Uncensored Former Yelper(s) Back from the Dead

When you see a business name that says best, does it make it curious? That type of name works on me, especially when I’m in the mood for fish tacos.

BFTIN specializes in Baja-style fish tacos. It’s said that the fish taco was invented in Ensenada. BFTIN replicates the feel of a colorful beachside taco shack in Ensenada. The menu is simple, shrimp and fish tacos, $1 drinks. They also added taquitos, papa tacos, and tronco de papa. I spotted some aguas frescas behind the counter.

Order the counter and pay. The shrimp and fish are fried to order and come without fixings. Visit the salsa bar for several kinds of salsa, finely shredded cabbage, and crema. I wish they offered cilantro, pickled onions, and limes.

Fish taco ($3.50): fried to a golden brown, tempura style batter, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. There were some big pieces of fish and small pieces of fish. There was a single corn tortilla, larger than street taco size.  The fixings were decent but I wasn’t wowed by any salsa and the overall taco seemed too plain with just cabbage, salsa, and crema.

Papa taco: chipotle salsa, onions, cilantro, cojita cheese on a single corn tortilla. The mashed potato was mushy but not creamy. The taco was okay. I wouldn’t get it again because of the mushy texture  and overall blandness.

3 out of 5 stars

Tectonic is a tiny Aussie-owned coffee shop that roasts its own responsibly-sourced beans. For coffee, they have some fancy Geisha pour over coffee (two options), cold brew, espresso tonic, specialty lattes, and your classic espresso drinks. Milk options: whole, almond, oat. Bogan brew is drip coffee. I spied some pastries – croissants, cookies, donuts, and a muffin.

Latte (12 oz), $7.20: It’s more expensive and the foam art was basic. However, the flavor was very good -rich, balanced, flavorful – maybe a tad bitter.

You can buy coffee beans, coffee accessories, and branded merch. Coffee subscriptions are available.

Tectonic had two parking spots out front. Seating is limited to two benches out front and a covered outdoor patio with four two-top tables. Service was friendly. There is no restroom.  

4 out of 5 stars

This is such a busy café…the building looks distinctive and service is excellent. Someone even manages the line. If it’s too busy inside, they’ll have you wait outside. Order inside, get a number, and pick a table. They’ll bring your food to you. There is a self-service area where you can get water and takeout containers.

The menu includes salads, breakfast (burritos, avocado toast, oatmeal, waffles, omelettes, bagels), sandwiches, beverages (coffee, espresso drinks, tea, fresh cold pressed juice, smoothies).  Breakfast is served all day. They also had a wide variety of pastries on display – croissants, cookies, muffins, bagels, and cakes. Vegan and gluten-free items are available.

Dialog breakfast burrito ($14.95): soft scrambled eggs, kielbasa sausage, cheddar, hash browns, housemade spicy ketchup. They use quality ingredients and know how to cook. The breakfast burrito was on the smaller side, but tightly rolled with lots of very tender soft scrambled eggs. The eggs looked organic (they were orange). The kielbasa was cut in half and seared. The tortilla had been seared on both sides too. The spicy ketchup was fine but I think a good zesty sauce would elevate the burrito.

Organic cold pressed green juice ($7.25): not made to order, tangy, a bit sweeter than I hoped

Online ordering is available. Service was excellent. The seating is all outdoors but covered. You can see Sunset Boulevard while you dine.

4 out of 5 stars

Fro-yo girl here. Calabasas, froyo is back! Calabasas Coffee House (CCH) announced the start of its soft serve era with the recent launch of soft serve. There are currently two flavors: matcha and Greek tart yogurt. You can get your soft serve in a cup or in a clear bottle. It’s $10 with toppings included in the price. There’s even a viral dot cake soft serve option.

Toppings: honey, granola, sea salt, fresh strawberries, chocolate shell, whipped cream, dots sprinkles

I tried the Greek tart yogurt. It is sweeter than average with little tang. It was definitely too sweet for me. The texture wasn’t as creamy and thick as other places. I wish it were firmer and thicker. The bottle was novel but made it harder to scoop out the yogurt and toppings. The granola was good but also too sweet.

