by | March 5, 2009 · 7:00 pm

Top Chef Season 5 Wrap-up

by Brian

Well, that does it for another season of TV’s best food show (Sorry, Ramsey.)  With last night’s reunion over and done with, I thought I would milk Top Chef for one last post before it fades away for the next 9 months or so.

Anyway, for those of you who didn’t watch the reunion show, Fabio Viviani won fan favorite.  Good for him!  In my previous post I predicted that it would either be him or Carla taking home the crown, and as always, I was right.  Honestly, he deserved it for carrying the show.  This season of Top Chef was, in my opinion, one of the weakest talent-wise.  Sure Stefan and Hosea showed some skills, but it was Fabio who supplied the laughs along with the talent.

And now, my top 3 Fabio quotes of the season:

  1. “It’s Top Chef, not Top Scallop!” Continue reading →

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by | March 4, 2009 · 8:37 pm

Just like someone else’s grandma used to make

by Mikey

I must say, I have a weakness for the hole in the wall places.  The places that aren’t on the main map.  The places that are down the dark alley or the streets nobody wants to drive down.  I usually find culinary gold in these places.  Little spots with a couple of tables and a few chairs where someone’s grandma is slaving away in the kitchen.  The décor usually stinks, the areas are usually bad, but the food is usually outstanding.  

I used to have this Mexican girlfriend in high school, and every time I went to her house, her grandma was at the stove and always wanted to feed people.  The food was always authentic and delicious, and there was always tons of it.  I figured she must have thought I was starving.  After all, I was only a couple hundred pounds at the time.  I have discovered that same kind of food made by the power of grandmas and moms at a little joint called Tony’s Burrito Hut. Continue reading →

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by | March 3, 2009 · 7:35 pm

Tacos and Road Rage!

by Brian

It’s not everyday that you get to witness attempted vehicular manslaughter, but that is exactly what I got to see today standing outside the most ghetto authentic Mexican restaurant in Simi Valley.  From what I could tell, this crazy lady was attempting to run down her male acquaintance right in front of me.  She even went after him, screaming out the window the whole time, when he crossed the street into another shopping center.  I am kicking myself for not getting to my camera faster, but here’s a pic of her BACKING INTO the shopping center to stalk her prey.

I wish I had video of this.

I wish I had video of this.

Anyway, next time I see an attempted crime in progress, I’ll try to do a better job of playing the paparazzi.  On to the review: Continue reading →

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by | March 2, 2009 · 8:16 pm

Your Introduction to PMS

Here at EatMeCalifornia we’ve decided that one man is not enough to truly judge a pizza.  Therefore, Mikey and I will be tag-teaming pizza joints all over the state to give you the best, and worst, pizza that California can dish up.  We’ll take on all challengers, thick crust or thin, deep dish or New York.  Bring on your cheesy, greasy, saucy, worst.  We’ll eat it, rate it, purge it, clean it up and do it all over again.

First up is a little family-owned spot next to Ventura College, called Santino’s.  Before we get into our review, we have to talk a little bit about Continue reading →

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by | March 1, 2009 · 8:00 pm

A little bit of everything

by Mikey

 

So tonight, on this gorgeous Sunday, I wanted to rest up the pallet a bit and give you a buffet of items I have on my A-Team TV tray.  

First off who’s watching Hells Kitchen?  Do you have a favorite chef?  I kinda feel chef-wise this seems like a weak group.  I love watching people cry though.  I think it stems from some repressed anger from second grade, but my favorite part of these shows isn’t the food; it’s the stress, ridicule, sadness, and the sheer awesomeness of watching somebody completely break down inside.  For those watching, they finally got rid of Seth who I am not sure could hack it at Burger King.  After watching Top Chef I feel like there is a complete lack of culinary talent on this show. I just gotta hope people keep crying.   Continue reading →

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by | March 1, 2009 · 12:20 am

It’s like musical chairs, but with hamburgers!

by Brian

As I start this post, I am at the edge of sleep.  Imagine, if you will, a man at a desk with eyes half closed and slow laborious breathing.  He is leaning backwards in his chair and yet his stomach is in full contact with the aforementioned desk.  Ladies and gentlemen, that man is me.

Tonight I had the privilege of eating at one of Los Angeles’ burger institutions.  It’s housed in a little building on Pico just east of the 405 freeway and across from the Westside Pavillion.  This is the joint that you hear about when people do their best of L.A. lists.  It’s small, it’s hot and you can’t park within a city block of the place.  It turns out all of those things are beneficial though, because without them the lines would be around the block instead of just past the door.  Here at EatMeCalifornia, we like to cut through the hype and tell it like it is.  So without further ado, I give you…

The Apple Pan – 10801 W. Pico, Los Angeles Continue reading →

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by | February 27, 2009 · 7:21 pm

Aloha O’e, Aloha-owwww.

by Brian

Greetings from scenic Simi Valley.  For those of you following my adventures on Twitter you already know about my horrible toothache.  Well, I tried calling the dentist to get an appointment but they were already gone for the weekend.  So, I decided to do the next best thing… which is, of course, reviewing an ice cream shop.

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Tutu’s Hawaiian Ice Cream Shack – On Cochran St. in Simi

My initial idea today was to find a place where I could review a milkshake, and because I didn’t want to go to a Baskin-Robbins or Coldstone’s, I decided to give this place a try.  Come to find out, Tutu’s doesn’t have milkshakes (yet).  But you know how I roll.  I’m like freakin’ MacGyver when it comes to ice cream. Continue reading →

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