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SteelCraft’s Barrio: A Unique Fusion Of Filipino & Korean Flavors
The Background
SteelCraft locations are unique communal dining spaces with three locations in Southern California. They include craft foods and drinks and wide open areas with large tables and benches. The distinct feature with all SteelCraft locations is that the restaurants are built within old modified shipping containers.
The main communal eating area at SteelCraft Garden Grove The Garden Grove location is really cool looking. It’s a very distinct looking center due to the shipping containers. I can’t say I’ve seen anything quite like it. I love how wide open the communcal area is and how the restaurants are all on the outside of this area surrounding it. They certainly did build this with a sense of community and togetherness with having everyone eating in the same area.
The Food
Barrio
One of the restaurants that peaked my intererst at the Garden Grove SteelCraft was Barrio. A fusion of Filipino and Korean BBQ. That’s not a fusion I’ve ever seen before and the menu sounded pretty solid. It was time to give it a try!
The Barrio at Garden Grove SteelCraft 
Yes, there’s an order process! 
The popular dishes SteelCraft Barrio has a lot of different skewers to choose from (pork, chicken, shrimp, tofu) as well as other proteins like pork / beef bulgogi, salmon, and liempo. You can mix and match the skewers so I decided to go with the pork and chicken. I had wanted the rice but they were out for the night so I got it with the mixed green salad and also got the kimchi. It’s a fair amount of food for $10.50
The full skewer meal with salad and kimchi 
The salad has a few toppings on it but is pretty much a garden salad. There is a generous amount of spring mix here and it’s a lot of salad. I thought there could be a bit more dressing provided. It was a bit dry and certainly could have used more dressing. I also didn’t feel that there was very much kimchi as a side. It was pretty solid kimchi, just could have used some more of it.
The skewers are well marinated and well coated. There’s a good char on them and they taste great mainly due to the sweet and tangy marinade and sauce. The meat itself was pretty over cooked and tough, which was disappointing.
The chicken skewer 
The pork skewer 
A piece of pork
The Verdict
For the amount of money for the meal ($10.50) it’s a good amount of food. The proportions, especially the salad, is a lot. The quality is good as well. The marinade and the sauce is really tasty and is a highlight to me. It would have gone really well with rice for sures.
The few things that were a negative to me were the lack of salad dressing, small side of kimchi, and overcooked meat.
Again, it’s tough to find a meal like this for only $10.50 in this day and age and it’s certainly worth the price despite the “negatives” I list. There just needs to be a few tweaks and I feel like Barrio would be pretty legit.
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What Makes Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai’s Broth So Different And Unique
The Background
Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai has deep roots in Japan. First opening its doors in the city of Kitakata back in 1958, its popularity has steadily grown over the past six decades. Now, with 66 locations in Japan, Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai has taken root in the United States as well. Currently, there are seven location in the United States all in Southern California and Illinois. Four of the locations are in Orange County.
Kitakana is, in itself a different type of ramen then the better known Sapporo (miso broth) and Hakata (tonkotsu). The three of these types of ramen comprise the “Big 3” in Japan. Kitakana ramen differs from it’s ramen counterparts due to its broth and noodles. The broth is made from long-simmered pork bones with a shoyu (soy sauce) base. The noodles differ from other ramen due to how flat, wide, and curly they are.
The Experience
Recently, I stopped by the Fountain Valley location for lunch to check it out. I’d been to the Costa Mesa restuarant but this was the first time trying the Fountain Valley spot.
This location is much larger than the Costa Mesa restaurant with ample parking. Both huge positives.
The menu is the same at both locations. There’s actually quite a few diffferent types of ramen offered here.
I went with the Kitakata Ramen ($13.95) since I wanted to try the both. I had the Spicy Miso before but hadn’t tried the Kitakata.
The Kitakata Ramen comes with 5 pieces of Toro-Chashu, bamboo shoots, and green onion. As I mentioned previously, this is a pork broth with shoyu (soy sauce) base. Compared to miso or tonkatsu, it’s a much clearer broth.
This broth also stands out from other broths due to how light it is. Like much, much lighter. This doesn’t have that same deep, rich flavor that miso or tonkatsu does. That doesn’t take anything away from this broth, it tastes great and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You can definitely taste the pork flavor. However, it’s more subdued compared to the shoyu flavor. It’s a great blend and the two flavors certainly mix well together.
