review - Farmer Boys Downtown LA

• 726 S Alameda St Downtown
• Phone number(213) 228-8999
• farmerboysla.com
• Business websifarmerboysla.com
  

  

  I had never eaten at this delightful place before Saturday when we were on our way to the Mark Taper Forum to see The Tallest Tree in the Forest. The portions are huge, and the discounts are great. I had a ham and cheese omelette with hash browns, toast and a side of bacon plus a large cookies and cream shake - yummy - for only $11+. Unbelievable! I'm going back Wednesday before we attend Porgy and Bess at the Ahmanson. I highly recommend Farmer Boys for their great portions, prices and all around good eating. They also specialize in a fish and chips platter - with 4 pieces of pollock - (pictured) which is to die for...and burgers, sandwiches and their specialty milk shakes, made with real ice cream.

  

The Slaw Dogs

chatting in Woodland Hills with founder/owner Ray Byrne

The Slaw Dogs

Est. 2010

Open 7 days a week

at 3 locations:

Pasadena                            Woodland Hills                       Duarte

720 N. Lake Ave., #8         19801 Ventura Blvd               1355 Huntington Dr.

626-808-9777                      818-887-8882                          626-358-8898

Hot dogs are an American institution. We do not want to live without them. Everyone loves them outdoors or in. When Raymond Byrne was barbecuing hot dogs and hamburgers at home a few years back, some onions, cabbage and other vegetables happened to tumble all over the meat, giving them a snazzy, extra special taste. A light bulb flashed- would people agree and want to buy them? And so was born one of LA's best hot dog eateries The Slaw Dogs, first in Pasadena in 2010 and then in Duarte and Woodland Hills. Slaw Dogs' ultra-innovative approach to creating dogs and burgers places it on a new frontier of the restaurant scene.

I visited Slaw Dogs in Woodland Hills late one Sunday afternoon for dinner. What I walked into seemed a 'hole in the wall' - tiny but comfortable, clean and almost familiar, like a little diner, local food stand, or pleasant hometown hangout. On hand to greet my friend Jim and me was owner/operator Ray Byrne, who offered us an array of samples, which he prepared and cooked himself. Customers may watch their food being prepared, which is another appealing feature of Slaw Dogs. 

Slaw Dogs is family oriented, and Byrne offered a young girl at the table across from us a coloring book which absolutely delighted her as she and her young parents awaited their meal. On tap for us? We sampled a scrumptious bratwurst dog with cherry balsamic dressing. Mmm! Next up came a macaroni and cheese burger. Yes, Slaw Dogs does specialize in hot dogs of all kinds, but it is as popular for its burgers. Mac and cheese on the burger and around it with everything else on it like tomatoes, lettuce, onions, bacon and dijon mustard. Delicious! Did I mention that Byrne makes all of his own sauces from scratch, including curry ketchup, dijon, BBQ, spicy sesame aioli, chipotle mayo, roast garlic aioli, horseradish mustard and buttermilk ranch? Yes, indeed!

And...you may build your own dog or link... in four steps. First, you choose your link from among Vienna all beef, turkey dog, kosher beef dog or worlds best veggie. You also have a choice of spicy chicken, chicken apple, Bavarian bratwurst - which I had - or ghost pepper pork hot link. Step two is to choose from among the homemade sauces above. Step three is to add three items for free from among diced onions, relish, jalapenos, sauerkraut, cole slaw, diced tomato, celery salt and garlic salsa verde, among others. Step four is to pile on custom toppings for a mere .99 cents each from among beer chili, bacon, pastrami, ground beef, fried egg, cheddar, swiss, pepper jack, parmesan, nacho, goat cheese, feta, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions, truffle oil and garlic pieces. The build-on dogs are a mere $3 or $4.99 each with additional add-ons for only .39 cents each.

There are wonderful salads for only $7.99 and fabulous sides like garlic fries, sweet potato fries, beer battered onion rings, slaw dogs' special tots - just sumptuous, potato salad or regular fries. Most sides range from $1.99 to $3.99.

If you decide not to build your own, you may choose from the main menu. Most dogs on this first menu range from $4.99 for the traditional to the Mac and Cheese Dog at $6.99 onto the TNT Super Dog at $8.88. If you make it a combo meal, you have a choice of potato salad, coleslaw or fries, a fountain drink and a hunk of yummy homemade fudge made by Amy, Ray's wife. The add-on price is $2.99-$3.99. Burgers, all made with pure angus beef range from $4.99 to $7.99. I also sampled the pulled pork burger (photo below) which is to die for.

