Pink Taco, Century City

Pink Taco is located on the third floor of the popular Century City mall. If you've ever driven down the Santa Monica side of the mall, chances are you've seen the eye catching sign. Restaurant might not be the first thought that pops in mind, but the name will definitely start a conversation about the establishment. When Kevin from Pink Taco invited us to try their food we jumped at the opportunity. The restaurant has a new executive chef in the kitchen and plan on opening another location on Sunset where Miyagi's used to be.

The restaurant is huge with a very eye catching bar and a room surrounded by beads. The atmosphere screams fun and unwind. There is also a great patio with heaters for a nice outdoor atmosphere. The patio space would be perfect for a large party or after work cocktails with friends.

Menu
El Talache

11
Since Pink Taco is know for their margaritas, we had to try a few. This was a very light and refreshingly smooth margarita. It tastes almost like a mojito in a way with a stronger lime flavor. The rim of the glass had salt and pepper on it, which was a nice touch.

Cachonda

11
Being a big watermelon fan, I had to give this margarita a try. The watermelon flavor was very subtle and the drink was dominated by the tequila flavor. The chunks of watermelon soaked up all the alcohol. It's a good drink, but a little more watermelon flavor would be great.

Chips and Salsa

Complimentary
The chips are freshly made at the restaurant as well as the chunky salsa made with tomatoes, lime, cilantro, yellow onions and green onions. The chips were crunchy with just enough salt to bring out the corn flavor and not at all greasy. We had to refrain from eating the entire basket.

Fried Calamari

10
The calamari had a thicker crust than usual with some tender and some chewy pieces. This dish was just average and not something we would order on our next visit. The jalapeno aioli had a nice flavor and not too spicy.

Hornitos Lime Shrimp

12
This was our favorite appetizer. The large shrimps were cooked just right with the tail still on. The garlic sauce was tangy and very addicting. The bread was crunchy, but also spongy enough to soak up all the sauce. The lime flavor came through in every bite. Next time, we might order a side of rice to go with this dish so the garlic sauce doesn't go to waste.

Sabana de Pollo

16
When this dish arrived, we couldn't believe all the food that was on the plate. This dish was the best value for the price. The thin slices of grilled chicken are at the bottom of the plate and topped with black beans, sauce, cheese, caramelized onions, pico de gallo and roasted serranos. The dish was a flavor explosion and one of the best chicken dishes I've had in a while. The chicken breasts were tender and the caramelized onions added a wonderful sweetness to the dish.

Lobster Dulce Enchiladas

16
This was the dish we looked forward to the most during our meal. The idea of a sweet lobster enchilada was intriguing and difficult to imagine. When the plate arrived, we were both eager to dig in and almost forgot to take pictures. Upon cutting into the enchiladas, the first thing that jumped out was the generous amount of lobsters inside. Once we took a bite, we knew we were in love with this dish. The tortilla was tender and thin, the lobster meat was perfectly cooked, the sauce was creamy and sweet, but not over powering with a nice kick at the end that left a warmth in our mouths after every bite.

The enchiladas also came with beans and rice on a separate plate, which we almost forgot about because the enchilada was so good on its own. The beans held its shape on the plate, but it was very tender. The rice was toothsome with a slightly tangy tomato flavor. It's worth noting that the beans and rice here are cooked without lard to keep it vegetarian friendly.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos

15
Each taco was built on a corn tortilla topped with romaine lettuce, a large piece of grilled mahi mahi, cucumber, guacamole and a segment of grapefruit. The romaine lettuce didn't add anything to the dish and took up a lot of room, but everything else worked very well on the taco. The fish was cooked and seasoned well and the other toppings gave the taco a nice balance, including the slightly bitter flavor of the grapefruit.