The noodles really stood out to me. These are certainly thicker and quite wavy compared to other ramen noodles. But, what really stood out was how chewy they were. These seemed more in line with udon type of noodles with their chewiness. It was a good surprise!
The Toro-Chashu is something unique to Kitakata Ramen as well. Simmered for several hours in their secret sauce, the pieces of chashu here are much smaller cuts than chashu in other types of ramen.
Tender, with some fat, I found the chashu to be quite flavorful. The more pieces I ate the saltier they seemed. But since the broth is lighter it adds a little bit more flavor and didn’t bother me.
The bamboo shoots were a nice touch. They were included in the base ramen, which was great, since I usually order it as a side.
The Verdict
There’s many ramen restuarants in Orange County offering miso and tonkatsu base broths but few, if any, are making the Kitakana style as their main broth.
The lightness of the broth, which still retains excellent flavor, impressed me. The chewiness of the noodles was also very enjoyable and unique. They’re some of the best ramen noodles I’ve had in the Orange County area.
If you’re in the mood for a lighter kind of ramen, Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai is an excellent option!
Address:Â 18884 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Hours:Â
Thursday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Friday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Saturday 11 AM–10 PM Sunday 11 AM–9 PM Monday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Tuesday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Wednesday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Phone: (714) 884-3124
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Pho 79 lives up to billing as one of the best in Southern California
The Background
Pho 79 is a well-known, beloved Vietnemese location that’s been serving it’s slurp worthy signature pho since 1982. Yes, 1982! It’s in a non-descript area, nestled behind a strip mall but where there’s good food, people will find it.
The popularity is evident within the restaurant which literally has a wall’s worth of accolades and articles written about the great tasting food. The restaurant proudly displays its recognition as a James Beard Foundation Winner under the restaurant signage, indicating that its received notable national acclaim.
Such long staying power is a testament to the of quality food. But what makes Pho 79 truly special is their pho broth.
The Experience
I thought I’d beat the lunch rush and get to Pho 79 well before noon. When I pulled up to the restuarant, around 11:15 am on a Wednesday, I noticed there was already a line and the parking lot was quite full.
There’s a sign in sheet attached to the front door which had a 4-5 parties in front of me. It went really quickly. It only took around 10 minutes to get seated, which was nice!
Pho 79 really has a massive menu, with a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes to sort through. The pho portion of the menu is teeming with different variations with all sorts of different meat. Most come in three different bowl sizes. My go to pho is always just the rare beef, so I went with the medium bowl ($13.25)
The food comes out exceptionally fast. I went to use the restroom to wash my hands and came back to my table with a steaming bowl of pho waiting for me. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes.
Slurping up a spoonful of the broth was a memorable experience. The broth is so rich, hearty, and flavorful, it really warms the soul. After savoring a few spoonfuls of broth, I started adding in the usual pho veggies: thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and squeezed in some lime. I added in some hoisin sauce and some Sriracha as well.
At first I wasn’t too impressed with the amount of meat in the bowl. It just looked like four slices of beef. As it cooked more in the broth, layers started peeling off the meat though. There was a lot more meat than I orginally thought! The beef is good quality and as it turns out, there’s quite a bit. The noodles were excellent and plentiful as well. For a medium bowl of pho it was a good amount of food for a good price.
The Verdict
This was the first time I’ve been to Pho 79. I can see why it’s so well-known and has been around for over 41 years. The bowl of pho was flat out delicious.
What separates it from other places is the broth. It’s definitely one of the best pho broth’s I’ve ever had. I’m not sure what they do differently to prep the broth, but you can taste the difference compared to other pho places. Outstanding flavor. I can’t wait to go back and have another bowl!
Also, on a side note, this is a cash only restaurant so be sure to have some cash on you if you visit. I think the best times to go will be off peak hours either early or late lunch / dinners.
The parking lot will likely be packed at peak times so best to avoid if possible.
Pho 79
9941 Hazard Ave. Garden Grove, CA 92843
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Zabon Ramen: Checking Out The Anaheim Packing District Location
Zabon Ramen At The Anaheim Packing District -The Background
First established in Tokyo, Japan in 1978, Zabon Ramen opened up its first location in the US in Torrance in 2016. In 2022 it opened its second location in the popular Anaheim Packing District.
