"Restaurant Reviews and Ratings written by You"

Cat B.   -   Great pizzas with thick sourdough crusts. This bakery has a number of speciality pizzas that should meet your particular craving. I like the Spicy Chi ... more

Cat B.   -   Great pizzas with thick sourdough crusts. This bakery has a number of speciality pizzas that should meet your particular craving. I like the Spicy Chicken which is an improved version of the CPK Thai Chicken. Go to their website and click on "Favorites" to see the list. http://www.thepizzabakery.com. It is a little pricier than most but you get a much better pizza. This is not Ceasar's $5 pizza, it is well made and will be very satisfying. Suggest you order larger because you will love it. less

Cat B.   -   This cantina is the real deal, it specializes in monster burritos for about $5, but it has a variety, too. The line at 11:30 attests to its authentici ... more

Cat B.   -   This cantina is the real deal, it specializes in monster burritos for about $5, but it has a variety, too. The line at 11:30 attests to its authenticity, every trade is there, and most are hispanic. The Cantina professes to serve Aztec food, and the salsa is just like mamacita would make. The burritos probably tip the scale close to a pound, and are in beef, chicken, fish, pork or vegetarian. The staff can be a little gruff but will warm up to you after a couple of visits. I have also enjoyed the Chile Relleno and the Enchiladas there. If you don't have a huge appetite, get a taco, it will be bigger than 2 burritos from the standard take out. Very recommended. less

Cat B.   -   $$$$$. Extremely pricey but apparently that does not deter the local crowd that want a burger like you would make at home. You build your own, choosin ... more

Cat B.   -   $$$$$. Extremely pricey but apparently that does not deter the local crowd that want a burger like you would make at home. You build your own, choosing bun, size, toppings etc. We thought they were very tasty but $65 for a couple of burgers and fries is a bit much. less

Cat B.   -   I have been eating at this restaurant for at least 30 years, no, not the same dinner. I have always enjoyed the food, although I have seen some other ... more

Cat B.   -   I have been eating at this restaurant for at least 30 years, no, not the same dinner. I have always enjoyed the food, although I have seen some other reviews giving it quite the pan. Price is EXCELLENT, service can be EXCELLENT but ymmv. When I lived there, I visited 2 times a week and ended up being treated like part of the family. Recommend the whole fish, if you are entertaining. There are many dishes off the menu. Ask if you can join the Pai Gow game in the kitchen and you will be a hit. less

Cat B.   -   Since the big change in ownership, the portions have shrunk, the quality has gone down and the value is gone. The Tue. 2 for 1 used to be walk out the ... more

Cat B.   -   Since the big change in ownership, the portions have shrunk, the quality has gone down and the value is gone. The Tue. 2 for 1 used to be walk out the door for $11.00, now it is $18, may as well go to a real Chinese restaurant. Oh, that reminds me, none of the kitchen staff is Asian, only Hispanic, cooking Chinese food? Was once my favorite, now not recommended. Shanghai Pine Garden on Balboa Island. less

ocfooddiva   -   Samosas are usually stuffed with meat and spices and deep-fried. They are very popular in areas that were part of the Spice Route - India, Southeast A ... more

ocfooddiva   -   Samosas are usually stuffed with meat and spices and deep-fried. They are very popular in areas that were part of the Spice Route - India, Southeast Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Mediterranean, and Africa. It generally consists of a fried or baked triangular, semilunar or tetrahedral pastry shell with a savory filling, which may include spiced potatoes, onions, peas, coriander, and lentils, or ground lamb or chicken. Kenyan Café offers beef or lentils and cheese. The beef samosas are to die for! Think of an empanada or wonton but better. The spices that are used to flavor the beef definitely taste of Indian and Asian influence. The outer crust reminds me of crispy wonton or gyoza. The ground beef reminds me of an Asian meat filling with green onions and spices. I could eat these all night long because they are addictive. Thumbs up, way up! Obama Meal is fried tilapia on a bed of freshly cooked sauce. The tilapia was whole and perfectly fried. The fish was tender and fall-off-the-bone delicious. The sauce was light and added a textural dimension to the fish. The presentation was beautiful! No fighting over who gets the eyeballs! Roll up the fish in the chapati (unleavened flatbread similar to naan in Indian cuisine) for a unique eating and flavor experience. Thumbs up, way up! Vegetarian Combo Dish is a delicious hearty and filling meal of lentils, githeri (corn and beans boiled together and served as a stew), collard greens, and cabbage with your choice of chapati, ugali (simple staple made from corn or maize flour and water, similar to grits in flavor, but much more doughy), or rice. This is a vegetarian’s paradise. The lentils were cooked to perfection and stewed with spices and vegetables. The collard greens were braised but still green. These have to be the best collard greens - better than any Southern-style collard greens that I’ve ever had. The cabbage was a surprise. It was sweet and didn’t even taste like cabbage. It was scrumptious! The githeri is like a vegetarian chili with beans and spices. It went great with the rice. Thumbs up, way up! Mbuzi Karanga (Lamb Stew) is a tasty meal of lamb stew in a blend of Kenyan spices and herbs. The lamb was tender fell off of the bone. The Kenyan spices were amazing! The ugali was an interesting vehicle to use to grab your food. It had a faint corn flavor to it, but the texture reminded me of stiff mashed potatoes. Use it to soak up all of the stew juices. You don’t want to waste a drop! Thumbs up, way up! less

