800 Degrees

Last night was another man-date with the my amigo, Cole. Where were two young teens going to go to dinner on a friday evening, well how about 800 degrees. 800 degrees is located in the heart of Westwood, where everyone breaths and bleeds blue. The restaurant has been a campus favorite for quite some time now and the lines are getting longer and longer as words spreads. Luckily, when Cole and I went, it was not that busy, so we did not have to wait in that long line going around the block. We both decided that we should each order a pizza, so then we would could each have some of each other's pizza. I decided to be traditional and order their marguerita pizza, while Cole chose to order a pesto pizza. The marguerita was topped with proscuitto and some parmesan, while the pesto pizza was topped with bacon. While both of the pizza's werre delicious I really felt the pesto pizza stood out. While I was not sure how the combination of pesto and bacon was going to taste, it was a taste I will never forget. I now really understand that bacon is good on anything, no matter what. The pesto compliments the cheese very well, while the bacon adds a sweet and salty taste. While their pizza's are one of a kind, what also grabs the attention of the consumer are their ridiculously low prices. The marguerita pizza, which is enough for two people, was $7, while the pesto pizza was a minimal $8. They run a tight business at 800 degrees, as people are served quickly, but with high quality food. The overall experience recieves a 8.25/10 on the Conch Scale.

Rivabella

Well time continues to past, and we continue to age. September 11th, I know, not the greatest day for our nation, but it is for to Moldo's, as it's Jordan's 22nd birthday. Everyone in the Moldo family, except the mother, loves Italian food, and when I say love, I mean I would do anything for risotto milanese. Rivabella, which sits at the intersection of Sunset blvd. and Doheny, is an Italian restaurant, owned by the Innovative Dining group, which owns other restaurants such as Chi-Lin and Boa Steakhouse. I began my dining experience with a traditional beef carpaccio, with shredded parmesan cheese on top. Beneath the steak, was an arugula salad. The beef was fresh and the combination of the meat and cheese is just wonderful. For my entrée, I ordered their seafood risotto with zucchini. I'm not the biggest fan of zucchini, so I kind've ate around it, and acted like it never existed. The shrimp was drenched with garlic and butter, and I loved it. The crab was fresh, but I ran into a little trouble getting it out of its shell. Risotto is always tasty, and I really do not need to describe it any further, because it is legendary. As everyone always says, dessert is a separate part of the stomach, and boy was I happy that it was, because I was so full after the rich risotto. For dessert, we shared a decadent chocolate mousse, with chocolate syrup drizzled on top. It was perfect to end the meal on a sweet note.

Conch Scale: 7.25/10

Westside Tavern (Westside Pavilion Mall)

Well the parents were out of the town for the weekend, you and I both know what that means, party!!! No, but seriously, Saturday night was a brotherly bonding night. The night tipped off with a lovely dining experience at the Westide Tavern and then a movie. Once again, I am writing about one of the best burgers in Los Angeles. Many of the burger restaurants which I have gone to, try to get fancy with their burger and I love it, but the Westside Tavern does not put anything fancy on it, nor do they lather it up with butter, rather is was just a good burger. Inside the mouthwatering burger is tillamook melted cheese, carmelized onions, arugula, garlic aioli, and for those who are are health fanatics, it's on a wheat bun. The combination of those sweet carmelized onions and the melted cheese is a taste that cannot be described in words. Arugula, I do not know why, always makes a burger taste better. By itself argula tastes like I just pulled a leaf from a tree and said "Eat it", but when it is cooked, the crunchiness makes the burger all the merrier. The restaurant was packed, and I mean packed, as I was sitting at my table, I'm pretty sure I felt two things touch me and it wasn't my brother. The burger is sold for a reasonable price of $12, and the service was quite satisfactory in all regards. After the quick dinner, we went to see the new Joseph Gordon-Levitt film, Don Jon, which was a great film for those of all ages. The movie was perfect for a night out with the big brother, and I learned many things about women that I did not know before...

Conch Rating: 7.8/10

Major League Madness

For my annual summer adventure I decided to go on a program which kids and adults dream about doing their whole lives, but never end up actually doing it. Over a course of three weeks, from July 8th to July 29th, my friend Jack and I travelled through the midwest and east coast visiting a majority of the MLB stadiums. As one travels through the cities, one gets an idea of the popular foods at each stadium. Whether I'm in Chicago, Baltimore, or even Detroit, each stadium had a different identity. My journey began in the windy city of Chicago. The first of eleven total games during my trip was played at Wrigley Field home of the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley was known for their Chicago dog, which consists of a sausage, caramelized onion, some greens, and some mustard. The dog was scrumptious, it tasted like no hot dog I had ever had before. The combination of the flavor of the sausage and the onions were mouthwatering. The second stop on my trip was in the city of Detroit. The Detroit Tigers home field is Comerica Park, which sits right in the city, adjacent to Ford FIeld. One of the members on my trip was a Detroit native, and suggested that if I was looking to get a taste of what Detroit is made of, then I should go to Leo's Coney Island Chili Dog. Though the service at the restaurant was not top-notch, the meal completly turned my frown upside down. The chili dog was just an average ordinary bun, a crunchy hot dog, some spicy chili, and little mustard to top it off. While I did have many quality meals on my trip, I would have to say I was most pleased with what I had at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. Food Network set up a little booth at the stadium, which allowed baseball fans to create any combination of hot dogs that they can think off. I got a hot dog on a bread roll with chili, frito's chips, mustard, and grilled onions. I was concerned I was not going to enjoy the frito's chips on the dog, but it just made it all the merrier. I left each city knowing that I got a good sense of what the most renowned baseball park foods are.