Zabon Ramen is known for it’s broth which is unique since it consists of a combination of Tonkatsu (pork), chicken broth, and soy sauce. They expanded the menu at the Anaheim location adding sushi rolls.
The Experience
Zabon’s is located on the second level at the Anaheim Packing District, right across from the bar. It’s easy to spot if entering from the main entrance. There’s no sit down area specifically for Zabon but seating can be found outside, right behind Zabon, or along the counter space overlooking the first floor.
The menu is short and sweet with three types of ramen to choose from – the Zabon, Miso, and Vegan. A handful of appetizers and rice bowls complete the ramen portion of the menu.
I decided to go with the Zabon Ramen ($14.95) since I wanted to try the base broth. The toppings included bean sprouts, cabbage, green onion, fried onion, and 3 pieces of pork chashu.
The ramen set seemed like a good deal -an extra $4.25 for a mini rice bowl – so I decided to get the chashu bowl.
Zabon Ramen
Starting with the ramen. The presentation is great. 3 large, thick slices of chashu, the fried onion, cabbage, and green onion add vibrant color to the rich, brown broth. I was looking forward to dig into it.
The broth was a little underwhelming. It looks rich but lacked that deep, rich flavor you really savor with each spoonful. To me it tasted more like a seasoned broth packet from an instant ramen.
The noodles were just alright. A little too firm for my liking. They lacked real bounce or freshness to them.
Finally the chashu. Kind of on brand with the overall bowl, it was a little tough. It had pretty good flavor to it but I didn’t find it to be very tender.
I did enjoy the crunch of the cabbage in the ramen. I thought it went well within this particular bowl of ramen.
Chashu Bowl
Next up was the the chashu bowl. The bowl had cubed chashu with green onion , ginger, and a teriyaki type sauce drizzled over the top. The rice soaked up the sauce nicely and was well coated throughout the bowl. There was a good amout of food here for a mini bowl.
The chasu bits were more tender then the pieces in the ramen and there was a generous amount in this bowl. The sauce, green onion, and ginger all meshed well together and helped to enchance the overall flavor. This was pretty decent but I wouldn’t go out of my wayt to get it again.
The Verdict
Zabon Ramen located in the Anaheim Packing District is more akin to a fast food style ramen. It fits into the vibe and flow of its surroundings, but just doesn’t pack that authentic ramen style restuarant punch to it and the food is reflective of that. The ramen and chasu bowl wouldn’t be enough to bring me back soley to eat at this location. For the amount of food you get, the ramen set deal is pretty solid though.
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Hakata Ikkousha Tonkatsu Ramen In Costa Mesa
The Background
The first Hakata Ikkousha hails from Fukoaka, Japan and first opened in 2004. It now has a number of restaurants thorughout Japan and can also be found in Singapore, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, and Canada. A pretty incredible expansion within a fairly small time frame.
When you break down the name it means one (Ichi) happy (ko) space (sha). A great combination of words to name a ramen restauarant since a nice hot bowl of ramen should indeed make for a “one happy space”.
Fortunately (for me), the three US locations are all located in Southern Calfornia. I went and checked out the Costa Mesa restaurant recently.
The Experience
The restaurant is in very busy center in Costa Mesa. It can become a parking nightmare at dinner time so I went for lunch. I got here about ten minutes after it opened (11:30 am). It’s a pretty small place. It started getting busy during the lunch rush and was filling up quickly.
The menu had quite a few different types of ramen broths to choose from. The Black Tonkotsu, God Fire, Mentai, and Black Devil Ramen all sounded super interesting.
When I go to a new ramen spot I always like trying their signature ramen, what they’re known for. It’s generally the Tonkatsu ($14) so that’s what I went with. They have a solid lunch combo menu where you can add a side dish for a little extra so I went with the 1/2 fried rice. All in all a pretty solid deal ~ $17.50.
You fill out the order sheet and it gets picked up by the server 
The lunch combo menu Service was very attentive and the food came out within 10 minutes.
The Ramen
Like the best tonkotsu broths, Ikkousha’s broth is extracted from pork bones over 30 hours long. This bowl comes a with a piece of pork chashu, black fungus, and spring onions.
I don’t ever recall seeing Tonkatsu ramen coming out so frothy like this before. The broth is rich, with a light umami taste. This doesn’t have a really deep flavor and isn’t overly rich for a tonkotsu broth though. It’s nice middle of the road flavor.