CCH is first and foremost a coffee shop. You’ll find coffee drinks (drip, espresso drinks, cold brew), ceremonial matcha, pastries (croissants, muffins, cookies), bagels, and grab n go power bowls, breakfast burritos, burritos, sandwiches, etc. They serve Canyon Coffee. Milk choices: oat, almond, pistachio, nonfat milk, whole milk, half & half, 2% milk.

Iced latte, nonfat milk ($7.50): very good

This place is popular with younger scenester types. The quality seems to be high, so expect to pay more. They also sell candles, Hot Girl Pickles, Swedish candy, etc.

Online ordering is available. There is a rewards program. Free wi-fi. Free parking in the underground garage.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Neighborhood grocery offering produce, meat, and beer, including marinated meats, and Mexican

I’ve driven by Alhambra Market so many times that I finally decided to check it out. It’s a Mexican/Latino market with fresh produce, pan dulce, beverages, ice cream, a staffed meat department with marinated Mexican meats, cheese/dairy, spices, pasta, snacks, bread, beer, household products, and Thrifty Ice Cream. It reminds me of some of the medium-sized Mexican markets in Highland Park.         

Prices were surprisingly high for such an old looking market, but they do have a flyer with sales. The floor boards are in sad shape.

Alhambra Market has its own parking lot. It also has an ATM machine and sells lotto tickets. WIC is accepted.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

Banana Thai opened recently in a strip mall in West Pasadena. The décor was homey with white lace curtains and knickknacks. There were fresh flowers at every table and quiet music played in the background.

The menu includes appetizers, salads, curries, soups, rice, noodles, street food, beverages, etc. The lunch specials are available Monday – Friday from 11 AM – 3 PM. The regular menu was pretty standard. The street food menu was more interesting. They put blood in the boat noodle soup, so that’s a good sign. There’s also a Thai spicy level on the menu.

Khao soi ($19.99): flat egg noodles in coconut milk, chili paste topped with crispy egg noodle, green and red onion, cilantro, choice of protein. I chose chicken. The thick rich curry had lemongrass and lots of depth of flavor. The noodles were chewy and toothsome. The boneless, skinless chicken pieces were tender and flavorful but I prefer versions with the bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh. I would have liked more fresh herbs and a wedge of lime. The portion was filling because the curry was so rich.

It’s a quiet strip mall…I hope people find this place and support it.

4 out of 5 stars.

I went to a different location of Bafang Dumpling. I liked the dumplings but not the noodles. Bafang is a Taiwanese restaurant chain that has a fast food feel. Serving dumplings since 1998, Bafang Dumpling has over 1,000 outlets in Taiwan. The menu includes dumplings, potstickers, soups, noodles, appetizers, and drinks. There were several combo meals.

Potstickers or Dumplings: Signature, Kimchi & Pork, Corn & Chicken, Veggie

Noodles: Signature, Old Fashioned, Sesame, Spicy Mala, Beef Noodle Soup, Mala Beef Noodle Soup, Beef Dry Noodle, Spicy Beef Dry Noodle, Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

I noticed that the beef noodle soup was popular.

Place your order with the cashier or at the kiosk and pay. You’ll get a beeper. It will go off when your order is ready. The food is cooked to order. Bus your own tray when you’re done.

Combo #5 ($13.75): Signature dumplings (kimchi), hot & sour soup, A dozen small boiled kimchi dumplings with thicker skins. The dumplings had ground pork and kimchi. I liked the chewy skins and the dumplings were nice and juicy – but the dumplings did feel lightly filled. The hot & sour soup was very good – tangy with lots of tofu, carrots, mushrooms, pork  scallions, etc.

The space is clean and spacious. You can help yourself to the sauces and get your own water. Easy strip mall parking. There was no option to leave a tip.

4 out of 5 stars

Founded in Taiwan, UG (Unique Green Tea) serves top quality, whole leaf teas. It also plants a tree for every 1,000 drinks sold. They also are positioned as a high-end fashion tea brand with fancy packaging and cups.

I thought it was a matcha shop at first, but it’s more like a milk tea shop with Uji matcha drinks, fruit tea, and pure tea. Order at the kiosk.

