A lot has been going on since then…a new job…good food…and awesome beers. Since I work really close to home now, I’ve been able to spend more time in Hawthorne. I remember seeing this place when they were just moving in. It has a weird name…it’s in a inconvenient location..and it’s hard to spot especially if you’re driving west on Rosecrans. So, I decided to try this place for lunch today with my co-worker and damn it was good!

Oh House of Chicken…when I’m in the mood for Mediterranean and don’t have the time to a sit down at the Hummus House, I’m so glad that you’re within close distance from home and work.

House of Chicken

I walk into this restaurant just past noon and it was empty! Uh oh…not a good sign. I decided to order anyway. I proceeded to order the Beef Shawarma plate. The plate itself comes with two pieces of pita, hummus, salad, and rice. You get a real healthy portion for $7.75 a plate. My co-worker ended up getting the gyro plate. They also have wraps there for $4.75 a wrap.

The decor inside the restaurant was pretty modern looking. They have a few tables there if you want to dine in. They also have a couple of tables outside if you’re in the mood to eat outdoors.

Beef Shawarma plate $7.75

I opened the container and the smell of the spices and aroma coming off the beef was insane. Although I didn’t see a shawarma cone in the back, the meat was prepared very nicely with a light char. As you can see by the picture on the left, it came with a nice portion of hummus, salad, rice, and two pieces of pita bread! Enough food here to last you two meals. I was real skeptical about the hummus though. The best hummus I’ve ever had comes from a little place in Pasadena called the Mediterranean Cafe. And you know what? This hummus came pretty damn close! The hummus at the House of Chicken had a real nice nutty taste to it (like the Med Cafe). I can taste a hint of peanut butter in it. It was a bit more tangy than the one from the Med Cafe. I think they add a splash of lemon juice to theirs.

The pita was warm and fluffy and the hummus was was creamy and nutty. A nice compliment to the beef shawarma and rice. The plate also came with tahini sauce and some pickled beets and pickles. This plate was definitely more than enough for one person. I normally don’t care for the rice at these Mediterranean restaurants but this one was pretty good. The rice was fluffy and buttery with almond slivers on it. The beef shawarma was really tender and had a real explosive taste to the palate. My co-worker ordered the gyro plate and that too was pretty good. It wasn’t the best gyro meat I’ve ever had but not bad for take out.

Gyro plate $7.75

I’m definitely coming back here again! The food was awesome and the people that work here are super friendly. The cook came out and asked how the food tasted and made sure we were satisfied with it. The prices here are pretty decent for the amount of food you get. I’m giving this place a 8 of 10, a point lower than the HH because of the items they lacked on the menu. They’re still fairly new so, I’m sure they will add a few more items to the menu. Hummus House…I still love you. I’m just gonna cheat on you once in a while.

House of Chicken

4543 W Rosecrans Ave

Hawthorne, CA 90250

M-F  10:00AM-8:00PM

Sat 11:00AM-6:00PM

310-644-9999

Hello Kogi!

menu

After hearing all the hype about this taco truck, I had to check them out. I remember waiting in line over in Silverlake for 45-60 min for a damn taco a few months back. Ok…the wait was long but the food was actually pretty good. I remember scarfing down three tacos (short rib, spicy chicken, and the spicy pork) that night. I’ve been craving Kogi, but, I never could find the time to go back. You can’t imagine how psyched I was when I found out that the truck was going to be in Hawthorne. Finally! The truck is  like 5 minutes away!

For those of you who have never eaten at Kogi (Ko-gee, gee sounds like key with a g), it’s a fusion of Korean BBQ and Mexican. They serve tacos and burritos with Korean BBQ meat and salsa. Occasionally they’ll have a special dish that they throw in from time to time. The types of meat they have are; short rib, spicy chicken, and spicy pork. They also have a tofu filling for you vegetarians.

Spicy pork and chicken tacos $2 each

Tonight I ordered the short rib burrito, spicy chicken taco, spicy pork taco, and the chef’s special. All the tacos are topped with sesame -chili salsa roja, julienne romaine lettuce and cabbage mixed with a Korean chili-soy vinaigrette, cilantro, green onion, lime relish, crushed sesame seeds and sea salt. The meat is marinated and grilled on the spot. The flavor on these tacos are really explosive! The pork and short rib tacos can be kind of greasy. So, if you’re not a fan of grease…well…stay away from these taco trucks…just kidding! Go for the spicy chicken tacos or the tofu tacos. I haven’t tried the tofu tacos yet but the chicken ones are pretty light.