Only one piece of chashu comes with the ramen. It’s a good sized piece, but it’s disappointing that you need to shell out more money for an additional piece or two. The chashu itself was good. It was tender with good flavor.
The noodles here a very thin but definitely have a freshness to them and are tasty. I got the normal firmness and it was a little too firm for my liking. The next visit I’d definitely get soft, but that’s obviously a personal preference..
The black fungus mushroom shreds add a welcome different kind of texture to the ramen. They didn’t really have any kind of taste to them, purely provided texture to the bowl. Something that’s always welcome.
The Fried Rice
The fried rice had bits of pork in it with egg, onion, and green onion. The pork bits had great flavor and the fried rice had a bit of a charred bbq taste to it. There’s definitely a lot of onion pieces in here. I enjoyed the abundance of onion initially but got a little tired of it the more I ate. Overall an enjoyable fried rice!
The Verdict
There’s many many ramen options in Orange County and it’s hard to standout with so many delicious places to choose. Hakata Ikkousha Tonkatsu Ramen is a solid ramen option.
The tonkatsu broth is on the lighter side yet remains flavorful. It’s a good tonkatsu broth if you’re wanting something that’s not going to put you in a coma after.
I wouldn’t put Ikkousha at the top of my favorite ramen places I’ve visited in Orange County. But it’s certainly a nice change of pace and provides a good ramen option in the Costa Mesa area.
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Kin Long Beach: Reimagining Thai Classics with a Modern Twist
The Background
Kin Long Beach is a popular Thai restauarant located in Long Beach, CA. It has a more modern take on classic Thai dishes on a fairly expansive menu with a number of interesting options.
The Experience
I got here right when the restaurant opened up at 5 pm. There was already a number of people milling around waiting for the restaurant to open. Somewhat surprising given the early dinner time. But a positive sign for a good restaurant!
As I stated, the menu here is a good size, broken up nicely for easy consumption. The service was on point. The servers came by a few times to check in and make sure I had everything I needed. They did a great job of running through the menu as well.
It took some time to figure out exactly what I wanted but settled on the Bang Bang Shrimp for a starter and the Spicy Pad Thai as my main dish.
They coat breaded rock shrimp with a special house sauce to make the Bang Bang Shrimp.
The outer breading has a bit of crunch to it and isn’t heavily breaded. The shrimp is cooked perfectly. The sauce is creamy and savory with a little sweetness. There’s a surprising yet welcoming spicy kick to the sauce as well which was enjoyable.
Next up was the Spicy Pad Thai. It comprises flat rice noodles, chicken, egg, bean sprouts, green onions, onions, bell peppers, ground peanuts, and spicy tamarind sauce. The Spicy Pad Thai is different from the Pad Thai due to the tamarind sauce being spicy. All the other fixings are the same.
I always enjoy Pad Thai due to the unique flavor. Particularly, the perfect mixture of sweet, tangy, and savory. Also, the nutty flavor from the ground peanuts mixes in so flawlessy with all the other flavors, so good! Altogether they combine to create a classic Thai dish. Add in some spice and this was a very tasty Pad Thai! The spice level wasn’t overbearing. Especially for a dish like this, it seemed fitting. It was just right.
Something that was certainly enjoyable was the abundance of different textures. From the bouncy rice noodles, crunch from the bean sprouts, bellpeppers, and green onion, every bite brought fantastic flavor and texture. All the ingredients tasted fresh and I thought the quality was terrific.
The Verdict
Kin Long Beach brings quality Thai food to the Long Beach area. Sporting a large menu with plenty of options, there’s a lot to like from this cozy Thai restaurant. The Bang Bang Shrimp was solid and the low key spicy sauce really enhanced the dish overall. The added spice to the normal Pad Thai really upped the enjoyment to an already delicious dish. Without a doubt the restaurant is worth checking out if you’re craving Thai food and in the Long Beach area!
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Exploring Prince Street Pizza at Durango Casino & Resort, Las Vegas
Prince Street Pizza – The Background
Prince Street Pizza is a famous pizza restaurant that originates from New York City. First opening its doors in 2012 it has since made the coastal leap to California, along with other locations on the east coast. One of it’s newest locations is within the brand new Durango Casino & Resort in Las Vegas.
