L.A. Area Restaurants

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:18:25 PST

There are a lot of good places to eat in the Los Angeles area, but for someone who visits, it's going to take someone who knows the streets of the city to show you where the real good places to eat at. Some may not be well known my travel agents, but they are known by me, for I am a lifelong resident of this big city. It may be a short list, but I'm very selective on where I eat at and which places are worth going back to. So without further adieu, here we go:

Tito's Tacos

11222 Washington Pl.,
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 391-5780
www.titostacos.com

Although this place serves its standard Mexican fare, it's tacos that reign supreme. At $1.95 with cheese ($1.50 without), the shredded beef tacos are worth the long lines on a daily basis. Open 9 am-11:30 pm daily.

California Chicken Café

2005 Westwood Bl.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 446-1933
www.californiachickencafe.com

Excellent portions of dark & white meat chicken, salads that'll make you unsure as to what you want to order. However, it's the wraps that I go there for. The combo wrap that has chicken, avocado, jack cheese, sprouts, Italian dressing, lettuce, tomato, and mayo is the most popular one, and the one I go almost every time. Its $7.50 and it's worth the price. Open 11 am-10 pm, M-F; noon-10 pm on Sat. They're closed on Sundays.

Diddy Reese Cookies

926 Broxton Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-0448

For the sweet tooth in me, I head to this place for some excellent ice cream cookie sandwiches. It may be a challenge trying to find a parking space and the place is near UCLA, but once I go inside, I'm in heaven, and you will be too. Call for hours.

Something Different to Snack On: Hello Panda Cookies

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:45:04 PST

Cookies are a delight. Who does not enjoy them at one time or other as a snack or dessert? Gourmet has always been my preference when bought, or better yet home made. One of my friends in class recently introduced me to a different kind of cookie made in Singapore by Meiji called Hello Panda. Her preference for them went along the line that it seemed no matter how many she ate, she never gained weight.

These cookies differ very much from other cookies. First off, they are 2 cm in size, and they have little pictures of pandas playing sports. These biscuits are made with Choco Cream inside. One serving or eight cookies are 138 calories.

They are very tasty with tea. A good place to look for them is at the Asian Food Grocer. One serving or one box should cost around 89 cents. A box like the one above goes for $4.50. It holds ten individual servings. This is perfect to pack in a child's lunch, or to pack in your own lunch.

If international cuisine is your thing, you may find these an utter delight. The Choco Cream melts in your mouth and the biscuits are light and fluffy in flavor. If you are like me, these may be the next treasure you add to your food pantry.