If you are a hot dog or burger lover, you cannot afford to pass up The Slaw Dogs. Reasonably priced and so very delicious, its totally original hot dog and burger creations are the best anywhere. So, go on over to Woodland Hills, Pasadena or Duarte (addresses above) and enjoy! I sure did and I'll be back for more!

http://www.theslawdogs.com/

Buca di Beppo

Claremont

505 West Foothill Boulevard

Claremont

 Phone: 909.399.3287

Mon - Thurs: 11am-10pm

Fri & Sat:

 11am-11pm

Sun:

 11am-9pm

Anthony Martinez, Paisano Partner

Buca di Beppo roughly translates in English to Joe’s Basement. Buca means hole, a slang word for basement or cellar and Beppo is an unusual way to spell the nickname for Giuseppe or Joseph. The chain of close to 100 establishments is owned by Buca Inc., which in turn is owned by Planet Hollywood.

I have always been a lover of Italian anything...food, music a la Sinatra, Como, Bennett, LuPone, cinema with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, and of course, la familia...Mama Leone's Ristorante in Boston and New York were among my favorite eateries in the 60s and 70s when I lived on the east coast. Leone's had a real Italian atmosphere with its strings of mini lights strewn everywhere and the food was sheer heaven. So, when I heard I had a chance to revisit Buca di Beppo here on the west coast, I was thrilled, as its unique basement-like club ambiance with wall posters and vintage pictures of Italian-American pop culture closely spaced literally everywhere - like the photo of Sophia Loren's eyes popping out of their sockets as she views Jayne Mansfield's low-cut dress - all of this is enough to keep one entertained for hours. And the food, indeed, in this super duper one.of.a.kind restaurant chain is amazing, with its family-style portions to die for. Gracious manager and host Anthony Martinez of the Claremont restaurant where I visited was on hand to greet us and stopped by our table several times to see if we were satisfied and happy with our meals, which was, to be sure, an understatement. We were having a great time.

Sunday March 9 was National Meatball Day, so naturally I was primed and totally enthusiastic about ordering their famously giant juicy meatballs. My friend and I also ordered lasagna and veal parmigiana to share. The veal was tender and succulent and the lasagna loaded with tasty ricotta cheese. My mouth is still watering, thinking about it. Our server, adorable Cheran suggested fried calamari as appetizer and my friend chose the mussels bianca. I have never eaten mussels but was so curious watching Stan eat what seemed a massive bowl of mussels right out of their shells. He literally devoured the entire dish by himself, and I did not do too badly either with the delicious fried calamari. We also had a wonderful caesar salad, some great mozzarella cheesy bread, and last but never least for dessert, the Mt. Vesuvius chocolate cake, which is served with raspberry sauce and covered with whipped cream and ice cream. There is warm chocolate sauce like lava which spurts out from the center of the cake, and thus the name Mt. Vesuvius. If it sounds too good to be true, you said it, it is exactly that.

There is a wonderful list of wines, cocktails and cordials with which you may start your meal. Another specialty on the dessert list is a delectable Italian creme cake and also a luscious tiramisu.  As to the famous entrees, besides veal pamigiana, you may also order chicken parmigiana, eggplant parmigiana, chicken saltimbocca, and salmon sorrento. On the pasta side there are great spaghetti plates with meat or marinara sauces and meatballs, fettuccine alfredo and ravioli with meat sauce. There is also quite an array of specialty pastas, pizzas and sumptuous anipasti, all at reasonable prices, but I must admit, Bucca di Beppo is by no means cheap. It's a high-class authentic Italian American restaurant where you want to go when you're in the mood to splurge. The decor, the food, the great friendly service all add up to a party atmosphere that will easily suit a birthday, anniversary or that extra special dining night out, whenever you feel like it. Look for a Buca di Beppo near you! Buon appetito!

with friendly service from Cheran and Phil

Cafe Cordiale

14015 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks
818-789-1985

It is so uplifting to see a family business thriving right here in the San Fernando Valley, in Sherman Oaks to be exact. For over 28 years David and Margaret May and their son Peter have been running Cafe Cordiale on Ventura Boulevard, which remains to this day a very popular restaurant for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch...and a hot late night club for live music as well. How many eateries in Los Angeles have this unusual feature?! Cafe Cordiale is definitely singular with an ultra modern allure and great food.

Ever so pleasant manager Patty, who greeted us on arrival, explained in detail how the restaurant turns into a night club. The red curtains in front of the kitchen window close and the two tables in front of them convert to a stage...and the partition separating the two dining rooms goes up, creating one big space. Amazing! I will just have to return some late evening to join in the fun and see it for myself. But first, on to my lunch-time experience and the elegant dining I encountered at very moderate prices.

