bagel accompanied by a huge vessel of the best homemade banana pudding in the universe (hyperbole you say? I think not).

We may or may not have enjoyed a pre-entree bakery item with coffee. Susie could have tackled a small, cherry hamentaschen and Bill might have devoured a cherry strudel worthy of royalty. Just sayin’.

Following the late morning feast, the satiated patrons visit those naughty bakery cases for additional breakfast selections for tomorrow. A few rugelach, a couple of macaroons and a vanilla cupcake make the grade.

As we proceed to the exit doors, these travelers vow to return for some additional mischief at some point. Corned Beef Hash? Muffin Tops? Or perhaps a green bagel on the next St. Patrick’s Day ? Oh, the possibilities!

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Smudged Menu

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True aficionados of Las Vegas all fill their bellies via the incredible buffets. However, occasionally the stomach beckons for some eating establishments not of the aforementioned variety. Chain restaurant? Fast food? Interesting hole in the wall? PINK’S...STARBUCKS…SERENDIPITY 3 (No, that’s closed to make way for HELL’S KITCHEN)
Let’s have a more organized approach, Bill!

Disclaimer: Of course, appreciation is affected by level of service, decor and other reflections of your personal taste. That being said, here goes…

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION:

COUNTRY CLUB…Wynn/Wynn Encore (closed)
MAGGIANO’S…Fashion Show Mall
BUDDY V’S RISTORANTE…Grand Canal Shoppes
GRAND LUX CAFE…Palazzo

PERFECTLY FINE RECOMMENDATION:

IL FORNAIO…New York, NY
RI RA IRISH PUB…Mandalay Bay
GUY FIERI’S VEGAS KITCHEN & BAR…LINQ
TREVI…Caesar’s
LUPO by Wolfgang Puck…Mandalay Bay
DRUGSTORE CAFE…Wynn/Wynn Encore
LVB BURGERS & BAR…Mirage
ALLEGRO…Wynn/Wynn Encore
ENCORE LOBBY BAR…Wynn/Wynn Encore                                                                                                PEPPERMILL FIRESIDE LOUNGE…The “Strip”                                                                                    JARDIN…Wynn/Wynn Encore

FUTURE YEARNINGS:

GIADA’S…Cromwell
MON AMI GABI…Paris

Oh, and so it goes.

Vacays…Roadrunners (One Gas Tank Usually Does It)

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Bill & Susie‘s Las Vegas Excellent Adventures (Part 2)
as of 8/06/18

BUFFETS:

Highest Recommendation:

The Buffet…Wynn
The Buffet…Bellagio
Bacchanal Buffet…Caesar’s Palace

Fine Recommendation:

Spice Market Buffet…Planet Hollywood
Le Village Buffet…Paris

OK Recommendation:

Cravings Buffet…Mirage
Carnival World & Seafood Buffet…Rio
Bayside Buffet…Mandalay Bay
Buffet…MGM Grand

Definite No:

Flavors Buffet…Harrah’s                                                                                                                                                                                                           Buffet…Treasure Island                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The Buffet…Aria                                                                                                                                                         Buffet…Monte Carlo

                                                                                                                                                                                           On Our Wish List:

Sterling Brunch (Sundays only)…Harrah’s
Wicked Spoon Buffet...Cosmopolitan
Studio B Buffet…M Resort (Henderson, NV)

There are many other buffets offered in Las Vegas: some downtown, some on the “Strip” and a few in the area. Reviews for all are available online.

Family members have advised that the More Buffet at the Luxor should be avoided.

All of the above buffet recommendations are subject to change. On a previous list, the Treasure Island Buffet would have been on the “OK” list, but we have decided to downgrade it based on our last experience.

Vacays…Roadrunners (One Gas Tank Usually Does It)

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A new trendy, “on the run” restaurant, BOARD & BREW,  is setting up shop, touting a California surf vibe.

The laid-back, reasonably priced – and quite noisy – establishment features a fairly extensive menu of hot and cold specialty sandwiches and a few salads as well. One orders at the counter and the finished concoction is delivered to the table (promptly, I might add).

For those with scruffy beards and untamed chest hair, the real attraction might be the choices of craft beers (in refrigerated glasses no less). Manly men might enjoy hoisting one or two as well. Gotcha! (haha)

Susie and I both feast on a turkey and swiss cheese (w/ lettuce, tomato and mayo or dijon mustard) on a baguette. Hits the spot washed down with Coca Cola. Skipping the booze because then the critic will be clear-eyed for his upcoming show review.

Adequate seating is available both inside and outside.

If the diner doesn’t mind some noise bouncing off the rafters, this convivial place might be just what the doctor ordered. We visit the Anaheim location, but there are others as well including Del Mar, Carlsbad (no, he isn’t), Ocean Beach and – very soon – Oceanside.

N.B.  Also visit CHANCE THEATRE for BIG FISH while in Anaheim.

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Cheapos with In & Out  on Their Mind

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Taking a stroll down TEA LANE in Fallbrook, CA with players from 413 PROJECT (described as a “Southern California Repertory Theatre” centered in San Diego and Los Angeles (LA)) for “High Tea” and a showing of Jane Austen’s SENSE & SENSIBILITY. The tea experience proves less than anticipated and the play presents as an earnest, yet uninspired dramatic rendition of the novel.

