The Inaugural EatMeCalifornia Dinner and a Movie

by Brian

For the second time in three days we are debuting a new column on the site. This one, unlike deadliest catch, is not going to be every week. What we are aiming to accomplish though, is to see one of the newest movies in theaters and then find a review to pair with it, hence the name “Dinner and a Movie.”

For our first attempt, I saw Crank: High Voltage.

Yeah, I thought he died in the first one too.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to ruin the movie for you guys.  I’m just going to tell you a few things to look for.  First, this is not a movie for the kids.  I’m actually kinda shocked that it got an R rating.  It’s like a live action video game, similar to the Grand Theft Auto series of games.  If any of you remember the scene in Fight Club, where Tyler was splicing the single dirty frame into the kids movie, picture that happening over and over except with women in various states of undress.  Not that I mind, of course.  B loves the ladies.  But just the same, if you’re going out on a first date and maybe thinking about having a second date, save Crank 2 for another night.

So, this isn’t a movie I’d recommend to my grandma.  That’s fine.  This is however, a highly entertaining, action packed, completely unrealistic joyride.  It comes in just a hair over two hours long, but it seemed like a lot less.  The story had very little downtime and kept you guessing as to how it would unfold.  Again, the plot is completely unrealistic, but the producers are so blatantly unapologetic about it, that it works.

Finally, the best thing about the movie, in my opinion, is the music.  Some of the song selections are a little on the nose, but that plays into the whole video game feel that they are trying to mimic.  Keep your eyes peeled for the 80’s song that plays as Chev kisses Eve.  It is a tender, yet hilarious moment in a movie that is 99.9% action.

Overall, I would recommend Crank 2 to anyone looking for a bit of escapism with a heaping side of boobs.  Basically, that means you guys.  To any ladies out there who might see it, let me know if I’m completely off base in thinking that this is a guy-centric movie.  Bottom line, Jason Statham is the man and I will continue to see any film that he is in until he decides to go all Nick Cage on me.

Since Crank 2 is shot all over Los Angeles, I decided to review the food genre that is the biggest part of our culture.  I was going to go to El Tepayac down in L.A., but I’m saving that for a special occasion when I can eat myself to death.  Instead, I decided to hit up one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in the San Fernando Valley:  Los Toros

Los Toros – On Devonshire, near Topanga Cyn in Chatsworth

On Friday and Saturday nights this place is filled to the brim.  Most of the time you have to park about three blocks away and walk to the restaurant.  You’ll then be waiting about an hour for the privelege of a table.  For most restaurants this is a hassle that I’m simply not willing to endure.  For Los Toros though, I will occasionally make an exception.

I got there early today (around 5pm) and slid into the only open table at the bar.  I was greeted by a waitress and ordered a dos equis which was in front of me instantly, along with a basket of chips and salsa.  One of the unique things about Los Toros is that they also serve a bean dip with the chips.  It’s delicious and really helps to cut the heat of the salsa when you accidentally take an extra big scoop.

While I was stuffing myself full of chips and salsa, my waitress came back to take my order.  I decided to get the shrimp fajitas, with flour tortillas, beans, rice and guacamole.  In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been on a bit of a seafood kick lately.  Anyway, the food was out in about 20 minutes.  In the interim, I asked my waitress to take away the chips and dip before I could eat the whole basket.  My fajitas came out on a one billion degree cast iron skillet.  I love it when they tell me it’s a hot plate like I can’t see the steam coming off of it.  “Why yes sir, I am mildly retarded.”

The dish was pretty good, although the first shrimp I had was a bit fishy.  Luckily the rest of them were nicely done.  The peppers and onions were awesome and were actually more integral to the dish than the shrimp.  The beans and rice were pretty standard, but the guac was fantastic.  It had a smooth texture and a tangy bite.  The only downside was that they only gave me three tortillas, so I had to load those suckers up in order to eat all the fajitas.  I failed at this task and probably had about 1/4 of the food left at the end.  The waitress even made fun of me for leaving shrimp.

So if you find yourself looking for a great spot to eat with friends, grab a few drinks and load up on some good Mexican grub, check out Los Toros.  I’m packing an extra couple pounds as I sit and write this and yet I’m strangely okay with that.  Hopefully you’ve enjoyed our first “dinner and a movie.”  Don’t be shy about leaving your comments.  Mikey and I take requests.