Short rib burrito $5

The burritos are pretty big and really filling (I can hear a “that’s what she said” joke here). The short rib is their specialty and I recommend you all try that first. The burritos consist of the same signature meat as their tacos and they mix it up with hashbrowns, soft scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar and jack cheese, chopped onions and cilantro, chiffonade romain and cabbage lettuce tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette, a pinch of sea salt, a dash of the sesame-chili salsa roja sauce, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. I usually get the burritos without the egg and hashbrowns.

The pac-man $7

I also ordered the Chef’s special and Chef Roy’s creation this time is the Pac-man. A mash up of everything to commemerate the Pacquiao-Cotto fight coming up this Saturday. The pac-man consists of all three meats (short rib, pork, and chicken), chicharrones, jack and cheddar cheeses, both salsas, sesame mayo, and the lettuce/cabbage mix all on a sesame seed bun. The pac-man can get pretty messy but it’s oh so tasty. I’m more of a fan of their burritos but this is a nice take on the torta (they should have used a crusty sandwich roll instead).

So, if you see the truck around, drop by and try their tacos. I give their food an 8 out of 10. The flavors are amazing! If you get there right when the truck arrives, you shouldn’t have to wait too long. I was in and out in 10 minutes today. But, if you don’t want to wait and you’re in Culver City, check out the Alibi Room. They serve Chef Roy’s menu there without the wait and you could enjoy it with a beer or two.Otherwise, follow them on twitter http://twitter.com/kogibbq for up to the minute updates on where they’re at. They’ll also post there if the trucks happen to break down.

Kogi Roja truck

Alibi Room

12236 Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA.

Monday-Saturday 6PM-Midnight 21+

Hawthorne location

12402 Inglewood Ave

Corner of Inglewood and Broadway

Various days usually from 6PM-9PM

http://kogibbq.com/

Jersey Mike’s started up in 1956 in the city of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Jersey Mike actually purchased a sub shop back when he was 17. This shop became widely popular on the Jersey shore and attracted the locals and people on vacation. Due to the popularity, he ended up opening more shops and eventually the pride of Point Pleasant made its way to the west coast.

The first thing you notice when you hop in line is the deli meat shaver and case. They have a person cutting all the meats and cheese to order and once that’s done, it goes into the assembly line. All the ingredients here are fresh. The lettuce and onions are crisp and the tomatoes are firm. All the employees here move in a fast pace environment and its amazing to watch their precise moves to get the orders out quickly (unlike Subway where you find people running into each other and messing up your order).

I ended up ordering the Original Italian on wheat. The Original Italian comes with provolone, ham, prosciutinni, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni. The meat on this sandwich tasted so good! The saltiness of the salami and pepperoni along with the cured taste of the prosciutinni and cappacuolo made this an awesome sub! The vinegar and oil mixture with Mike’s spices kicked this sandwich up another notch. The bread was delicious as well. It was freshly baked with a nice crust and a chewy texture to the inside. Spice that up with pepperoncinis and jalapenos and you have yourself a potential flavor bomb!

Mini Original Italian $5.95

I have to say that this sub was way better than the ones I’ve had a Quizno’s, Togo’s, or Subway. Although the prices here a bit more than the other sandwich places (except maybe Quizno’s), you can’t beat the freshness of the subs and flavor of the meats here. I’m giving Jersey Mike’s an 8 out of 10. I’m definitely coming back here to try something else on the menu. Leave a tip in the jar and you’ll get a nice ring of the bell with a great big “Thank you!” as you’re walking out. Thank you Jersey Mike’s for finding your way to the city of Hawthorne!

Jersey Mike’s Subs

5342 Rosecrans Avenue

Hawthorne, CA. 90250

(310) 643-7272

Call for hours

http://www.jerseymikes.com/

Varadero Cuban Cafe and Bakery is a real small cafe located in the northern side of the Inglerose center. This establishment has been at this location for about four years now. The interior is really small and has room for a few small tables and a stand up counter. I made the mistake of not sitting next to the fan and I was burning up!!! Although I was the only one sitting inside, I think the majority of the customers here end up taking out.

I asked the gentleman behind the counter what their popular item on the menu was. He replied with the Cubano sandwich. I was thinking that it would be something a bit more traditional. Maybe it’s the most popular item for the lunch rush…people on the go. I ordered the Cubano anyway and it contained slow roasted pork, ham, swiss, and mojo all on a roll that they bake there.

