Omelette Parlor---a Santa Monica Breakfast institution

Omelette Parlor

2732 Main St,Santa Monica, CA 90405

(Ocean Park)

(310) 399-7892

My last lunch during my recent trip to Los Angeles was with a friend SChan whom I had not seen in 4 years! We had met via a mutual friend in Texas while I was at a leadershop retreat thanks to a friend JLee (He is a people connector and all around funny/intelligent guy! )

We opted to check out a local breakfast institution known for their omelettes. We had to wait a bit for at least 20 minutes and the place was packed. Our server Nori was very efficient, friendly and helpful. For my friend, when she was deciding over the pasta salad or side salad as a choice she got the pasta salad. (She found it with too much mayo and not so tasty. The Tuna sandwich was delectable but no oomph at all with the pasta salad.). When my friend complained, Nori was willing to change it but he also suggested hot sauce for it. (Did not help the pasta salad much.). I enjoyed my create your own omelette which I had avocado, spinach, onion, mushroom, pepperjack cheese along with some home fries, wheat nut english muffin (very delicious and I loved the nut in it) and two pieces of fresh fruit. Now I can see why their omelettes are divine---fluffy and beautiful made to perfection!

8 forks out of 10 forks

( for my omelette I would give 9 forks)

Overall good experience--nice atmosphere, good server and good food

J & J Restauarant in San Gabriel---Shanghainese treasures

So I went with my good friend CC to San Gabriel in the LA area. (Jian Jian Restaurant (626-308-9238 301 West Vallue Blvd, #109 San Gabriel, CA nestled in the I wanted to have some xiao lung bao and we got a nice meal (which we couldn't finish) and something to go for under $40! Cheap Asian Food abounds in the Los Angeles area (in this case San Gabriel which has a few Asian malls teamed with dessert, food places to tease your taste buds but not at gut busting prices!).

We got the pork chop rice (I missed the Taiwanese style with the tea egg, mustard greens and the pork) over a bed of lightly seasoned rice. Then we got a tarot cake (but not the traditional Cantonese style but fried and looked like puff pastry) it was good. We had some seaweed (thick and skinny slivers lightly seasoned sweet vinegary dressing) which was delicious. Then we shared the seafood tofu soup--thickened broth (almost egg drop soup consistency) with bits of seafood and egg. We got the eight treasures rice (sticky rice with a variety of ingredients but it was more on the sweet end for me). The Xiao Lung Bao (soup dumplings with crab was good --this shop is known for these dumplings) and with the soy ginger vinegar dipping sauce added a nice tang.

Service was not great. We had to wait a bit to get our bill, order and get the servers attention. It is a small shop with only two servers and less than 10 tables. But it is great for the price and good food. Pretty framed pictures of Shanghai lined the walls in this simple store front.

Food 8 forks (Xiao Lung Bao was a 9 fork) out of 10 forks

Mitchell's Ice Cream---Mission District, San Francisco

Lucuma/Mango and Thai Iced Tea and Coconut

Peruvian Fruit---Lucuma

While I was traveling to Columbus recently, I saw a food show dedicated to ice cream and one place mentioned was Mitchells that was noted to be worth the trip. Though in an obscure location, the food show said they had great exotic flavors and have won many accolades for their ice cream! So I had to try this place!

On July 4th, we headed out there after spending time in Berkeley. The line was very long but parking was worse. We circled many times and had to walk a bit to get to Mitchells. But it was worth it!

For two scoops I paid under $5 and got some great flavors---one was a Peruvian fruit Lucuma (never had it before) and mango ice cream flavors. Truthfully, I liked the Lucuma more than the mango. I thought the mango a bit tame and not as what I expected. My friend got the Thai Iced Tea and that was fabulous and on point. The Lucuma (I never had the fruit before) but I thought it light and delicate but hard to place flavorwise. YUM!

I give 7 forks out of 10 forks.

*Wait was over 40 minutes, the number system helped them keep efficient and the clientele was patient enough to waitfor their ice cream with minimal grumbling.

*Parking is a pain and at a premium, the smallish parking area did not help and we circled a few times on a late July 4th afternoon too

Hamburger Mary (Sacramento)

I went to Hamburger Mary in Sacramento for Brunch on the recommendation of our concierge. It was a fun place. Only 5 blocks up on J Street from the Sheraton Grand Hotel.

Two other friends opted for the same breakfast dish I got, which was the mixed grill eggs benedict. Mixed grill means mixed veggies of mushrooms, peppers and other veggies and it was great! The prices were great only $7 for our brunch dish!

Everyone in my group enjoyed their brunch and we were served well while our water glasses were refilled when needed. Great bang for the buck, good food, great company and convenient location from our hotel!

9 forks out of 10 forks