Santa Monica Restaurant Tips by su_jen

Indian Food

Favorite Dish: I love Indian food so it don't matter :D

Address: Food court in the Santa Monica Mall

Comparison: about average

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Indian

J.R. Seafood: Good Chinese Seafood Restaurant J.R. Seafood Restaurant Review

JR is well hidden among other shops by Armacost and Santa Monica blvd. I never noticed the place until a friend brought us there. It's Hong Kong Chinese cuisine, which has a typical chinese restaurant setting. Parking is always a problem, if you can't find parking ground level, you'll need to go into the garage. If I remember correctly they have an elevator going up, it's mandatory by law for the disabled if I'm not wrong.

Favorite Dish: We ordered seafood - the waiter brought live fish out of the aquarium to show us. The fish came out excellent as I love them steamed but the shrimp were overcooked, but everything else was pretty good.
On a separate visit, I ordered Singaporean noodle, which wasn't really the one that I'm used to, but it was alright -- lunch is always cheaper than dinner :D

Address: 11901 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90025-2767

Comparison: about average

Directions: Santa Monica Blvd and Armacost

Phone: 310-260-8855

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

Tandoor India: All you can Eat Indian Buffet

Tandoor India is a small restaurant tucked away in a shopping place between a small pizza place and a fast food Chinese restaurant. It's pretty dark inside the restaurant :) and they're open 7 days -- buffet lunch from 11am to 3pm

Favorite Dish: If you ever feel like Indian food, the best time to go is the all you can eat buffet :D they used to be $5.99 but they increased the price to $6.95 :( Anyways, it''s the same item on the buffet everyday, rice, chicken curry, tandoori chicken (red chicken), mixed vegetables (vegetable of the day), sometimes Okra Naan, Dal, Raita, and Salad. They also have rice pudding for dessert. Buffet menus seldom change, the main ones are those above, but they're good enough for me :)
Other than the buffet, you should try the Sheekh Kebab and Lamb Curry, well.. I love Indian food, but Tandoor India make them pretty good. Oh yes, almost forgot to mention that they give Indian roti and vegetable samosa alongside every meal which includes the buffet. They'll refill your roti after you're done with the first one ;)

Address: 2622 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica CA 90405

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Between 22nd and 23rd on Pico if I'm not mistaken.

Phone: 310-581-9964

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Indian

Dagwood: Dagwood

New York Style Pizza

Favorite Dish: Used to come here for their Pizza, but found out about Slice later on. Would still recommend it to anyone, except that they're located a little further than Slice :D

Address: 820 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica 90404

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: West on Wilshire, next to a pet store - btw the pet store owners happen to be crooks (long story), uh yes entrance is at the side. Small place

Phone: 310-899-3030

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pizza

Yang Tze: Chinese Japanese Vietnamese and more

Well, this one restaurant, I have never been into hehe.. I've passed it but never actually been into it. Weird huh, well... I was craving for some comfort food, for me it's Chinese food, I miss grannie's cooking. So, I flip through the yellow book, and found this restaurant. Ever since, I've been hooked to their food. I've got to admit I never notice the restaurant on 3rd street, but now I know :) and yet to step into the restaurant, it looks nice from outside though hehe Their food is so freaking good that I even have their number on my cellphone :D

Favorite Dish: Here's what I always order: Tom Yam soup with shrimp oh my god, they are sooooooooooooo goooooood!! Then, my other usual is shrimp noodle hehe, theirs are pretty good too, except they use "fatter" rice noodle than Poom Thai (read my other restaurant tip) does. Their shrimp/beef fried rice -- beef/shrimp lo mein are pretty good and their ribs (pork usually) are good also. I've tried one of their fruit dessert such as rambutan and lychee, which are exotic fruits here, and they brought back good memories :) They've got lots of other good food, these are the ones that I usually order. Tom Yam soup is a must

Address: Somewhere on 3rd Street Promenade

Comparison: about average

Directions: Just call them they'll deliver if you're within Santa Monica :D

Phone: 310-260-1994

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

POOM POOOM well actually just Poom hehe: Thai Food

It's a small restaurant righ on Lincoln between Pearl and I forgot the name of the other street. It's walls are yellow in color and has graffiti or rather signatures from customers who have dined in it. It's pretty interesting to read the comments on the wall, all of them seem like very satisfied customers. Oh, they use only white chicken meat, and no MSG

Favorite Dish: My favorite food at Poom would be Shrimp Noodle -- my all time favorite because I'm homesick and their Shrimp Noodle is the closest I've ever came across to "Char Koay Teow" (Fried rice noodle with shrimp). Other than that, I also like their Curry, Panang curry is good, and their chicken in yellow curry is good as well. One thing I don't really like about their curry is that they have a pretty thick layer of fat over it, otherwise it would be excellent. I've also tried their Tom Yum soup, they were not that good as compared to the ones I've had back home. But, I like their appetizer.. called "The Four Season" which is a combination of egg roll, shrimp, squid and fried wonton server with sweet and sour sauce. The shrimp and squid are battered and deep fried. I don't like their fried rice that much, it always taste like burnt garlic?

Address: 2204 #A Lincoln Blvd Santa Monica CA 90405

Comparison: about average

Directions: North on Lincoln. It's between Pico and Pearl on Lincoln. After 76 gas station if you're coming south on Pico.

Phone: 310-452-2150

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

The Slice: Great Pizzas The Slice Review

There's a couple Slice shops around Santa Monica. I know one that is just right by our place on Ocean Park Blvd. They've got good pizza, New York style.

Favorite Dish: Other than conventional pizzas, I like their calzones and spaghetti with meatball and sausage. I'm not a big pizza fan but with Slice, with mushroom, meatball, sausage, olives and sometimes pineapple topping, man oh man, I can be a pig sometimes :D
Oh, they sell pizzas by the slice also. $2.50 per slice if I'm not mistaken, up to 3 toppings. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Address: between 16th and 17th on Ocean Park Blvd

Comparison: about average

Directions: Drive west on Ocean Park Blvd. it's right in front of John Adams Middle School Football field.

Phone: 310-399-4060

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Pizza

Charlie Kebob Specialties - EATZ: Gyro Plate with extra rice please Charlie Kebob Specialties - EATZ Review

Well, I hate it because it's at the mall. It's always a hassle to get a parking there because it's always packed. Their store is located at the end of the food court from the entrance. And the second one from the elevator coming down after the Japanese restaurant.

Favorite Dish: But, Charlie does have great gyro/food. I always opt for gyros though. The only problem is that they don't give enough meat!! Stinkers!! hehe Love their rice and salad. Oh gyro plate comes with few thinly sliced gyro- lamb meat, some rice, salad, and yummy yoghurt on top of it. I've also tried the other stuff like chicken & beef combination and ground sirloin kabob, they were all good. Also try their spinach pie and the desserts -- Bamieh it's yummy

Address: 14 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica CA 90404

Comparison: about average

Directions: South End of 3rd Street Promenade

Phone: 310-393-5535

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.charliekabob.com/

American, fast food, Greek,...

American, fast food, Greek, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Indian, slow food, you name we've got it. Hunt 'em down :) oh yes also the best food can be eaten AT HOME!!
Eat till you drop *burpz

Favorite Dish: This is a difficult question for me to answer. My passion for food is undescribeable in words :) Forgive me

Address: In the backyard, Barbeque your own food!

Other Contact: http://www.santamonica.com/n-din

Rating: 0

Theme: Other