Dessert Menu
Warm Brownie Sundae

7
Since the restaurant ran out of their popular dessert churrositos, our waitress suggested the warm brownie sundae. It was an excellent suggestion because the sundae turned out to be one of the best we've tasted in a while. The dessert was served inside a cast iron skillet to keep the brownie warm and soft. The texture of the brownie was melt in your mouth, almost like the inside of a lava cake. The ice cream added nice creaminess, which was cut by the raspberry compote. A well balanced and tasty dessert.

Overall, the food, service and atmosphere at Pink Taco were beyond our expectations. The hornitos shrimp, sabana chicken and lobster dulce left us wanting to try more of the dishes on the menu. The prices a slightly higher, but the food will help you forget that and the atmosphere will melt your worries away. If you have friends in town and want to show them a good time, take them to Pink Taco for great alcohol selection and tasty food. We'll definitely be back soon.

4 out of 5 Stars

Pink Taco

10250 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Parking

3 hours free in the garage underneath the mall.

Dominick's, West Hollywood

Dominick's is an Italian restaurant next to the famous Jerry's Deli in West Hollywood. The small red framed door is modest and easy to miss if you're taking a stroll down Beverly Blvd. Don't let the Italian part fool you because during the month of May, Saturdays equal a crawfish party New Orleans style. If you missed it this year, be sure to mark it on your calendar for next year.

The entrance of the restaurant is small and narrow with the hostess table right behind the door. The restaurant may appear small at first, but walk outside to find a casual outdoor dining area complete with its own bar. The nice thing is, regardless of where you sit, the crawfish menu is available.

Prosecco
12/bottle

Maui Onion Rings
6
The onions rings were overcooked with several burnt pieces. It might have been from the bottom of the barrel.

Crawfish Boil Artichoke w/Creole Remoulade
11
The artichoke was cooked well, but it didn't come with enough sauce. When the waiter brought out an extra container, it was noticeably different from the first one with a different color and stronger flavors.

Crawfish
10.99/lb
The crawfish was boiled in a large vat filled with red potatoes, corn, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne and other spices. The crawfish had a nice flavor with a subtle kick from a cayenne.

Each pound of crawfish also included a potato and corn. The potatoes tasted like boiled potatoes and the corn was sweet and juicy.

Softshell Crab Po'boy
12
Softshell crab was well cooked and tasted very fresh, but the po'boy needed more spread.

Roast Beef Po'Boy
8
The roast beef was tender, juicy and tasted great with the spicy mayonnaise. The crunchy roll held up nicely to the juices from the beef.

New Orleans Snoball
3.25
The snoball was firm yet light. The coconut flavor was by far the best out of all the options. It tasted creamy, rich and packed with coconut flavor.

Overall, the crawfish event was a lot of fun and something I will look forward to next year. The wait staff was very friendly and on top of everything. The food was average, but the experience is what made the meal memorable. Drinking bottles of presecco with friends and cracking open piles of crawfish on a Saturday afternoon is my idea of a fun get together. Dominick's also offers a 3 course meal for $15 on Sunday nights, so we will definitely be back for that.

Dominick's
8715 Beverly Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90048

Parking
Valet is available in front of the restaurant. There is metered parking on Beverly Blvd., 2 hr street parking on side streets, or you can park in the Beverly Center and walk over.

Newport Seafood, Rowland Heights

Every time the topic of good Chinese food came up, there was always someone who would mentioned Newport Seafood. The unique thing about Newport Seafood is the Vietnamese influence in some of the dishes. After years of putting off this much talked about restaurant, it was finally time for a visit. I know better than to go to a place like this with only one companion so I gathered up the troops. The thing about Chinese restaurants is the more people you have the more you dishes you get to order.

Newport Seafood has two locations and we decided on the one in Rowland Heights because it was a good half way point for everyone. We arrived at lunch time to a packed restaurant that was much smaller than I expected. The restaurant is very clean and modern inside with booths, round tables and partially sectioned off rooms for large parties. Although it was full, the restaurant's noise level was quite manageable compared to others.

