LA Eats: Mama's Lu Dumpling House

This gloomy weather (we have been getting rains this week) makes me lazy, sleepy and makes me want to eat!  Rain and food just go well together!  Haha!

This kind of "bed" weather calls for something hot and piping!  So I thought of sharing with you this place we went to in Monterey, California called Mama's Lu Dumpling House.  

*(Okay, the Grammar Nazi in me would say, it should be Mama Lu's but I am writing the place's name the way it was posted on the restaurant's door, haha)

Image from this blog site

We had Xiao Long Bao . . . 

They were okay, but I prefer Din Tai Fung's because I like their dumpling's skin/dough better because it's thinner.  (You may read about by dining experience in DTF here) 

And Spicy Wontons!  I love spicy food but they weren't kidding when they said spicy!  These were so spicy that I wasn't able to enjoy them as much as I want to!  If you have a high tolerance for spicy food, you would love these!

And for our picky eater, we ordered some Yang Chow Fried Rice

We also tried one of their popular dishes, Deep Fried Fish with Seaweed which was good!  

We also enjoyed the complimentary peanuts they served.  The peanuts are mixed with some salt and sugar, something new in my book.  We were about to finish ours when I remembered to take a photo of it, haha!

Personally, I would go to DTF for my Xiao Long Bao and Spicy Wontons BUT I want to go back to Mama's Lu to try the other items in the menu!  They have a pretty extensive menu!  Yep, there's more to them than XLBs and Wontons!  Their other popular dishes include the Beef Wrap and Green Onion Pancake.     

What is also nice about this hole-in-the-wall place is that their food (which is flavorful!) . . . is not reasonably-priced. . . because it's cheap!  Prices range from $5-6.99!  (Not $7. . .but it's $6.99! Haha!)  It is probably one of the inexpensive dining places we've been to here in LA.  

Good food, extensive menu and excellent prices only  mean one thing. . . .MUST.COME.BACK!

Mama's Lu Dumpling House

153 E. Garvey Ave., 

Monterey Park, CA

L.A. Eats: Quality Seafood Restaurant (Redondo Beach)

Have you heard about the "Seafood Diet"?  It is probably the best diet you can get on!  You see (sea) food, you eat it!  Haha!

We had a beautiful day yesterday (temperature is at mid 60s) that we thought of going to the beach to eat.  Okay not really, AT the beach but at the Boardwalk of Redondo Beach (the closest beach to our place).  The last time I went to Redondo Beach was 5 or 6 years ago where we had a seafood lunch.  I can't remember the name of the restaurant!  So I went to Yelp and just looked for the most reviewed restaurant in the place and saw Quality Seafood Restaurant.  It has good reviews so we decided to go there for lunch.

When we got there, guess what, it's the same place we've been too years ago! Haha!

Since we went on a weekday, the place isn't crowded.  There were more people that came in just after I took this photo.  This place gets crazy during weekends!

Guess who sat next to our table =)

This was our view. . . no, it wasn't an ocean view, haha!  But we had a great view after lunch (which you'll see later).

So what was for lunch?

There are so many options that Hubby and I had to walk around twice or thrice, haha!

Fried. . . everything!

Different kinds of Smoked Fish

There's a wide variety of Seafood to choose from.  You buy your seafood and they will cook it for you (fried, steamed, grilled).

There's Fish, Shrimps . . .

This is how a 5 lb Tilapia looks like

There's even Sea Urchin!  They look (and they are!) soooo fresh and plump, haha!  To my uni lover friends, I know you will enjoy this!  It's really a shame I don't eat this, haha!

There are different shellfish too. . . these are just a few of them.

My Dad loves this particular shellfish (Filipinos call it "Tahong")

For the oyster lovers, rejoice!  There is an oyster bar!  I didn't realize that there sooo many varieties of oyster!

Well hello Mr. Lobster!

One thing I was sure of was I would like to eat crabs!

Dungeness Crabs

Santa Barbara

I asked the guy behind the counter what's the difference between a Dungeness and a Santa Barbara crab and he explained it to me pretty well!  He said. . . "it's like comparing a hamburger and a steak!  The Dungeness is the Filet Mignon"   Haha!  

