Goodbye, E & E April 18, 2007
Posted by foodies in Cheap, Curry, Japanese, Salads and etc. (non-main course food).add a comment
E & E Cafe and Japanese Market
Location: 18429 Nordhoff St
Northridge, CA 91325 (Between Reseda Blvd. and Darby Ave.)
Phone: (818) 775-0115
Type of food: Japanese Homestyle meets your Mom’s kitchen
I admit, I only discovered this place a little before this year from my bestfriend Renee, and I’ve been a frequent customer ever since. Even more so this month since it officially closes it’s door for the last time this Saturday. Who knows how many countless CSUN college students and Valley residents this restaurant has been serving for 14 years, but I had the pleasure to become a regular and even to say “The usual.” and them automatically know what I was talking about.
It’s located in a very busy strip mall that also has a Panda Express (blech, why would you even wanna go there?!) and a boba spot next door on the 2nd floor. The place is quiant & very peaceful. Countertops are located right in front of all of the action (aka the kitchen) for those who dine alone, a couple of 2-top tables along the perimeter of the restaurant, and a couple of 4-top table or two 8-top tables. They also sell their own salad dressing, baked goods, Japanese tea sets.
Essential Orders: The menu is anything but sushi or your typical Japanese dishes–boasting mostly curries. They also have different specials everyday. You can order the spiceness of your curry anyway you like-from a 1-10. It costs extra if you go beyond 7, which I haven’t done yet, but the waiter did try to persuade me to do since they are only going to be open a few more days. I like to order their tonkatu curry at a 7. It usually comes with a green salad that’s dressed in their famous sesame soy dressing which you can buy bottled from the restaurant, or from their small grocery store which you can find downstairs. The main dish which never sits on the window for more than 5 seconds, also comes with steamed rice.
Their gyoza is completely homemade and always tastes fresh. Always hot and juicy when you bite into it, my waiter is always impressed since I like to empty the bottle of hot chile oil whenever I order this.
I also order their deep fried tofu which is served in a small bowl decorated with green onions and TONS of shaved bonito flakes swimming in a hot bonito soy broth. I usually like to finish the tofu and then pour the sauce all over my rice.
Things to Know:
- Credit cards accepted
- Due to the overwhelming demand and love for the place, they had to stop deliveries and take out orders.
- No reservations
- Dine in only till Saturday
- They have tea time from 2-4 p.m.
- CSUN Students get 10% off.
Double the Eats in Valencia: Souplantation and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory April 26, 2006
Posted by starbright31 in American, Salads and etc. (non-main course food).1 comment so far
Souplantation and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Location:
Valencia Town Center, 24303 Town Center Drive, Suite 150 and Suite 130
Type of Food:
Souplantation – Salads, Soups, Pastas, Desserts
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – chocolates, caramel apples, and other sweet items.
Souplantation takes about $10 to $15 from me every week due to my frequent lunch visits there every week. I work at the big building right next to it and at 12:30 on most days that I've been too lazy to make a sack lunch, I head on over there with my exact change of $5.19 for my usual large bowl of salad, or $6.54 if I wanted to splurge for some cajun chicken. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is a place I go to only if I'm tired of the chocolate stash at my desk. While I'm more of a fan of chocolate from England or any place in Europe, Rocky Mountain does well with their chocolate and they provide excellent candied apples. Today I was accompanied by Megan to go to Souplantation and we decided to eat there instead of our usual get-it-to-go route.
Price: It's about $10 to eat at Souplantation for lunch. I don't think it's worth $10, but if you want to eat there, I highly suggest that you grab a coupon from your Sunday newspaper ads so you can save at least up to $3 or more. For Rocky Mountain, everything there is priced exactly what you'd expect for chocolate stores like See's and etc. I don't know the exact price of what my item was as it was Megan's treat (thanks, Megan!), I'm guessing it was a little bit over a dollar.
My visit to Rocky Mountain was earlier this week when Megan had a choccie fix and she suggested to get some sweets there on the way back from the mall. I was introduced to a very delicious chocolate treat: seafoam.
Essential orders:
Souplantation: Salad (of course) and Yankee Clam Chowder
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: Seafoam (dark chocolate)
Asian chicken salad and cheese pizza
Some type of pasta with Italian sausage and Mac and cheese
Yankee Clam Chowder
I usually make my own salad when I'm at Souplantation, but this time around I went for the already-mixed salad, which was an asian chicken salad. It was a lot better than I expected it to be. Lots of chicken bits inside and the crunchy wonton strips make this salad very delectable. The pizza bread they have there is nice and filling. I usually don't go for the pastas, but this time around they had mac and cheese and some pasta with Italian sausage in it and both were quite tasty. I always get their clam chowder- I love it. It's has big chunks of clam in it and it's very creamy.
On the plate:the seafoam. Below the plate: the best f'ing candy bar from Cadbury, the Crunchie
The only way I can describe seafoam is to compare it is to another candy, the Cadbury Crunchie. The Cadbury Crunchie is described by Cadbury as a "honeycombed granuled surrounded with delicious Cadbury Chocolate." I've just looked up seafoam at allrecipies.com and it seems like it's like a meringue cookie that's covered in chocolate. Either way, this stuff is dangerously addictive. It has a crunchy texture like a very crisp cookie and it's covered in this thick dark chocolate.
Service at both places: I think 8 out of 10 would be accurate. The staff at both are very courteous and are eager to help customers out.
Need to know: Fridays and when kids are on vacation and/or don't have school are the worst days to go to Souplantation. It's bad enough that the Valencia Town Center is littered with mall moms and strollers, but when the teenyboppers are out in force, forget about having a peaceful meal anywhere in that area.
Interesting anecdote about Souplantation: I had to finish my meal in a big hurry today there because there was a horrible stench filling the restaurant. At first I tried to just ignore the smell, but then when Megan pointed it out, it felt like the smell got worse, and the BO was turning into a burnt food smell mixed with BO. I was really looking forward to having my second bowl of soup too, damnit.
-Renee