Cubano $6.75

The bread that they bake here is pretty good. The crust had a nice crunch to it and the center was warm. The slow roasted pork had good flavor to it but it was a little dry. The ham, cheese, and the mojo came together as a nice combination and complimented the sandwich well. As you bite into the sandwich, you get the mellow flavor of the roasted pork along with the creamy texture of the cheese. I also ordered the congri as a side dish. Congri is a mixture of black beans and rice cooked in stock. Garlic, cooked onions, bell peppers, salt, and pepper are added to the dish during cooking. The congri here was a little too bland for my taste. Although, they do give you a healthy portion for the small order. The sandwiches here are kind of pricey and I would probably stay away from them. I’d stick to ordering the other special items on the menu.

Congri $2.95

Empanada Especial $8.75

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of asking what was popular instead of what main dish they specialized in. The Empanada Especial is one of their specialty dishes here. The empanada contains a healty mixture of chicken, ham, chorizo, onions, bell peppers, and their secret blend of seasoning. I’m kicking myself for not getting this dish. The items I had here today were ok…not great and not bad. I’m sure this place is worth stopping by just for the pastries alone. I’m rating this place a 6.5 out of 10 due to the order I had today. I’m sure it’ll jump up higher once I try the empanada especial. Stay tuned for a future addition to this blog!

TIP: Pick up a menu from the counter. The menu has other special items listed on in. The menu hanging from the ceiling highlights the sandwiches.

Varadero Cuban Cafe & Bakery

14201 Inglewood Ave.

Hawthorne, CA. 90250

Call for hours (310) 679-4730

Closed on Mondays

I think I may have found my favorite restaurant in the city of Hawthorne! After getting a parking ticket earlier on the CSULB campus and waiting in an excruciating long line to obtain a permit, I was feeling pretty damn miserable today. And Hummus House, you made me feel a lot better! I decided to check this restaurant out after finding out this Cuban Cafe I was planning on going to was closed on Mondays. I used to drive by this area a lot and never knew there was a Mediterranean Restaurant around. Shame on me for not finding this place sooner! That’s what happens when you’re unaware of your surroundings.

Hummus House

interior

According to my waitress Karen, the Hummus House has been around for about 4 years now. The decor of the interior wasn’t as flashy as some of the other Mediterranean restaurants I’ve been to. But, who cares about flash and style if the food is excellent, right? I decided to sit at a booth next to the kitchen. They had some nice tables in the front left side as you walked in, but, I like sitting closer to the kitchen. I’m always curious to see how the kitchen operates and how everyone works together to keep it running as a solid unit. The waiter I had before Karen suggested that I try the Shawarma lunch special. So, I ordered that and the Dolma to start my meal. Hummus, pita bread, and salad are all included in the Shawarma lunch special.

Garlic hummus, pita, and side salad

Dolma $3.99

First off, the hummus was good. I mean insanely good. The hummus flavors they have are: Artichoke pesto, jalapeno cilantro, kalamata olive, roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, spicy black bean, sun dried tomato, and three pepper. I opted for the roasted garlic hummus. Karen also informed me that the hummus here was all freshly made. The mashed chickpeas mixed with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic tasted creamy and fresh. A perfect spread for your pita. The Dolma appetizer came out next. Dolma is grape leaves packed with rice, pine nuts, and other herbs. The dolma here was good, but, I wasn’t doing any back flips over it.

Shawarma (chicken) lunch special $7.50

And the Shawarma…wow…the aroma coming off this dish would make your mouth water. This dish was awesome! The chicken Shawarma is marinated with Mediterranean seasonings and is thinly sliced and sauteed. The flavors were intense and it was definitely a sensory overload. I was amazed at all the flavors and spices that were combined and packed into this dish. They also give you a healthy portion of chicken for $7.50. The rice pilaf had a nice neutral flavor to accompany this dish. They also serve the Shawarma in a wrap, but, I would suggest you try it by itself.

I would highly suggest you try this place if you’re ever around Hawthorne. I’m so glad I did. The staff here is very informative and very helpful. I was probably driving Karen crazy with all my questions, but, she pretty much nailed every one of them with a smile. I’d give this establishment a 9 out of 10. The food was excellent, the staff was friendly, and I can’t wait to go back and try other items on the menu. Maybe I’ll try the hummus sampler next time. All the other flavors sounded very interesting! I definitely left this place with a full stomach and a smile on my face (after a crappy day). Kudos to you Hummus House! I shall visit you again!