I was feeling adventuresome and suggested trying different entrees for my friend and I to share. Patty said they would come family style. I started out with a Caesar salad and my friend, a chopped salad. Both were very ample portions, a meal in themselves! We proceeded to order three entrees: Baked Shepherd's Pie, made with ground beef  - instead of ground lamb, but still succulent and sweet - and mashed potatoes, fish and chips, and salmon and lobster cakes, all of which are personal favorites. Since chef David May comes from England, it is easy to understand why these three choices are on the menu. Shepherd's Pie is a tradition on British and Irish tables, and of course, fresh fish is a staple as well. With my New England background, influenced by these very traditions, I felt like I was in heaven; I had definitely come to the right place. Everything we ordered was tip-top. The salmon and lobster cakes were like homemade, and served with tomato, basil and onion salad and fries. My grandmother frequently made salmon loaf when I was a kid, and these patties reminded me of its great texture and delicious taste. Needless to say, the Shepherd's pie was scrumptious. For dessert I had the French Apple 'Tarte Tatin", baked & carmelized apples on a puff pastry, with vanilla ice cream. My friend ordered the black and white chocolate mousse pie. Both exceeded expectations.

Other lunch entrees include chicken marsala, grilled tilapia, sandwiches, including vegetarian, and soup and salad all reasonably priced from $8-$12.95, with grilled salmon, of course, slightly higher at $17.95. The dinner menu includes beef/lamb dishes, seafood and poultry selections all under $20. Monday through Friday lunch times are 11:30am-4:30pm and dinner starting at 4:30, 7 days a week. Weekend brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am to 4: 30pm, with breakfast items from 11am to 3pm.  Breakfast includes specialties such as eggs benedict, eggs Florentine, tortilla scrambled and smoked salmon scrambled… and a cordiale grand breakfast for only $15.95 that features eggs, bacon, sausage and multi-grain nut pancakes. There is an extensive wine list and a great selection of cocktails available at every meal. Cafe Coridale is also the perfect place for holiday and special event parties, featuring a variety of menu items. 

Peter May and his dad, chef David May

Late night live music is offered six nights a week, Tuesday - Sunday, accompanying a late dinner. Music featured includes R&B, Soul, Jazz, Pop, Latin, Blues and Rock. This joint is jumpin' from 11 am every day until the wee hours of the following morning...and the service is consistently warm and friendly. It's no wonder that community customers consider Cafe Cordiale their home away from home.

Call 818-789-1985 for menus and music schedules or go to
cafecordiale.com

Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market in Sherman Oaks

14141 Ventura Blvd
SO
818-205-9744

Looking for a casual place for lunch that is ultra spacious and airy with a unique look and feel to it? And, more importantly, one that serves sandwiches that are hand-crafted with only the healthiest ingredients to suit your individual needs? If your answer is yes, and I'm sure that it is, look no further than Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market where you can truly Eat Happy, now in its latest location in Sherman Oaks at 14141 Ventura Blvd.

Where else can you expect to see a full grown tree inside and passing right on up through an open hole in the roof! This accounts for the refreshing air which permeates throughout making the restaurant cool and comfortable, especially during peak hours, lunch time from 12 to 2 pm, when Mendocino Farms is, shall we say, swarming with customers. My friend and I stopped by around 12: 30 and we had to wait in a short line. Not a big deal! Time passes quickly, as you must browse through the large menu, which is an event in itself, and make your selection, place your order with the friendly hostess who greets you at the door, and then proceed on in to sample goodies at the deli counter, where you may also purchase beverages and pay for your order. Once your order is paid for, you find a table, and when your order is ready, it is brought conveniently right to you. Tables are neat with marble finish, and if you do not wish to sit in a chair, in some areas, you have your choice of a large comfy leather sofa on the opposite side of many tables.

My friend Dante chose the leather divan bank to sit on

As far as the menu is concerned, hand-crafted sandwiches with only the best ingredients are made to order, and there is a huge selection to choose from. Some, like the scrumptious Steak BLT that I chose, come on a specific type of bread to help hold the sandwich together, but in many cases, you may choose you own artisan breads like mom's seeded whole wheat, ciabatta, buckwheat, cranberry walnut or gluten-free bread for just $1.50 more. Classic sandwiches include chicken MBT, the famous farm club, BBQ pulled pork on soft roll, modern tuna melt...and farm favorites like the steak blt, which I enjoyed, or "not so fried" chicken, which is roasted free range chicken rolled in Mendo's krispies with herb aioli, mustard pickle slaw, tomatoes, pickled red onions and with a side of chipotle BBQ sauce.  There are also, for the cheese lover, ham and gruyere grilled cheese, and for the vegan, vegan shawarma, which my friend simply raved about. A baby blue plate special is offered - a half sandwich with soup or salad... and children of all ages are most wholeheartedly welcome.
                              