Ivy at the Shore

Father's day as we know is the day for children to obey everything their father says without any hesitation. We usually go to Campanile for Father's day, but due to miscommunication with the landlord, the restaurant closed unexpectedly this past year. My father thought the " Ivy at the Shore" would be suffice for this annual occation. The restaurant is located on Ocean Ave with a lovely view of the ocean. Due to the occasion the restaurant had a special brunch for those fathers. While looking through the drink menu I noticed that they had quite a broad range of juices to choose from. I decided to order a glass of pineapple juice. I was waiting for my beverage for a bit until I asked the waitor where my drink was, he replies "it is being juiced as we speak." The pineapple juice was some of the best I had ever had the opportunity of trying. The juice was filled about three quarters of the glass, while the remaining fourth is was foam made from the juice. I woke up that morning with a sweet tooth, and the special for the day was their one of a kind french toast. The french toast was soft and had enough for flavor so that I did not need to top it off with a boatload of syrup. The side of fruit that came along side my dish was some of the most fresh fruit I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. The raspberries tasted like they had just picked these an hour ago. I had nothing to complain about at the end of the meal. I gave the restaurant a 9/10 on the conch scale due to the tastiness of the food and the flawless service we had.

Plan Check

Well school is out, and I do not know what to do now. You always says it is going to be so much better once you hear that final bell ring, but now that I have so much time, I do not know what to do. I always  am open into trying restaurants who claim they are home to the best burger in Los Angeles. I have been to Umami Burger, Marty's, and Houston's, which all meet my ridicolously high standards, but I am sick of the same places, I need a change. Located on Sawtelle Blvd roughly a block south of Santa Monica Blvd, there is a corner burger joint known to the plublic as Plan Check. The restaurant is suitable for all ages, as it has a strong barscene with flat screen televisions brodcasting sports, while the outside dining area is relaxing. I am so obsessed with their one of a kind burger, the "Plan Check Burger," which is the combination of americanized dashi chesse, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions, mixed pickles, and a crunch bun. I was a little hesitant to try the ketchup leather but it turned out to be quite tasty. It is a solid layer of their home made ketchup, which resembles a slice of cheese, but has the taste of what one would think is just normal ketchup. It only takes about ten to fifteen minutes from when you order your food for that hot sizzling burger to come out on a pan. After I took my first bite in that juicy burger, I knew it would be a taste I would never forget. The combination of the crunch bun with the juicy from the sizzling meat combines to form one hell of a burger. The burgers are not huge in size, but are quite rich due to the truffle oil. I gave Plan Check a 9/10 on the Conch Scale, which is quite high compared to the previous restaurants that I have reviewed. I was quite impressed with all aspects of my meal.

Barney's Burgers

Located in the heart of the city, in the infamous neighborhood of Brentwood, there is Barney's Burgers. It may be a little hard to find, but once you put your right foot through the door, you will not expect what you see. The restaurant is designed with news publicity that their chain has recieved throughout the country. While I was up north over Thanksgiving, I went to a different location near the University of California. Going back to my latest weekend dining experience, Byron, Taylor, and I arrived to the restaurant roughly thirty minutes before Allison, so to compensate for the time we ordered some fries and shakes. I am not normally one to nag to the waitor or waitress, but just to recieve our fries it took fifteen to twenty minutes. The fries came out so hot that I struggled with every fry I ate. I ordered an oreo milkshake which is hard to mess up with. The shake was thick and was just was I was looking for.  I do not know if I was just starving for my bacon cheeseburger or if I was actually disapointed with the service. As soon as Allison arrived we ordered the burgers and waited a reasonable fifteen minutes for them to come out steaming off the grill. My bacon cheeseburger was just what I was looking for as it had tons of bacon, a nice buttery bun, no tomatoes, and cheese that was dripping off of the patty. The overall food experience was quite pleasing, but I was not impressed with the service. The waitors and waitresses were working hard, but  I just feel as though they need more staff to better the experience of the customer. I gave Barney's Burgers a 7.25/10 on the Conch scale and I will revaluate the restaurant in the near distance so I can see if they have fixed the flaws that I have pointed out.