ocfooddiva   -   The Pulled Pork is exactly what it sounds like. It’s tender, slow-cooked, smoked pork that literally falls apart into shreds. They toss it in Blake� ... more

ocfooddiva   -   The Pulled Pork is exactly what it sounds like. It’s tender, slow-cooked, smoked pork that literally falls apart into shreds. They toss it in Blake’s BBQ sauce and serve it up in a lump. It has a little too much BBQ sauce for me. I’m more of a smoked meat person who uses the sauce on the side to add as needed. Otherwise, the pork tasted pretty good. Thumbs up! Blake’s Big Pulled Pork Pile is slow smoked pork, pulled and served on their big bun with BBQ sauce, cole slaw, and red onion. You’ll definitely need extra napkins for this sandwich! Again, a little too much BBQ sauce for me, but my family loved this sandwich! The sweet, BBQ sauced smoky pork complemented the cool, creamy cole slaw. The bun was soft yet held this pork beast together. Thumbs up! If you’re feeling a bit of Man vs. Food hunger, they also offer the Blake’s One Pounder Bomber or “THE BEAST” (two and a half pounds of food, YIKES!) Sandy’s Bread Pudding is a huge portion with a side of vanilla sauce to slather on. It was a very dense and custardy bread pudding. It had a bit more raisins in it than expected. The vanilla sauce was creamy and gave it a down-home comfy goodness. Thumbs up! less

ocfooddiva   -   Rainbow shave ice is the most popular combo in Hawaii. It’s colorful and onolicious. It’s really for the indecisive, but who could go wrong with t ... more

ocfooddiva   -   Rainbow shave ice is the most popular combo in Hawaii. It’s colorful and onolicious. It’s really for the indecisive, but who could go wrong with this? Mix the flavors with your ice cream in the middle and it’s paradise! Thumbs up, way up! Oahu POG is coconut-pineapple ice cream topped with passion fruit, orange, guava syrup and a snow cap. I’m a sucker for anything with lilikoi (passion fruit) or guava in it. It tasted just like the POG juice you get in the supermarkets in Hawaii. It was packed full of flavor and a tropical delight! This one definitely makes me homesick! Thumbs up, way up! less

ocfooddiva   -   The first one is Caramel Apple. It is a scoop of vanilla ice cream under Green Apple shave ice and topped with caramel syrup. It sounds and looks a li ... more

ocfooddiva   -   The first one is Caramel Apple. It is a scoop of vanilla ice cream under Green Apple shave ice and topped with caramel syrup. It sounds and looks a little weird, but it ONOLICIOUS (DELICIOUS)! The green apple syrup tastes just like you are biting into sweet, fresh apples. The caramel gives it a silky, creamy texture. Once you get to the interior, the creamy vanilla ice cream blends with the apple flavor turning it into an apple pie a la mode. It reminds me of the gum machine in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where the flavor changes as Violet chews the gum. This is amazing and you don’t turn into an apple at the end! Thumbs up, way up! Strawberry shave ice has a strong strawberry flavor just like you would get in Hawaii. It’s basic and old school, but onolicious to da max! Just reminds me of home! Thumbs up, way up! less

ocfooddiva   -   Our dining experience started off with clam chowder, the soup of the day. It was reminiscent of the chowder at another familiar all-you-can-eat salad ... more

ocfooddiva   -   Our dining experience started off with clam chowder, the soup of the day. It was reminiscent of the chowder at another familiar all-you-can-eat salad bar restaurant. Unfortunately, it was a bit undercooked. The celery was still crunchy and the sandy clams were a bit off-putting as well. The cream base was fair. It could have used more herbs, like basil, thyme, and bay leaf, to punch it up a bit and perhaps some bacon for a little salty, smoky flavor. However, this is a plus for those who are watching their sodium intake. Cajun Rib Eye Steak was deliciously seasoned, but a bit overdone for my liking. Since the dish is served on a metal hot plate, the steak continued cooking. Just as a note, you may want to order your steak a bit under your normal choice of doneness. The baked potato was cooked to a fluffy perfection, smothered with creamery-fresh butter goodness. The garlic bread was okay fare. Flat Iron Steak is marinated and charbroiled to order. It was a hearty, flavorful cut of beef with a perfect char on it. The portion size was just right. The mashed potatoes and gravy were very smooth but needed help in the flavor department. A baked potato would be my first choice next time. less