The staff was on point with bringing the menus, getting beverage orders and checking in to answer questions. The menu is very extensive and can be overwhelming for the indecisive. We went with the basic rule of order one of each protein.

Beef loc lac (French style)
11.95
The glistening chucks of beef arrived in a pepper sauce sitting on a bed of raw onions and lettuce. The beef was very tender and the pepper flavor mixed with the onion gave the dish a bright flavor. The squeeze of lime juice also added a nice tang to the dish.

Deep Fried Tofu
9.25The fried arrived piled high with a side of soy and scallion dipping sauce. The large fluffy pieces of tofu were fried to perfection with a very thin crust that provided a crunchy texture. The spoon was on the plate for a reason because any attempt to pick up the tofu with chopsticks resulted in it falling into pieces. The tofu was silky smooth and scallion flavor in the sauce brought out the flavor of the tofu.

Newport Special Lobster
market price - $99

The lobster arrived in pieces with the shell attached tossed in a garlic and scallion sauce. This dish was a hands on experience that got a little messy, luckily, the waiters came by to change out our plates. The sauce did overpowered the flavor of the lobster, but the texture was just right. For the price, there wasn't enough lobster to satisfy everyone's appetite.

Chinese Broccoli with Dried Fish
12.95
The broccoli was lightly flavored and a refreshing addition to our meal. Some pieces of dried fish almost tasted like bacon.

Crispy Fried Sole Fish
market price

The fish arrived already broken up into pieces with a side of fish sauce. Since it was fried to golden perfection, almost everything was edible, including some of the fish bones. The sweet and tangy fish sauce gave this dish a unique flavor. It was a nice departure from the soy based sauce.

Kong Pao Chicken
9.95
The kong pao chicken good, but nothing special. The chicken was tender, the peanuts were crunchy and the sauce had a little kick of spiciness.

Shrimp with walnut
14.25

The walnut shrimp was crispy and creamy. The batter for the shrimp was light and the sauce had just enough sweetness. The candied pecans added a nutty and crunchy flavor to every bite.

Crispy Duck
17.95The large plate of crispy duck also arrived with fish sauce. Every piece of skin was crispy and fatty and the meat was smokey and flavorful. The duck was great on its own, but also tasted good with the fish sauce.

Overall, the food at Newport Seafood was tasty and satisfying. Most of the dishes were well executed with good flavors. Favorite dishes were the beef loc lac, deep fried tofu, shrimp with walnut and crispy duck. The service was friendly and the food arrived quickly.

Newport Seafood
18441 Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

Parking

The restaurant is inside a shopping mall with a huge parking lot.

California Mediterranean Grill by Amer's Falafel, Encino

Mediterranean restaurants are scattered all over the San Fernando Valley. It can be difficult to decide which one to go to. We stumbled upon California Mediterranean Grill while getting a drink around the corner. The restaurant has an open kitchen, long seating area and a few outdoor tables. The minimal decorations and order first policy gives it a good spot to order take out vibe.

On the menu are popular dishes such as shawarma, falafel and kabobs. Order it sandwich style or as a plate and sample three side including a variety of heart healthy salads.

Signature Shawarma Plate
9.85

After a short wait the plate arrived with fresh pita bread, steaming hot chicken and three sides of my choosing. The chicken was well flavored, moist and tender. The hummus was creamy and not as lemony as others I've tasted. The eggplant bell pepper salad was bold and went well with the chicken. The vegetables were tender, but not mushy and the spices highlighted the taste of the eggplant. The avocado salad was simple and refreshing. I would definitely come back for a large order of their salads for lunch.

Overall, the food tasted fresh and the portions were generous for the price. The chicken was satisfying and the sides made the meal memorable. The service was friendly and the wait was short during dinner rush. The ambiance makes it a good spot for dine-in lunch or dinner to-go.

California Mediterranean Grill
17334 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91316

Parking

Plenty of free parking in the private lot.