Regarding the High Tea, perhaps the analysis best focuses on expectation vs. reality. Their two choices of tea are just fine. The dainty desserts and savories, though, register both in the hit and miss columns. There are cucumber and ham salad sandwiches, along with avocado toast (it is Fallbrook, the avocado capital of the universe, after all); for Susie and I, almost none are extraordinary. In addition, the soup or salad advertised on the website never emerges from the kitchen. The scones are delicious accompanied by jelly and creme fraiche. I yearn, though, for jam and lemon curd. Other dessert offerings less successful include cherry cheesecake, fudge and lemon madeleines. Oh, well! (sigh)

The space itself seems appropriately Victorian with flowery adornments and apropos furniture. We are seated at a table of four, dressed with tablecloth and fresh flowers plus 3-tiered dainty trays and requisite tableware for a dining room of that era.

The staff appears pleasant, yet ill-prepared at times for the event’s trimmings. For example, all guests are seated – slowly – while in the midst of a sudden flurry of activity after waiting out front on the sidewalk until the specific time of opening. Also, a guest who arrives after a long freeway trip who asks to use the restroom is informed that it is not available because the actors need that space at the moment. Not only that, despite a large party of home-schooled children in attendance, there are no special considerations with food and drink as is customary in these circumstances at other tea parlors. Perplexing.

As for the literary drama itself, since the actors identify as “volunteers”, my comments will skew to the general. One portrayal is entirely professional, while several have their moments yet do not achieve fully realized, rounded characters. Furthermore,  still others seem somewhat unprepared or ill at ease, and a few more appear to be atrociously miscast. A mixed bag for sure, but this reviewer admires the committed performers swimming in the stilted, blooming language of the era; they often struggle with rhythms and cadences of the speech, but even so, they soldier on.

SENSE & SENSIBILITY is essentially a coming-of-age story involving the Dashwood sisters who make their way in a society that frowns on their circumstances. They live, they love, they succeed, they fail while engaging in a reproving society overly concerned with appearances. It is a demanding script even for a highly professional group of players. The language is – well – early Jane Austen. It is a tough slog for even the inveterate theatregoer (one can imagine the challenge for the youngsters in attendance).

Therefore, in short, I stumble and fall as I stroll down TEA LANE, but I recover and divert to life’s new, invigorating experiences which may be just around the corner.

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Altar of the Unique Foodie

Theatre Curtain Calling… Reviewing the Situation

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When I spot the sign for GREAT MAPLE adorning the restaurant in Old Town Pasadena, I have no intention of being a sap by leaving for another establishment. (OK  I’ll stop!) Really, though, I begin envisioning all kinds of dishes in which the maple flavor could be dominant. Well, because I surmise that this is the restaurant’s niche, a cursory look at the menu reinforces my initial impression.

It is a contemporary space featuring crisp  surroundings, an outside patio, extensive seating with a designated space for large parties and… a large, full-service bar, too!   The establishment teems with anxious, famished patrons, waiting patiently. This might be the norm because Susie and I are handed the de rigueur buzzer for notification purposes.

After 15 minutes I’m buzzed…and tickled that we’re on our way to nourishment. A few minutes later we’re excitedly perusing the “cast of characters” from the “program”. Susie chooses fried chicken accompanied by two of their signature doughnuts for her brunch entree. Instead, I elect an Eggs Benedict dish with fingerling potatoes to tease the ol’ tummy.

The wait for the kitchen’s bounty is too lengthy in my opinion. However, when the food finally arrives, both of us are pleased. The plates are full and we savor the unique approaches to flavor as well.

It seems as if this is a toddler in the chain restaurant business, offering only a few locations. Almost forgot. I desperately want to try one of their unique desserts, but it’s impossible to stuff this turkey anymore today. Another visit, though, is a foregone conclusion.

(N.B. Also visit the Norton Simon Museum and 26th Annual Chalk Festival while in Pasadena, Los Angeles (LA).)

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Smudged Menu

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Just down the road from the ROAD ON MAGNOLIA THEATRE in North Hollywood (NOHO), can be found a modest, contemporary eating establishment. Susie Reese and I stumble upon it during our neighborhood exploration just before a recent show.

The BAR-B-QUE BAR, THE lurks in a nondescript, tiny shopping center. In addition to its catering business, the restaurant/bar serves locals with an amiable attitude and a barbeque-centered menu of nourishment.

Both Susie and I masticate a pork sandwich with steak fries as we look out the front window and watch the world go by. While she sips on a Coca Cola, I am enticed to order a Boddington beer, one of 15 on tap. The taste meter approves of our selections. Thanks to some speedy efforts in the kitchen, it is not long until we are ambling down the sidewalk, primed for today’s theatrical adventure.

It doesn’t have the vibe of PORKY’S, yet the offerings still greet the palate with gusto. Maybe we should have driven the two blocks instead of “bacon” in the intense sun. (Sorry for the sorry pun, but my inner voice sometimes compels me!)

(N.B. Also visit the ROAD THEATRE COMPANY at the ROAD ON MAGNOLIA THEATRE while in North Hollywood, Los Angeles (LA) for RED SPEEDO.)

Smackin’ the Lips…Echoes from the Land of the Smudged Menu

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