TIP: There is plenty of parking in the front and the back of the restaurant. When you’re going south bound on Hawthorne Blvd, there is a car entrance to the stores on the far right as soon as you pass 120th street. Take that entrance and you’ll be able to find parking right in front of the restaurant.

Hummus House

12211 S. Hawthorne Blvd.

Hawthorne, CA. 90250

Hours: 11AM-9PM Mon-Thur

11AM-10PM Fri & Sun

5PM-10PM Sat

http://www.hummus-house.com

Ok…this place is actually approved by the American Heart Association, so, it should be healthy right? And healthy food is usually bland food right? All my carnivore buddies probably agree with this statement. I walk into this restaurant and see signs that its Zagat rated…that’s a good sign. So, I walk in with my cousin and the place is pretty empty. WTF? On a Friday night? Then I think for a sec, is the food bad? Then I say to myself, maybe it’s too exotic for Hawthorne. I could see this place packed if it was in another location…like Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach.

India's Tandoori

Inside

Ok, so my cousin and I are seated at the corner table. They’ve got Indian music videos playing on the video screen in the back. The waiters here are very courteous and attentive. That’s actually one thing I love about Indian restaurants. All the Indian restaurants I’ve been to in the past, have all been great experiences. All the waiters are usually very friendly, attentive, and informative.

We both sat and ordered some drinks. I’m thinking of ordering something spicy for dinner, so, I order the Mango Lassi of course. Mango Lassi is a yogurt based drink that’s very popular in India. You can get it either salty, sweet, or plain. I opted for the mango version and so did my cousin. We started dinner off with an order of the vegetable samosas. The samosas here are delicious! The fried outer shell locks in the awesome curried potatoes, peas, and carrots on the inside. They are lightly dusted with curry powder and has a bit of a tangy taste at first to the taste buds.

Mango Lassi $2.50

Vegetable Samosas $2.50

I wanted to sample various items on the menu, so, I opted for the Express Tandoori combination dinner. I really wanted to try their chicken vindaloo. My dinner included the following: Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Vindaloo, Daal Makhni, Vegetables, Raita, and Naan.

Express Tandoori combination $13.95

Alright…lets deconstruct this combination. I was looking for spicy…so…I dove into the Chicken Vindaloo first (top left item on the plate). I was hoping for extremely spicy but was pretty disappointed. Not that spicy at all. Maybe I destroyed my taste buds over at Orochon Ramen the prior weekend, but, we’ll leave that for another blog. I was hoping for mouth burning spicy like the Vindaloos I had in the past. Although the spice factor was low, the taste factor was pretty high. The waiter asked if I wanted mild, medium, or spicy. I said spicy without hesitation. I thought he was talking about the Vindaloo, but, everything on the plate was covered in spices. If you go there, be sure to get the Vindaloo spicy but mild for the other dishes. Even the Tandoori chicken was spicy. Weird. After consuming the meal for a good 10-15 minutes, the spices began to creep up on me. I guess all the other spices made up for the mild Vindaloo. The Daal Mahkni (on the left, below the vindaloo) was even spicy. This dish is made with seasoning and lentils. It’s normally a savory dish and it was kind of strange spicy. The vegetables on the bottom were curried cauliflower and potatoes. The tandoori chicken on rice was a savory dish. The tandoori chicken had a real smokey taste to it (like tandoori should) and was covered in spices. The item in the middle of the plate is called Raita. Raita is basically a yogurt based sauce or dip. It kind of tastes like a tangy yogurt ranch dip without the salty flavor. The dinner was accompanied with some Naan of course. Naan is a flat bread that is cooked on the inside wall of the tandoori oven. Just like the chicken, it has a smokey taste to it. Delicious.

The food here was pretty tasty. I wouldn’t say that it’s the best Indian food around. But, it definitely is the best Indian food in town. Again, the food here wasn’t too spicy. Believe me, it won’t cause fire to come out your bum, so, go ahead and give it a try. I give this place an 8 out of 10 on taste and a 9 out of 10 on service. Do yourself a favor locals and check this place out if you haven’t yet. And definitely try the Mango Lassi…Yum!!

TIP: Be sure to grab the to go menu at the door. There’s a $5 coupon with a $25 dinner and at $10 coupon with a $50 dinner on the back.