I did say we went around twice or thrice before ordering right?  There's just a lot to choose from, it can be overwhelming! Haha!

So this is what we came up with. . .

We got Paella. . . because Pinoys have to have rice! Haha!  

It tastes better than it looks!  I was actually surprised that it was tasty, haha!  My picky eater even liked it!  It was tasty and there are some lobster meat too.

We also ordered some shrimps. . . the name of this dish?  Just Shrimps with Vegetables! Haha!   

The shrimps have that Cajun flavor and the veggies include
potatoes, tomatoes, onions and bell pepper

We also ordered Calamari because it's something we don't cook at home, haha! (Cooking squid is tricky)

When I picked up our order, I wasn't sure if Hubby ordered Fish and Chips or Calamari!  Haha!  

This is their take on Calamari. . . it is a chunky calamari!  We are used to having calamari sliced like rings but this chunky meat is actually tender and tasty.  And it also helped that they have good tartar sauce (even if it came in packets! Haha!).

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This is Squid not Fish!d

After eating, I saw a table which had smaller calamari.  I just noticed in the display shelf that they call those squid rings.  So if you prefer smaller ones, you should place an order for squid rings.

We got some Santa Barbara Crabs which were just steamed.  You have to buy sauce though ($1).  The crab doesn't come with any sauce or dip.  We got the Garlic Butter with White Whine.  The crab tasted so fresh and the meat was sweet.

I told hubby that I wish we had *suka and bagoong to go with these crabs!!! Haha!

*Suka is vinegar and Bagoong is shrimp paste - two of the most favorite condiments of Filipinos

After having a filling lunch, we took a stroll at the Boardwalk of the Redondo Pier.  The weather was just perfect!

The loves of my life

The kids loved the pigeons

The Redondo Pier has several restaurants and shops you can go to.

There is one shop, the Pier Bakery which sells good Churros!  You know it's good when it is approved by a picky eater, haha!  My little girl enjoyed it too.

Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside!

Yesterday was one of the most beautiful days I had with the family!  And I can't wait to explore the other beaches here in LA =)  

As they say. . .Life is a . . . Beach!

For more information about Quality Seafood Restaurant, please click here.

For more details about the Redondo Pier,  please click on this link.

L.A. Eats: Burgers!

When I hear or see the words "American Food", the first thing that comes to my mind is. . . hamburgers!  I am not really into burgers.  I would choose eating something else over a burger.  But sometimes, I get that craving for this "American Food".  Living in LA means we are surrounded by this comfort food (there is something comforting about eating one right?).  We don't really eat hamburgers regularly because Hubby still wants his rice and ulam (dish)!  Haha!  But there are times (like watching Guy Fieri's Triple D Show in Food Network!) that we let ourselves give in to this ... high calorie food! (There, I said it!  Calories! Ugh! Haha! But hey, as they say, YOLO!) 

And I would like to share with you a couple of those which we had.

WARNING: This post is not for VEGETARIANS! =)

My first trip to the  US was when I visited Hubby in LA in 2008.  My American boss told me to make sure I get an In-N-Out Burger (which started in California) and in his own words, "it has to be a DOUBLE-DOUBLE!"

And this is what he was talking about . . .

Double cheese, double patties

It has also been said that In N Out has a "secret menu" --- which the fast food chain said is not really a secret.  It is just their way of making their customers happy by making their burgers (and fries) how they like it.  (Here is an article I read which shows that In N Out stays true to that) 

So in a recent trip to In-N-Out, I asked Hubby to get one of their popular items in their their "secret" menu.  The Animal Fries. . .

French Fries topped with
melted cheese, grilled onions and their house sauce which is like a thousand island dressing

It was nice having this burger again (after 6 years) because it reminded me of my first trip to the US!

It is good . . . but I have a favorite burger. . .  and it is from . . . Five Guys!  

Bacon Cheeseburger

You know I love it when I make it the biggest picture in this post, haha!

Fun Fact:  In 2009, Pres. Obama stopped to get lunch at a Five Guys Restaurant in DC and ordered a cheeseburger with jalapenos, mustard, tomatoes and lettuce. =)  (It's in You Tube!)

It is more expensive than In-n-Out (twice as much) BUT for me, the burger is juicier, tastier and it just tastes more fresh! 