STK West Hollywood

Last week my grandmother, Shirley, was in town visiting us when we had a full house again. Shirley always has felt it is necessary to have a dinner without the parents and just the kids. We weere wondering where to go, until Taylor remembered he had gone to a restaurant in 'Vegas, STK. There was a West Hollywood location and we put on clothes on and left.  The restaurant is huge and modern, which caters to both the youth and older generations. There was a happening barscene and the restaurant was quite busy overall. I began the meal with a shrimp rice krispies which were covered in a bisque. The shrimp was not too fishy and it was drenched with my two favorite toppings, garlic and butter. The only problems with the dish were that it was quite filling and after eating the appetizer I felt as though I was about to explode. I knew I could break the theoretical food wall, and for my entrée I had a decadent filet mignon. I really enjoyed the steak because while placing the order, the waiter asks what kind of sauce you would like your steak to be topped with. I chose a red-wine sauce because I really enjoy the taste of steak cooked with red wine. The steak comes out on a plate at a whopping four hundred degrees and it is sizzling. The first bite is always the best, and oh boy was it. The chemistry between the red-wine sauce and the steak is unbreakable. The meal was quite satisfactory in all regards, and I would recommend it for those looking for an above average meal, but willing to pay a little extra for what they get. I gave STK an 8.25/10 on the conch scale, which as you may know is quite good for my strict standards.

Sotto (under)

 Roughly two weeks ago my fellow schoolmate, Michael and I, were looking for a nice meal for a price that is reasonable for two kids in the tenth grade. I always crave Italian food, but there are so many to choose from, but we decided on the decadent Sotto located on Pico Blvd directly across the street from the Ralph's. I have had Sotto before, but I have only taken it out, so it was in a way a new experience for both Michael and I. Mike and I looked to share most of the dishes because we were not looking to spend fifty dollars a person. Accordingly, we split our appetizer which was cooked octopus mixed in with a garbanzo bean purée. We also ordered their homemade bread with a side of burrata cheese. Though I enjoyed both of the appetizers, I felt as thought the chickpea purée was a bit bland for my tongue, but besides that minor infraction I felt as though the dishes were quite satisfactory. The service at Sotto was very quick and generous, but it was a little to quick, in the sense that we did not have enough time in between meals to digest and take a few moments to relax. Moving on to the main dishes, we began the second half of the dining experience with a one of a kind burrata pizza, which was cooked to perfection and also had a thick crust which I prefer. An Italian meal would not be complete without a pasta, so we ordered the house favorite, which was a Casarecce pasta topped with lamb ragu. I always say that dessert is a different stomach, but on this occasion I just could not eat anything else, so I simply ordered a cappuccino, which never seems to disappoint me. Though I enjoyed the meal as a whole, I subtracted points from my rating due to the rapid service and the lack of flavor in the chickpea purée. Accordingly, I gave Sotto a 7.1/10 on the Conch scale and I would highly recommend Sotto those who crave Italian.

Cava, Montecito,CA

Last week the Moldo's, along with two other families, hit the road for a lovely one week vacation in the beautiful seaside city of Montecito. This was not my first time going to Montecito, and every time we have gone so far, we always go to the same restaurant, Cava. Cava is a unique restaurant because it features both Spanish and Mexican food. The first day that we arrived, we went to Cava expecting a satisfactory lunch meal. I being a carnivore, decided to order the steak tacos. Before my meal, the waiters put chips and guacamole out on the table. I always eat too many chips before my meal, so this time I limited myself on them. My meal came out sizzling and looking as if it had just got off the grill. The meat was a little dry in the taco, but once I added salsa onto it, it made it taste much better. Overall I though the meal was quite good, but the tacos are very filling, so I was full after three of them. Cava is  high quality mexican food for a reasonable price, "You get what you pay for." I gave Cava a 7.75/10 on the conch scale because the waiters make you feel like you're at home. I felt the service was a little slow which made me dock of points, but I was very pleased with my one of numerous dining experiences at Cava.

Waterloo & City

On December 23, two days after I was let out of school for winter break, the family and Abby(cousin) decided to go out for a continental and modern meal. Arriving at the restaurant located on the outskirts of downtown of Culver City, I noticed the restaurant was modernized and had lights scattered throughout the restaurant to support the holiday season. Throughout my life of dining I have never had the opportunity of trying bird, but that statement changed after my meal at Waterloo & City. I began my meal with the quail, which was topped with a sweet sauce. I enjoyed the flavor of the quail, but I felt as though the sauce was a little to sweet, which took away from the dish. My entrée was the dish i was really looking forward to. For my main meal I had short rib ravioli, stuffed with onions and spinach, and finally topped off with a drizzle of truffle sauce. Due to the richness of the plate, there were only six pieces of the pasta, but the taste of the meat and the sauce just kept me asking for more. What is better than finishing my meal off than with the best dessert, donuts. The donut dish had chocolate sauce and a caramel substance sauce. I gave the restaurant a 7/10 on the conch scale because I was not very pleased with my appetizer, but the entrée and dessert made up for my disappointment.