Prince Street has made a name for itself with its distinct Sicilian “SoHo” Squares and original Neapolitan pizzas.
To make sure the consistency of the dough maintains the same quality as the original New York pizzeria a water filtration process that closely replicates the New York water is used in all pizzerias.
I’ve never had Prince Street before so I didn’t have any comparison to the other locations but was excited to give the pizza a try!
The Experience
The first thing you notice about Prince Street is the restuaruant itself. Located in the Durango “food court” it’s not just a regular ol’ counter selling Prince Street pizza. This is a detailed store front which gives it a lot of personality. There’s no specific Prince Street seating, but there’s plenty of seating both inside and outside.
I stopped by here on a Friday at about 5pm and there was a fairly short line. The line was constant, never really letting up with 5-10 people in line the entire time I was there. It leads me to imagine at peak times it gets quite busy.
There’s quite a few options to choose from. I wish I had done some research prior!
I didn’t notice the menu, until after I had ordered, so I opted for the eye test. Choosing what looked the most delicious to me.
So many options…. Not only are there a lot of slice options with different toppings and sauces, but also the decision between square slices and traditional slices as well. It was a tough call. Ultimately I went with the Naughty Pie ($6.50 square) and the Sunset Square ($6.25 square).
The Naughty Pie consists of spicy vodka sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta, and honey. While the Sunset Square is sweet marinara, mozzarella, pecorino romano, and garlic.
It did take a little while to receive the slices. There was only 1-2 ovens that was heating up the slices and they would go in one order at a time it seemed. All in all it probably took about 10-15 minutes to get the food.
The Naughty Pie
The Naughty Pie First up amongst the two slices I got was the Naughty Pie. Which again consisted of spicy vodka sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta, and honey.
Things that stood out were how there’s not a ton of cheese or sauce on the slice. The big glob of ricotta cheese certainly is an eye catcher. There also wasn’t a TON of pepperoni on it.
The spicy vodka sauce is quite tasty. You can really taste that slight sweetness from the honey which adds a distinct taste to it. I didn’t get much of a spice kick from it though.
The ricotta cheese ball delivers a rich cheesey taste of goodness at the end of the slice which is quite a welcome flavor. I don’t recall ever eating a slice that had ricotta cheese on top, so that was something new and delicious.
The pepperoni had a nice char with a little crunch around its edges and was definitely good quality!
What really made the slice memorable was the crust.
The bottom of the crust is crispy and crunchy, while the remaining portion of the dough is, well, nice and doughy. It’s delicious and a high quality crust.
Overall the slice, due to the minimal cheese and sauce, is quite light. Even with a good sized ball of ricotta cheese on it, the slice remains remarkably light.
The Sunset Square
Slice #2 was the Sunset Square. Which, as a reminder, was sweet marinara, mozzarella, pecorino romano, and garlic.
There weren’t any hidden goodies with this slice. What you see is what you get. What looked like something that would be incredibly saucy and cheesy through the display, really wasn’t. It was a pretty simple slice.
The cheese and sauce was VERY minimal. You can taste the “sweet” part of the marinara for sure. It has a different taste than the vodka sauce.
The crust was outstanding as well with this slice. So clearly the crust is a staple here.
This slice to me was certainly lacking though. It’s a minimal slice with no toppings but there just wasn’t enough sauce or cheese.
Granted, it’s delicious crust, but I want a little more from my slice of cheese pizza.
The Verdict
Prince Street Pizza is a worthy addition to the new Durango food court. With a large assortment of slices and squares to choose from. The crust is top notch and the different types of sauces are commendable. The slices seem to be lighter since the cheese and sauce are minimal and there’s isn’t a TON of grease. If you like slices that don’t over do it with cheese or sauce and the focus is more on the crust and toppings than this is the place you.
I definitely would come back, I’d just focus on getting slices that have more toppings.
Random Musings
It was pretty difficult to choose amongst all the slices while in the thick of the line since the menu isn’t prominently displayed in the front where all the slices are.
It would be great if there was a menu in front where all the slices are located. Or at least if there was a description of what the pizza consisted of under the name of it.
The menu I took a picture of was on the side of the restaurant where there’s no slices displayed. It would be nice to know exactly what each pizza is comprised of while looking at the actual slices.