I had a cup of cream of tomato soup - smooth, creamy and delicious. I definitely recommend this and, as far as salads go, there's a kale caesar, the blue cow steak cobb, and save Drake farm salad, which is named after Dr. Dan at Drake Family Farms. Also promoted are places like Drago Bakery, Petaluma Poultry and nearby Coldwater Canyon provisions. These local farms and artisan friends give Mendocino Farms its great reputation of using only local fresh produce which in the long run is better and healthier for all of us. And the prices? Ultra moderate. All hand-crafted sandwiches range from eight to ten dollars and most salads, $10.95. All Boylan fountain sodas are sweetened with only all natural cane sugar and feature a wide range of flavors: black cherry, root beer, cane cola, ginger ale and lemon lime, and of course diet sodas are available in all flavors.

Mendocino Farms is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week Monday through Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm. Remember in Sherman Oaks, the newest location is at 14141 Ventura Blvd near Hazeltine.
Call: 818-205-9744.

Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Company

26787 Agoura Rd
Calabasas
818-880-6300

With its high-ceilings and vast wooden interiors, Wolf Creek Restaurant and Brewery is flat out good old American tradition. On the walls are paintings of famous Pacific Northwestern locales and in plain view a big open bar area smack dab in the middle with a large screen television. Freshly-made homemade beer and ale are waiting to wet your palate as well as the best homemade entrees and appetizers prepared anywhere. Manager Jim Sebastian is proud of the restaurant's fine reputation. As in the original Valencia locale founded by Rob and Laina McFerren, this newest Calabasas restaurant/brewery offers samplings of all hand-crafted beers and ales to customers and participates in Octoberfest and community wine and beer-tasting events. As far as the food goes, Sebastian boasts that at 6 am every morning bakers are in their kitchens making bread and all handcrafted desserts from scratch with only the finest ingredients. Few restaurants prepare all of the food on the premises; Wolf Creek is definitely one that does, and on that, you can rely.

Since I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy, when I think of the old west and cowboys and wildlife, I think big-portioned meals like steak, potatoes and vegetables, and of course, homemade cake or pie smothered with rich cream, fruit or ice cream. We asked Jim if there were appetizers or entrees that he would highly recommend and he suggested that we try the calamari and the creek style chicken wings. We were offered a combo of smoky-hot chipotle and sweet and spicy wings with an Asian flair. These were absolutely succulent and the fried calamari sweet and tender. Next up was salad. Caesar happens to be a favorite of both my friend and me, so Caesar it was. What was brought to the table as a half-salad was huge. The portions at Wolf Creek are very generous. And the prices...exceedingly reasonable with most appetizers priced from $7 to $10. There are three different steaks on the menu Gaucho steak, Cowboy steak and a Flatiron steak. At Jim's recommendation, I chose the flatiron, which was served on a bed of caramelized onions, topped with gorgonzola cheese and with garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli and giant mushrooms on the side. My steak was cooked to order, medium and was tender and juicy. My friend chose the Cowboy, a 10-0z ribeye which is cooked with spices, and served with garlic mashed potatoes, cactus thorns and ranch hand salsa. Both portions were enormous and moderately priced under $25.

Other popular entrees at Wolf Creek include baby back ribs, ale marinated tri-tip, ale battered fish and chips, jambalaya, BBQ chicken quesadilla, as well as a varied selection of chicken dishes including country fried chicken, chicken picatta, chicken dijon, bayou chicken and orange cashew chicken. For the pasta lover, there are among others Santa Fe chicken pasta, chicken ravioli, sundried tomato pesto, and pasta carbonara. And of course a large variety of sandwiches which include the California cobb, ale marinated tri-tip, chop house burger, turkey and avocado melt, fire-grilled ahi burger and a vaquero steak sandwich with that luscious flat-ironed steak and grilled asparagus. Wolf Creek also offers a wide variety of salads, and pizzas, so there are choices to suit every palate of the entire family.

As far as the beer goes, what started as a home-brewing kit one Christmas at the McFerrens has grown into one of the best blue-ribbon breweries in the valley. Beer, they believe, is the best beverage to accompany heavier foods, and who can argue with success? At Wolf Creek, it all blends together to perfection!