India’s Tandoori

4850 W. Rosecrans Ave.

Hawthorne, CA. 90250

310-675-5533

Lunch 11AM – 3PM M-F

Dinner 3PM – 10:00PM Daily

www.indiastandoorilax.com

Thai Lai

But once I stepped in, I was immediately greeted by the waiter. He was very friendly and the service was definitely pleasant. It’s not the most amazing Vietnamese food I’ve ever had, but, it was pretty good.

Inside Thai Lai

Goi Cuon $2.50 for two

I started my lunch with a spring roll appetizer called Goi Cuon. It’s basically a spring roll with pork, shrimp, vermicelli, and vegetables all in a thin rice wrapper with a peanut dipping sauce. The ingredients of this dish tasted very fresh. The rice wrapper provided a chewiness along with the vermicelli and the pork. The peanut dipping sauce very tasty and the hint of mint accented this dish with a very nice essence.

Pho Chin

I ordered the Pho Chin today. It’s your basic Pho with slices of well done beef. This dish came loaded with beef! I mean loaded! The picture doesn’t do it justice. The star anise, which is the base of spices in this soup, was very aromatic. The fresh bean sprouts added a nice crunch to the texture. I ended up adding a few slices of jalapeno to set off this dish. The noodles had a very good texture and was not too soggy (as I had in the past). The meat was nice and tender. The soup stock was very flavorful and good. All in all a good dish for $6.

I also ordered a cafe sua da to go along with my meal. Cafe sua da is a strong Vietnamese iced coffee…I mean strong!! Instead of cream, they use a sweetened condensed milk all over ice.

I’m glad I decided to check out Thai Lai. It’s been here for years and I’ve always neglected this place. The prices are reasonable and the food is pretty good. I rate this establishment 7.5 out of 10. I would definitely go back to try other items on the menu.

Thai Lai Restaurant

14221 S. Prairie Ave.

Hawthorne, CA. 90250

310-973-0819

Hours:     9:00AM – 8:00PM

Closed on Tuesdays

Growing up in Hawthorne, I equally liked and disliked this city. What did I like and dislike about this city? Let’s get the dislikes out of the way first and go from there. In the early to mid 90’s, the city began to deteriorate somewhat. The parks didn’t feel safe; the façade of buildings began to fade, only to be covered up by some graffiti and tagging; the stores that once stood as cornerstones in the community began to close. The Hawthorne Plaza…oh, the mighty Hawthorne Plaza, the mall that we used to run around in; the place where we used to play video games and laser tag in; fell to hard times and the boom in popularity of the South Bay Galleria. Restaurants such as Nadine’s and the Hawthorne Grill (filming location of Pulp Fiction) on Hawthorne Blvd, where my parents took me as a young lad, is gone and all but forgotten.

So, you may be wondering now, what is it about Hawthorne that you like? Well, it’s home. It was also home to a very famous band called the Beach Boys. After learning how to play the guitar and appreciating good music, I realized that I actually attended the same middle school as Brian Wilson. To have that association with a man with his caliber was simply mind blowing. It was once home to an extraordinary athlete named Jim Thorpe. I remember all the joys of my youth, all the memories that I have and love about this city. I remember playing little league with friends at a park down the street from my parent’s house. I remember walking over to the Pound Penny liquor store with my friends to play video games all afternoon. I remember going to the park to play hoops and pick up baseball games with friends. Some of the places where I went as a kid are till there. Foster’s Freeze by the old mall, where we used to get awesome soft serve is still there. The Thrifty’s (or Rite Aid now) where we got the 15-cent square ice cream scoops is still standing. The crime rate around town doesn’t seem as bad as it was decades ago. I’m really glad to see the improvement in the police force. Hawthorne is definitely trying its hardest in these tough economic times to revive what was once a lovely city. Hell, my first place of employment was in this city. Once you’re a bit older, you tend to appreciate the things you’ve never noticed about your city. You tend to notice the nuances and the major facelifts that this city went through. I briefly left this city for a few years only to find myself coming back.

I decided that I wanted to go around town and discover different smaller restaurants and see what this town had to offer. It’s not that I’m sick and tired of the huge chains that are around town…actually I am…but I wanted to highlight all the smaller mom and pop joints that are still around and that are trying they’re hardest to compete with the huge chains and fast food joints. I’ll occasionally review a chain here and there. I’m no professional foodie here but I know what’s good and what isn’t. So, I hope you enjoy the reviews of the restaurants I have here. If they sound interesting, I urge you to visit and try them yourself.

Bon Appétit!

Scott