Choose your drink, size, sweetness level, ice level, and add-ins.

​Osmanthus oolong milk tea with fresh milk, 0% sugar, less ice, floral tea jelly ($6.40 + $0.50 for tea jelly): this was nice – not very creamy, perfect level of sweetness, tea flavor was floral and not bitter or weak, the tea jelly was soft and sweet.

It seemed weird that the drink came in a sealed bag (wasteful packaging but then they say that they plant a tree for every 1,000 drinks sold).

The shop is spacious though the tables aren't good for laptop camping.

There is a rewards program and app.

4 out of 5 stars

It’s hard to think of anything negative to say about Earle’s. It’s a local institution that started as a humble hot dog cart on Venice Beach. The brick & mortar restaurant opened in 1992. It’s owned by two brothers from Brooklyn who missed NY hot dogs.

The menu is hot dog centric, but they also have burgers, sandwiches, Jamaican patties, sides (e.g., chili fries), and vegan menu. Design your own hot dog (vegan, chicken, beef, turkey) by adding any of the following toppings: ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, chipotle mayo, NY cooked onions, BBQ sauce, raw onions, ranch, tartar sauce, hot mustard, sauerkraut, hot peppers, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, pickles. The dogs are split in half and grilled. Cheese and chili cost extra. You have a choice between a white or wheat hot dog bun.

I also noticed pies, cake slices, banana pudding, peach cobbler, coffee cake, and cheesecake.

Chicken link on a wheat bun with NY cooked onions, hot mustard, sauerkraut, vegan chili ($8.49, cheese is $1.29 and vegan chili $2.49): The split chicken link was juicy and heavily spiced (i.e., flavorful), though it was a tad too salty. The wheat hot dog bun was soft – nothing particularly special about it. The vegan chili was very saucy and had some pinto beans. It was sweet. The kraut had a nice tang. Loved the spicy mustard. It was a good dog with some toppings that you don’t find elsewhere.

Jamaican patty (chicken), $5: This was a flat patty with chicken curry filling. The shell was flaky like pot pie crust. The curry was fairly spicy and a bit too salty. The bits of chicken were very small but I could taste them. Pretty good. The crust wasn’t as hard as some of the other patties that I’ve had.

Duane Earle greeted everyone and also talked to everyone. I’m sure he’s also keeping an eye on the employees, to ensure excellent customer service. The interior had a fast food feel but it also had a lot of character with a book exchange and lots of posters and knickknacks. There are a few picnic tables outside and limited indoor seating as well.

You can order ahead over the phone or online.

4 out of 5 stars

Locals love JB Burgers, a classic burger spot (since 1973) with lots of menu options and great prices. Portions are generous too. Order at the window and then grab a seat inside or outside. They’ll bring your food to you.

Choose from breakfast plates, omelets, pancakes, French toast, Mexican breakfast, breakfast burritos, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, Mexican food, and plates. A hamburger is $4.95. Don't expect anything fancy or unusual.

Tuna melt ($7): your choice of bread (white, wheat, sourdough, rye), lettuce, tomato, cheese. I think it was American cheese and they put slices on the top and the bottom. The veggies were fresh. The tuna salad had celery and wasn’t too mushy nor did it have a crazy amount of mayo. Both sides of the sandwich were golden and buttery. It was a good tuna melt, not fancy but well-executed and fresh.

Fried zucchini: the zucchini pieces were shorter, the batter firm, crispy, and a bit sweet. I like the contrast of the soft, sweet zucchini with the batter. The fries weren’t greasy. Very good.

I noticed the interior was clean and comfortable. Someone came to wipe down the tables. They even have their own parking lot.

4.5 out of 5 stars

I’m surprised that H Salt Fish & Chips is still around. This location looks like it’s been in the old strip mall for many decades. It’s no frills and just about all of the menu is previously frozen fried food. I wonder if they make the coleslaw. My guess is that they don’t. Prices are reasonable.

The fried foods include fish, shrimp, scallops, clams, chicken strips, hush puppies, chips (fries), zucchini, mushrooms, egg rolls, dumplings, and onion rings. Malt vinegar is listed as $5.99. Maybe you have to buy the whole bottle? The food is served on plastic trays. It is fried to order.