I’d recommend looking at the menu online and figuring out what slices are of interest prior to stepping into line.
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Sinful Subs Offers Unique Takes On Classic Sub Sandwiches
The Background
Looking for unique sub sandwiches in Las Vegas? Located off the Strip, Sinful Subs, has many classic subs like the Italian, Meatball, Club, Pastrami, but with a twist. The way the sandwiches look and are prepared is much different than what you’re accustomed to. Generally this involves going over the top with ingredients, like cheese or other ingredients, making for monstrous sandwiches.
There’s creative names like Knuckle Sandwich (Italian), Club To The Head (Club), Pastram – Bomb (Pastrami), amongst many others. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich and wanting to have something familiar but with a slightly different taste, this place is worth a try.
The Experience
With there being a number of “hybrid” sandwiches, there’s a wide selection to choose from here. It’s a tough call since so many of them sounded interesting!
I’m a sucker for club sandwiches and if I see one on the menu I’m most likely giving it a try. So the Club to The Head was always going to be the call for me!
All the sandwiches come in two different sizes the medium ($8.99) and large ($12.99). I went with the medium with a side of fries ($1.29) and a drink ($2.00). I also split an order of the meat styx ($6.99). Very affordable meal.
Even though I just got the medium sandwich it’s a pretty good size. It consists of pan roasted turkey, swiss cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and a load of lettuce and tomato.
To say there’s a lot of lettuce here is an understatement. I couldn’t even see anything else in the sandwich. There’s essentially a salad on top of the sando.
The lettuce comes tumbling out with each bite before you can actually get to the literal meat of the sandwich. The turkey is great quality and it’s definitely good sandwich meat. The roll was nice and fresh. Overall, it’s a solid club sandwich.
What was disappointing was the small portions of turkey, cheese, and bacon in the sandwich. I’m not a big cheese fan so this was actually fine for me. The turkey and bacon though….seemed to be a little lacking to me. Not in the quality, purely from the quantity.
After seeing how much lettuce was on top of the sandwich I thought there would be equally as much turkey and bacon within the sandwich, It’s not the case though.
I really enjoyed the fries cut into chips. These were certainly different from regular fries and quite delicious.
The meat styx are essentially egg rolls but the meat is the homemade meatloaf. They come with dipping sides of mashed potatoes with gravy and a straight gravy cup.
These are pretty tasty. Think of dipping an egg roll in a cup of gravy or into mashed potatoes and gravy and you essentially get meat styx. The gravy and mashed potatos are both quite yummy too.
The Verdict
I enjoyed the food at Sinful Subs, from the different takes on well-known classic sandwiches to the presentation, the subs are great. The prices are very affordable too.
I can’t speak for the other sandwiches, but for the Club to the Head I’d love to see more meat. The ratio of the lettuce and bread to the meat left a lot to be desired.
Like I mentioned previoulsy, there’s a lot of interesting sounding subs on the menu and I wouldn’t mind trying another one if I’m craving sub sandwiches out in Las Vegas!
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Exploring The Flavors Of The Crazy Pita Rotisserie and Grill
The Background
Crazy Pita Rotisserie and Grill is a fast-casual Mediterranean restuarant chain based in Las Vegas, NV. With a total of three restaurants in the Las Vegas / Henderson area and a fourth on it’s way to Texas, Crazy Pita has enjoyed measured success since it first opened it’s doors back in 2006.
Featuring a menu that ranges from pitas, skewer plates, rice bowls, salads, and rotisserie chicken, Crazy Pita offers a solid selection of Mediterranean options to choose from.
Outside of the menu, something that really stood out in the Downtown Summerlin location was the way you order. While there was the traditional employee at the front that occassionally took orders, there was another screen with someone that was taking orders virtually. I’m not sure if it’s the wave of the future but it was definitely different!
The Experience
Besides the ordering aspect, everything else is what you’d expect from a fast casual restaurant. You pay, get a number, find a seat, and wait for the food to come out. You’re provided a number and find a place to sit. While waiting for the food they provided some cinnamon and sugar pita pieces.
Cinnamon and sugar pita pieces These were good! They really just tasted like bite sized churros. If they came out freshly made these would be amazing, without a doubt.
While munching on the sugary pita pieces, the food came out shortly after. The service was great and the food came out quickly.