Desserts change daily, so you must ask your server what is on hand, but I will let you know there is more than one creme brulee and a Heaven/Hell cake that consists of angel food, chocolate and peanut butter icing with a garnish of fresh cream and fruit...to die for! Try it, if it's on deck! Whatever your choice, remember, they are all made from scratch for your ultimate enjoyment!

Wolf Creek has an extensive catering menu as well and is big enough, with a beautiful patio area, to suit any kind of catered affair such as birthdays, anniversaries or weddings. Don't hesitate to choose Wolf Creek for its simply excellent food and friendly service. It's great!

http://www.wolfcreekbrewingco.com/

Lady Face Alehouse and Brasserie

29281 Agoura Rd,
Agoura Hills

The name Lady Face and the sketch on the restaurant's logo suggest something ultra feminine, dating back to the Renaissance days. It promotes great expectations! Once inside the doors, the spacious ambiance reminds one of a distinctive pub with brewery tanks in full view, but there are some very ladylike touches in art and decor that kind of sneak up on you here and there and take you back to that gentler, artistic period. In the final analysis Lady Face symbolizes a time and place where femininity was beautiful and reigned supreme...and a lady could still lift a pint with the best of them It's a classy yet casual joint quite unlike anything you have experienced anywhere, and, judging from the clientele, it appeals to both men and women from every walk of life. On the day I visited, there seemed to be a power business meeting with four men at the next table, as well as married couples nearby and casual friends of both genders meeting up for lunch. Owned by lovely Cyrena Nouzille, with brewmaster David Griffiths and Adrian Gioia, executive chef, Lady Face lives up to its great reputation and turned my visit into a delectable lunchtime treat.

Celebrating four years in the Agoura Hills location, Lady Face is not a chain, so that kind of uniqueness makes it even more special. In today's world it's hard to find just one place that you can eagerly anticipate returning to without its twin establishment smacking you in the face on the very next corner. The look, the ale, the food are all prepared to suit the gourmet palate. In tandem with the fourth year celebration Lady Face is offering a Belgian quadrupel ale brewed with raspberries. The ale is light, smooth and delicious. About twelve draught ales are brewed on the premises, as well as a half dozen incredible beers. Cask ale is served at cellar temperature and there are terrific happy hour discounts on all of them, as well as on wine and all luscious cocktails, from 3-6 pm Mondays through Fridays.

The philosophy of Lady Face is to serve hand-crafted and artisan products, which means fresh ales, and dishes with 100% natural ingredients prepared at the peak of freshness. What is offered on the menu, then, is only in-season, locally available or California-grown produce.

Well, what sounds fresh and delicious turned out to be just that, as the lunch served to both myself and my guest were 100% terrific. Our affable server Christina was exceedingly helpful in making choices that would not only satisfy my tastes but attract a wider audience and suit some of the varied tastes of my readers as well. I started out with a Lady Face Sangria, fruity and delicious. Even though I proclaimed myself a non-beer or ale drinker, Cyrena insisted on us sampling the fourth anniversary ale, which was indeed light and savory. For my first food selection, I chose French onion Soup, which I had heard was a wonderful choice. What made it different from other French onion soups was the beer stock included that blends to perfection with the onions and gruyere. My next course was a grilled romaine salad with a tangy bleu cheese dressing. As an appetizer my friend and I shared pulled-pork sliders on pretzel buns, which were oh so good. I had the salmon as my entree, and it was the preparation with fingerling potato coins, grilled long oyster mushrooms, peas, caramelized onion puree and lobster saffron emulsion that made all the difference in bringing out the dish's special  flavors. My guest raved about the steak tartare and manila clams. For dessert we shared a scrumptious chocolate torte with vanilla ice cream and Lady Face's specialty bread pudding, smothered with whipped cream.

Other specialties of the house include wood-grilled house-made flatbreads, mac & cheese with salt & vinegar potato chip crust, ale-battered fish & chips. wood-grilled burgers, and sandwiches, including a croque-monsieur and croque- madame. Burgers start at $10 and the salmon entree is only $15. How can you beat these exceedingly reasonable prices!

The presence of the gracious proprietor Cyrena made our visit that much more memorable, as she stopped by our table to introduce us to her restaurant, to bring us samples of her fine ales and to answer any questions. This was to be sure an unforgettable afternoon of fine dining, which I most highly recommend to one and all. Breakfast is served from 11: 30 am to 4 pm and dinner from 4 pm to 10 pm, with happy hour specials  from 3-6 pm and late night offerings after 10 pm!

http://www.ladyfaceale.com/