Plus you get free, unlimited roasted peanuts which you can enjoy while waiting for your burger. =)

And their fries?  Love them!  I like them thick-cut.

I am not a hamburger expert and I know there are more (like MOOORRE) burgers out there waiting to be tasted but for now, I am just happy with my Five Guys.  Their burger just puts me in a good mood!  (Hun, you know what to do now)

Looking at these photos just made me hungry!  I think I'm going to have one this week!  Haha!

What is your favorite burger?

For more details about In-N-Out and their other locations, please click on this link.

Fore more details about Five Guys, please click here.

The Packing House at Anaheim

When I visited California for the first time (2008), one of the cities I went to was Anaheim (located in Orange County) because this is where you will find the happiest place in the world!  And that is the only thing I know about Anaheim. . . .Disneyland!  Haha! 

Last month, I got the chance to explore another place in this city called the Anaheim Packing District.  In this District, you will find the Packing House (which is what this post is all about), Farmers Park and the Packard Building.

By the way, here is a brief history about the Packing House which I read from different articles.

In the old days, there are several packing houses built across the US.  What is a packing house? A packing house is a place where farmers bring their produce like fruits so they can be packed and distributed across the country (through the use of railroad cars).  One of the most notables ones was the Sunkist plant in Anaheim which was built in 1919.

The Packing House then. . . .

Photo from O.C. History Roundup blog

And NOW. . .

Photo from the LA Times

Thanks to a group of developer (LAB Holding) and a multi-million dollar renovation, this old 2-story packing house has been given a new lease of life and has been transformed to a foodie's haven.

This was the other side of the building where we enteredr . . .

From the entrance, you would know that the details for this place have been well-thought of.  Just before you enter, you will see some rocking chairs where you can sit down, relax and well. . . rock.  Haha!  

The Princess enjoyed rocking these chairs =)

The building's facade may look plain and simple but behind these doors is a cool and hip place which has that vintage-retro vibe too.  I'm not really knowledgeable in architecture and interior design so I don't really know how to describe the place, haha!  I'll just let the photos do the talking.

  

I want one!

This bar (aptly named Hammer Workshop and Bar) used different tools to decorate their place.

It even has a tractor which the Princess enjoyed "driving"!

The place has a nostalgic feel to it too as seen in some details like this film viewing room which shows silent movies. . .

Stepping inside it felt a little bit. . . creepy, haha!

It's all about details. . . 

Look at this table. . . it must have been a part of a railroad car or a track?  I am sure it was part of something from the old days.

This table was made from repurposed old crates  . . . 

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Old luggages as tables too . . . 

A vintage weighing scale. . .a thing of beauty but NOT a favorite thing of mine. . .and I mean ALL weighing scales are not in my favorite list!  Haha!

Even the restroom had a retro-vintage feel to it =)

There are areas outside the house where you can also hang out and just chill. . . 

Can I have a backyard like this pleeease?

Such a cool way to display the names of the food establishments in the Packing House. . . 

There is a good number of food choices in this place.  What I really wanted to try was the burger from Wheat and Sons (read that they have good burgers).  Guess what, they were closed that particular day for their menu planning! Haha!

So we tried Kroft and ordered their Country Fried Chicken Poutine (Poutine is a dish that originated from Quebec, Canada that is made of french fries and topped with light brown gravy-like sauce and cheese curds - from Wikipedia)

Loved the Fried Chicken!

And the Prime Rib Dip

I should have ordered their Chicken sandwich, haha!

And then we got Ramen from Orange Tei for the Princess. . . which was actually tasty.

Then we tried some Indian food from Adya and ordered Chicken Tikka.  It was okay.  It has a subtle flavor.  I prefer a more intense flavor in when I eat Indian food.

And the thing that I tried that which I loved most. . . was the organic coffee (Cappuccino) from Cafecito!

These are just a few of the food vendors you can find in the Packing House.   There is one which serves good grilled cheese, another serves Southern comfort food, a crepe place and one that serves Vietnamese food (to name a few).  You can say that we will be going back to try the others including this one (which they say always gets a long line). . . .

Gelato in a stick!

For more details about the Packing House and the Anaheim Packing District, please click this link.