Sticky Rice - Los Angeles

317 S Broadway
Ste C-4-5
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Hours: 11am to 6pm

It was my first time at Grand Central Market and I was craving Thai food so I went over to Sticky Rice after seeing people crowd around it.

BBQ Chicken (5/5): you get a generous portion of tender, flavorful chicken served with sticky rice and a side of tasty papaya salad for only $10, the taste was very authentic!

Beef Panang Curry (4/5): this was also good, but not as good as their chicken dishes. I wasn't a big fan of the mushy beef texture, but the curry itself was yummy.

Overall Sticky Rice is a 4/5. Most of their dishes are around $10 which is a good deal considering you get to sit down, are served water, and receive flavorful Thai food. They also have a Sticky Rice 2 on the opposite side which serves noodle dishes.

Water Grill - Costa Mesa

3300 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Hours: 11am to 11pm

Normally I would avoid restaurants like Water Grill that seem overpriced, but my mom wanted to try it out so we decided to go on a Monday around 6:30PM.

Bread & Butter (4/5): i really liked the cheesy bread they give you at the beginning, different than other places that just give you plain breads.

Clam Chowder (4/5): this was pretty tasty, it's more of a thin soup than your regular clam chowder but I enjoyed it. If you're sharing they'll even split it into two bowls for you which is nice.

Ceviche (3/5): I was a little bummed out that they ran out of the pink sea bream ceviche in the smaller 1 pound portion considering it was a Monday night. So we went with the other kind of fish which was fresh, but a little too overpowered with lemon. The presentation is great though.

Lobster Roll (3/5): We opted for the warm style lobster roll, which was good but nothing special. The fries were yummy.

Overall Water Grill is a 4/5. We paid around $100 for two people, which personally is too pricey for me. The ambiance is really nice, the food was good, and customer service was excellent. I really liked that the waitress noticed I was wearing black denim and offered me a black napkin to place on my lap instead of getting white lint all over my pants. If you have the money to spend you should go here. Valet is $6 after 4PM, and is the only option unless you want to park across the street at South Coast and walk over.

Fishing With Dynamite - Manhattan Beach

1148 Manhattan Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Hours: 11:30am to 10pm

Fishing with Dynamite is one of the most popular restaurants in Manhattan Beach. Known for their seafood, my mom wanted to go check it out. Reservations are recommended due to the limited amount of seating inside.

Operation Koh Samui (4/5): a tasty and refreshing yuzu drink.

SS Minow (3.5/5): most of the seafood was very fresh, but some of the oysters were a little fishy.

The Queen Mary (4/5): again everything was really fresh and tasty but not worth the $85 price tag.

Uni (4/5): very fresh and melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Hamachi (4/5): this was delicious, but wish it came with more pieces.

Pork Belly (1/5): extremely salty, we could barely eat it so we sent it back.

Octopus (2/5): a measly three pieces of octopus in a bed of tomato sauce and beans...not good. Not sure what everyone on Yelp was raving about.

Clam Chowder (4/5): good, but it used to be served in a bigger bowl and portion according to my mom.

Salmon (1/5): super tiny portion of salmon on a bed of weird sour tasting potatoes that were inedible. Do not get this!

Fries (3/5): average.

Pretzel Chocolate Bread Pudding (4/5): love this dessert, had a little too much caramel on the bottom but really good otherwise.

Keylime Pie (3/5): yummy but wish there was actually a crust to bite into instead of graham cracker pieces.

Overall I would give this place a 3/5. The seafood was pretty good for the most part, but the non-seafood items were just okay or not that great. It is also on the expensive side for dinner, and the noise level inside the restaurant was way too loud both times I dined there. If you're in Manhattan Beach, can afford to splurge a little, and don't mind loud music then you should check it out!

North Italia - Irvine

2957 Michelson Dr
Irvine, CA 92612
Hours: 11am to 10pm

North Italia is one of the best Italian restaurants in the Irvine area. Known for their handmade pastas and unique flavors, you won't be disappointed if you dine here.

Zucca Chips (4/5): a delicious, tasty snack! Tastes just like potato chips but they're made out of zucchini.

Squid Ink Mafaldine (4/5): loved the freshness of the handmade pasta and spicy flavor, however I tasted no squid ink whatsoever and it was pretty salty. $22 is a bit high for the portion.

Funghi Pizza (4/5): a great pizza for mushroom lovers.

Margherita Pizza (5/5): sounds plain, but the cheese on this pizza is really good.

French Toast (3.5/5): tasty and served with berries on top.

Bolognese (2.5/5): very average, definitely not worth the $19.

Salted Caramel Pudding (4/5): delicious but recommend sharing with a friend as it can get a little overwhelming.

Tiramisu (3.5/5): there are crunchy chocolate balls on top which i thought was pretty unique.

Bombolinis (3/5): good doughnut dessert.