London special ($8.99): two pieces of fish, chips. The fish filets were larger than average. They had a crispy, light coating. The fish was moist and hot. The fish was the highlight. The chips were thicker, your typical frozen fries. I asked for ketchup and was handed a plastic bottle. The ketchup tasted off. The tartar sauce was mostly mayo – on the bland side. The food wasn’t overly greasy for deep fried food.

Parking was easy to find. Most people take the food to go because the inside is depressing.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Part Wappen House, part snack shop (Korean version of 7-Eleven), and part K beauty shop, Kneighbor brings the latest Korean trends to Ktown. It’s clearly aimed at the younger crowd.

Wappen refers to things you can customize with patches. In Korea, these shops are known as Wappen Houses. Kneighbor lets you customize tote bags and keychains with iron on patches (letters, food, dogs, cats). It’s affordable too. My nephew would love it, I’m sure.

Moving on to snacks, they have snacks from Korea, France, Thailand, Japan, etc. Snacks include chips, ramen, cookies, cakes, jellies, ice cream, etc. You can also buy beverage pouches and combine them for a custom drink. If you buy the ramen, you can make it at the ramen station. There is a microwave too. They have some add-ins for ramen too. There’s a drink menu and a hot snack menu (pizza, rollers).

The viral ice cream selection was impressive, with mini fruit ice creams, steak-shaped ice cream, hamburger-shaped ice cream, fries-shaped ice cream, etc. The cold case had onigiri, cheesy pizza, tteok bokki, and other foods that you can heat and eat there. They have Dubai chewy cookies too.

They had face masks, makeup, skin care, blind boxes, keychains, stickers, etc.

There are tables and chairs for dining, crafting, or just hanging out.

My picks:

Tofu snack

Yogurt jellies

Kneighbor is in Oxford Plaza which has parking.

5 out of 5 stars

I believe this was the first location of Slurpin Ramen, which now has six branches. Slurpin Ramen specializes in authentic Hakata-style rich, thick and creamy tonkotsu ramen to California. The menu also includes tsukemen, veggie ramen, rice bowls, appetizers, and drinks. The ramen can be customized by adding toppings (they also have double chashu and make it pro options). The basic ramen comes in two sizes, small and regular, with tonkotsu broth, noodles, garlic, black garlic, dried seaweed, green onions, and choice of protein (chashu, fatty pork, chicken, tofu). You can choose your spice level.

Ramen (small, $16.50) with fatty pork: A small ramen is small (like a mini). It’s mostly broth and noodles. The milky pork broth was garlicky and flavorful without feeling very heavy or salty. The noodles were firm and straight. The fatty pork was pale, very tender, and fatty. I didn’t enjoy the bowl as much due to the lack of toppings. Extra spicy wasn’t too spicy but they brought some chili oil and hot sauce.

The ramen combo includes your choice of appetizer and a salad for $5. The salad was nice and fresh with mixed greens, shredded radicchio, corn, and a creamy sesame dressing. Four Takoyaki balls were hot and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They were topped with sauces and bonito. The takoyaki sauce was a bit too salty.

The interior has cute hanging lights, long communal tables, and counter seating as well. The windows had all been tagged. Service was fast and friendly.

4 out of 5 stars

It’s rare to find a restaurant without an exterior signage, not even a name on the door – but that’s Loli Farms. Loli Farms is a casual Peruvian café, specializing in pollo a la brasa - rotisserie chicken, marinated for 48 hours and slow-roasted in a wood fire oven.

You can order ¼, ½ or a whole chicken, sides, and sanguches (sandwiches). The chicken comes with sides. There are a wide variety of sides to choose from, including canary beans, quinoa salad, platano frito,  fried yucca, white rice, mashed potatoes, etc. The fries are hand-cut.