I wasn’t overly hungry so I went with the Chicken Pita and fries, thinking it would be lighter. The pita consisted of marinated chicken, hummus, roasted red bell peppers, marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, and romaine lettuce. Defintely a fairly healthy lunch! I mean, minus the side of french fries that comes with the pita. All in all, a good sized pita sandwich and a side of fries for $12.99 isn’t a bad deal.
There’s a lot of veggies packed in the pita with about 4-5 chunks of chicken in it. The chicken is tasty – it has that great char taste – and the seasoning is very flavorful. The veggies are fresh, and coated in a dressing similiar to Italian.
The pita sandwich provides so many layers of textures with every bite. The softness of the pita, the different crunchiness of the veggies, the tenderness of the chicken, it’s fantastic.
I got some Tzatziki sauce on the side and drizzled that on every bite while adding some Cholula sauce too. Adding these other sauces amps up the flavor of the pita sandwich overall. The hummus sauce included in the pita sandwich is good on its own, but I liked the extra sauce. I’m just a big sauce kind of person though.
The Verdict
Crazy Pita offers a nice variety of Mediterranean fare at reasonable prices. Service is great and the food is fresh and flavorful. The Chicken Pita was a good size, chalk full of veggies, with well-seasoned chunks of chicken. It’s a tasty pita for sures.
If you’re in the mood for some Mediterranean food in the Las Vegas area, Crazy Pita Rotisserie and Grill is certainly worth a visit!
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Leone Cafe Brings Italian Style Coffee To The Heart Of Las Vegas
The Background
Located in Tivoli Village in Summerlin (Las Vegas), Leone Cafe very much has a European feel to it when you enter. It fits right into the ambiance of Tivoli Village itself, which is designed to resemble a 1400s European Village. It’s certainly a unique area with shops, restaurants, office spaces, and living spaces all within this miniature village.
The decor within the cafe is great, simple, but really transports you out of the Las Vegas vibe.
Inside of the Cafe, waiting to order The Experience
Leon Cafe is a little different for such a large cafe. You find your own seat and wait in line to order. There’s a decent amount of seating but seats could be hard to come by at peak hours, especially something inside during really hot days. Fortunately, I was able to find something outside but the place was really busy.
Although known for their assortment of coffee, lattes, expressos, and juices, it’s not all that Leon Cafe offers. The food here is outstanding as well,
The menu is large and diverse with plenty of unique items. From breakfast sandwiches, omelettes, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, pastries, there’s really something for whatever you’re craving. That’s not even mentioning the aforementioned list of drink options as well. It’s a lot to sort through as you wait in line. Luckily, the line was long when I went on a Saturday around noonish. That seems odd to say, but will make sense if you visit this place and are figuring out what you want to order.
Overall, I loved the variety of the egg section of the menu. There’s a lot of creativity in how the eggs are prepared with influence from around the world. I was having a difficult time deciding until I noticed there a were a couple of skillet options. I’m a sucker for breakfast skillets, so I zeroed in on the Texas Skillet, which sounded amazing ($15.99)
The Texas Skillet The skillet consists of marinted ground beef, potatoes, Pico de Gallo, mixed melted cheese, sour cream, and two eggs any style. I opted for scrambled eggs.
The skillet was a MOUND of food. Potatoes with the seasoned ground beef mixed in make up the bed of the skillet with melted cheese covering the mixture. The scrambled eggs with Pico de Gallo and sour cream top it all off. Yum! I also added some Cholula and Tabasco Sauce to spice things up a bit too.
I’m not exactly sure what the seasoning is, some sort of Tex-Mex concoction, but it’s TASTY. Even better, the potatoes really soak up a lot of the flavor and the ground beef sticks to the potatoes as well.
Getting a bite of potatoes, ground beef, melted cheese, egg, Pico de Gallo, and sour cream, is one flavor packed bite of food with several layers of texture to boot. Undoubtedly, this is a very filling, hearty meal.
The Verdict
If you’re craving a good brunch option off the strip in Vegas, look no further than Leone Cafe. Prices are affordable, especially for the portions you get. Even though the cafe itself was bustling, the shopping center was very laid back and mellow with minimal people around on a Saturday. It was a nice change of pace from the Strip. With a diverse menu filled with plenty of intriguing food and drink options, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at Leone Cafe. It’s well worth checking out!