Overall I give North Italia a 4/5. The texture of handmade pastas just doesn't compare to other Italian restaurants where they just use pasta out of a box, and they have solid pizzas. The ambiance is also nice, but a little on the loud side especially during dinner time. I would recommend making a reservation as this place gets pretty busy especially on the weekends.

Las Brisas - Laguna Beach

361 Cliff Dr
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Hours: 8am to 11pm

Las Brisas is one of my favorite places in Laguna to watch the sunset while eating dinner. If you can grab a seat by the window, you're in for a great view.

Red Sangria (3/5): not bad, if you prefer something sweeter go with the white sangria.

Guacamole (4/5): it's pretty hard to mess up guacamole, wish they gave out complimentary chips and salsa though since everything is pricey.

Ceviche (3.5/5): solid ceviche.

Mussels (3/5): these were good, but nothing special.

Frutas del Mar (3.5/5): ordered this with pasta instead of rice and it was pretty tasty, but not worth $40 in my opinion.

New York Steak & Shrimp (3/5): average steak and shrimp, their mashed potatoes are bland.

Ribeye w/ Chimichurri (5/5): this was their special of the night and it was delicious, more than enough for two people.

Overall Las Brisas gets a 3.5/5, the food there is average for the most part, but you come here for the view which is spectacular. Service is a little on the slow side, and parking is either metered street parking or valet for $10.

Osteria Venice West - Venice

5 Dudley Ave
Venice, CA 90291
Hours: 5 to 10pm

If you're ever in Venice, this is the spot to go for dinner. Located right along the beach, Osteria Venice West is a hidden gem among all of the casual bars and shops along the boardwalk. The owners are Japanese, so you can see the Japanese influence mixed into their authentic Italian menu.

Octopus Salad (5/5): octopus was cooked perfectly and the dressing was refreshing. 

Steamed Mussels (5/5): huge bowl of mussels topped with some bread that you can dip in the yummy sauce. Definitely get your money's worth with this dish. 

Foie Gras (5/5): loved this appetizer, highly recommend.

Tuna Tartare (3/5): simple and fresh, wish it had more flavor though. 

Wagyu Ribeye (5/5): they had this as their special for the day and wow it was good! It was very tender and topped with a fantastic chimichurri sauce. It also came with shishito peppers and smushed potatoes which were the perfect accompaniments to the wagyu. More than enough for 4 people to share. 

Wagyu NY Strip (4/5): a little bit on the salty side, but a great piece of steak overall.

The Fisherman (5/5): the pasta was O-shaped which I never had before and cooked perfectly al dente, one of my favorite pastas here. 

Lobster Ravioli (4/5): this has cod roe in it, so for those who don't like fishy tasting food I would probably avoid it, but I liked the unique flavor.

Pizza (4/5): their pizza has matcha dough and is very airy and light. 

Chocolate Mousse (4/5): a chocolate lover's dream! It had pieces of crunchy chocolate which made it so much better. 

Cannoli (3/5): this would be a dessert for people who don't really like sweet stuff, wish it was a little more flavorful. 

Gelato (4/5): 3 scoops of hazelnut, chocolate, and strawberry gelato in an ice bowl, tasty. 

Sfogliatella (3/5): puff pastry filled with creamy custard, if you like orange flavor this would be a good choice. 

Osteria Venice West is a 5/5 for me because of their great food and excellent customer service. It's rare for me to like almost everything on the menu at a restaurant. The ambiance is bright and airy, definitely a little bit on the fancier side for Venice Beach. Parking is either public parking for $9, or valet for $20.

Ohshima - Orange

1956 N Tustin St

Orange, CA 92865

Hours: 5 to 9:30pm

Ohshima is hands down my favorite spot for omakase in Orange County. They only take reservations between 5-5:30pm daily, and after calling about 50 times I was finally able to connect and make a reservation. This is probably the most frustrating part about dining here, but it's definitely worth the effort. 

Omakase (5/5): they usually offer an 8 or 10 course omakase for around $35-40, which is a great deal for the quality of sushi you get. Each piece is cut nice and thick, and the quality of the fish is just amazing.

Some of the types of fish included: 

-Bluefin Tuna

-Sea Bream

-Scallop

-Amberjack

-Sea Bass

-Cherry Salmon

-Beltfish

-Black Cod

Uni Pasta (3/5): nice and buttery, but not the best uni pasta I've had.

Pork Hot Dish (2/5): not that great, don't get this.

Tempura (3/5): just your average tempura.

This spot gets a 5/5 from me, because the quality of fish you get for the price is just incredible. I've been to multiple sushi spots in Orange County, and none compare to Ohshima. I highly recommend making a reservation for the bar because you get your sushi one piece at a time rather than all at once, which I feel heightens the experience. Great place to celebrate your birthday as they bring out a complimentary warm chocolate cake with ice cream for you!