½ chicken ($18) with choice of two sides: The rotisserie chicken was tender, fall of the bone tender. The spice rub was too salty at times, but if you eat the skin with the meat, it evens out. The skin wasn’t crispy but I took it home. The sweet potato fries were soft and not crispy, but I took it home and I think the food continued to steam in the container. The lentil and chopped bell pepper saiad was simple but good. The lentils were firm. The chicken comes with two spicy sauces, a creamy yellow one and a herbaceous green one. The sauces are fantastic. If you dine there, you can help yourself to the sauce bottles. If you take it to go, you don’t get much sauce.

The interior was remodeled and repainted. They played lively music (Peruvian?). The décor is simple. They also sell a small selection of Peruvian spices, frozen veggies, and sauces. Order at the counter and they’ll call your name when your order is ready.

4 out of 5 stars

This Philz opened last summer, and it’s a smaller location. The drink menu seems the same at all the Philz locations. Choose your drink (dark roast, medium roast, light roast) hot or iced, pick your dairy/non-dairy alternative, specify the level of sweetness, and select the size.

A medium classic coffee is $5.75. It’s another $1 for their fancier creations.

The pastries include morning buns, muffins, croissants, cookie croissants, kouign ammans, cookies, Danish, cinnamon rolls, cake, and more. They also have breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, bagels, and more.

Grilled ham & cheese ($6.95): premade but they can heat it, the bread is thin and white but crunchy like they added more cheese on top, there’s a sweet bechamel like sauce, and a thin layer of ham

Dusted Chocolate Flourless Cookie ($4.95): really good, moist with lots of chocolate flavor and chunks of chocolate, like a brownie, crisp edges

Medium Dancing Water, black ($5.75): it’s a lot of coffee and seems to have extra caffeine vs. other coffee

The service is consistently great. They greet everyone who enters. You’re also told to taste the drink and ask for adjustments if needed.

The space is charming with hanging globe lights, and white with light wood and yellow accents. You can buy Philz coffee beans. Order ahead and earn points with the Philz app. They also have parking in the back. If you don’t find a space, it could be difficult to find parking in the neighborhood.

4 out of 5 stars.

Top One is a new Cantonese restaurant in Valley Square. It’s in an area with many Chinese restaurants. All the patrons were Chinese. It seemed to be well-run, with the owner serving as the waitperson and cashier. She was friendly and attentive.

The menu is fairly extensive and included steamed noodle rolls, congee, claypot rice, rice plates, soups, noodles, Indian curry, appetizers, signature dishes (e.g., Hainan chicken, braised pork trotters), and fried rice. The claypot rice is made to order, so it will take at least 25 minutes (longer if they’re busy).

Claypot rice with Chinese cured meats ($17.99): This smelled nice and toasty when it hit the table. It was made in a claypot. The veggies and sauce were served on the side. The gai lan was still crunchy, which I enjoyed. The sauce, which contained soy sauce, wasn’t too salty. A crispy crust did form on the bottom. I liked how the meat was cut a bit thicker for added chewiness. The sweet Chinese sausage contrasted well with the saltier slices of preserved pork. It all tasted harmonious with different textures to keep it interesting. Both meats were fatty, enhancing the flavor of the white rice.

The restaurant had a casual look with a cute mural of Chinese street food. It had a casual, homey look. There is a fee for credit card payments.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Fro-yo girl here. It took me a few months, but I finally visited the new Froyo & Fido in Simi Valley. It’s a self-serve froyo shop that sells dog accessories, bagged candy, and canned beverages.

The shop was clean, cute, and cheerful. I like how you can find the flavors of the day on their website, as well as nutritional information. Service was better than average.

There are eight self-serve froyo flavors a day and a well-stocked toppings bar. It’s $0.79/ounce. Sample cups are available. You can also build your own tray of froyo nachos.

Froyo flavors:

Jolly rancher

Tart: rather bland, mild tartness

Strawberry

Cotton candy

French vanilla

Cake batter

Chocolate

Peanut butter cup: creamy, not too chocolatey

The yogurt is good but it’s not special, but I think they’re trying to build a community and provide a fun experience. The goal isn’t to provide artisanal froyo.

They sell froyo for dogs ($3 a cup) and dog treats.

Every other Thursday, 20% of froyo sales will go to the Community Pet Fund to help local families with vet bills.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

3.5 out of 5 stars