Quick Bites: The Great Room (Redondo Beach, CA)

On a rare Wednesday off, my favorite taco spot on the corner had a line out the door and a lack of parking and seating room to match. So instead of waiting in that line only to end up eating my tacos standing up, I decided to get adventurous, head down the street, and check out the newly opened and locally owned The Great Room (2810 Artesia Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278), just walking distance from the South Bay Galleria.

Walking into the restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised by the open space and welcoming atmosphere of the building. The staff was very friendly, greeted me promptly, and were more than happy to share their recommendations on the menu to this first-timer.

Other perks? There are several big screen TVs in the restaurant, strategically placed near groups of sofas and chairs or within easy view of a booth or table. Also, their wi-fi access is super fast and easy to connect to, making this a great place to sit down and work on your computer (which is actually what I'm doing right now).

This looks like I just stepped into someone's house. I'm good with that!

This is a breakfast (until 11AM), lunch, and dinner kind of place. The menu varies from pizzas to burgers to salads and pastas. The menu has a little something for everyone. For today, I decided to try the pesto shrimp cream spaghetti. For a $10 dish, there's a whole lot of tasty food here. The shrimp was very tender and the cream sauce was quite light and blended well with the spaghetti. It actually reminded me of a similar dish from Noodles and Company without the chain restaurant feel.

Yes, that is freshly shredded parmesan cheese on top of that. My only request would've been a small piece of garlic bread to scoop up the remainder of that very delicious pesto cream sauce!

For drink selections, their coffee is powered by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf so you know you're getting good brew (my iced coffee is to spec). The Great Room also offers other bottled drinks, iced/hot teas, and several selections of wine and beer on tap.

For a nominal fee, there is access to a "toddler room" and a "game room" to pass the time or to get the kids out of your hair while you sit down with your friends and enjoy that very needed coffee. If you really want a private space for you and up to 40 people, there's a rentable party room with a projector. On the other hand, the common areas are a great meeting spot for friends who want a semi-private corner space to chill, a motorcycle group planning session, a first date that's inexpensive and great for conversation, or your casual business lunch that just needs a table and good food to nosh on.

I want to come back here to try breakfast (they have a burrito!) and a few more of their lunch/dinner selections, such as their burgers and pizza.

From my first impressions, The Great Room definitely lives up to its name in both vibe and in comfort food. For more information about this up and coming local delight, please visit http://www.thegreatroom.us/.

Quick Bites: The House of Seafood (Carson, CA)

I don't normally stop in Carson for lunch, but there have been so many new restaurants as of late opening up in newly-remodeled shopping centers that never-before-seen ones have piqued my curiosity. The House of Seafood happened to be one of them, and it was a pleasant place to eat in lieu of the Swedish meatballs served at that one furniture store I picked up housewares from. One of the challenges about finding this place is that it's pretty far from a major road, and unless you were driving past it or trying to enter the South Bay Pavilion across the street, it is easy to miss. With that being said, this is what I thought about the food.

Quick Bites: GEN Korean BBQ House (Torrance, CA)

Torrance's GEN Korean BBQ House serves up an all-you-can-eat delight at a very reasonable price and will definitely have you coming back for seconds.

Now, all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ is just one of those things that has to be experienced. You're sitting there at a table in front of a giant grill with all this food ready to be cooked. As you're munching on a few side dishes, everything cooks in front of you. This is a great group activity and I suggest doing this with friends who have huge appetites. I'll let the photos do the talking.

Ready to fire up the grill!

Tales on the Motorcycle Courier Shift...chicken and waffles.

Quick Bites: Cha Cha Chicken (Santa Monica, CA)

I have to say, Santa Monica is a great place to be after a filming shoot. The food choices run the gamut, and places to hang out and take a nap between jobs offer a wonderful view and a relaxing vibe.

This brings me to this "quick bite" review that first piqued my curiosity when I had to pick up an order from this place on a Saturday night on a motorcycle courier shift. I use the quotations on purpose; when it's a regular Saturday, the line is so far out the door that it becomes an ordeal to just acquire the food. I came here on a late Monday afternoon to avoid the crowds and I have to say, I now understand the weekend mobs that flood this establishment.

So, who wants some Jamaican jerk chicken?

Cha Cha chicken prides itself in serving "Carribbean Cuisine with Latin Fusion." For this review, I went with their signature chicken dish for a very filling late lunch. I will say that the spiced Jamaincan jerk sauce that this oven roasted, fall-off-the-bone chicken smothered in is just divine. I chose the medium level sauce that had just enough zip to make it interesting (it's also their most recommended). My half chicken-sized plate came with a side of dirty rice and plantains. For my drink, I went with a delicious mango-guava agua fresca. Well then, I think I figured out where the Latin part fits in.

You'll get a lot of food for your buck. The 1/2 chicken platter is just under $12 and is more than enough food to keep you busy. Their homemade agua frescas complements the flavors of the jerk sauce and chicken quite well.

With the beach house-style open seating and friendly atmosphere, this is a wonderful casual place to enjoy a lunch or dinner. Like I said before, this palace is packed on evenings and weekends, so expect to wait a bit in line for your food. Trust me, it's worth it.

After that relaxing lunch, I decided to head around the corner and sleep off my food coma before my upcoming motorcycle courier shift. It's easy to fall asleep to a view like this. Oh, Mondays.

Cha Cha Chicken is located at 1906 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica CA 90405. For their menu and their alternate location in Northridge, visit http://chachachicken.com/.

Quick Bites: Island Hut (Lomita, CA)

Right before I had to report for my courier shift, I stopped at this local eat to try out this restaurant's take on Hawaiian BBQ. Needless to say, if you're looking for a bang-for-your-buck, filling meal this is the place to go.

The location is right on the corner of Pennsylvania and Lomita Blvd. It's hard to miss and its exterior is quite welcoming.

During my quick stop there, I ordered their California Rolls and a main dish consisting of half chicken katsu and BBQ chicken. The rolls were quite big and actually required a couple bites to get through each one. The crab in them was fresh and flavorful, and I enjoyed the generous chunk of avocado in each one of them. These could be a meal in themselves!

The main course of chicken and rice was filling to say the least. It could easily feed two people with the amount of food on here. I found the teriyaki sauce to be a little strong so I didn't need the additional side of sauce that came with the plate. The katsu was fried properly and was tender and moist.

I'd like to return to try their other dishes and perhaps their Hawaiian-style shaved ice for dessert. Island Hut is located at 2387 Lomita Blvd. in Lomita (intersects with Pennsylvania Ave.) and is right at the corner. You can check out their whole menu at http://www.islandhut.net/. Support local business and gives these guys a try!

Quick Bites: Ramen Yamadaya (Torrance, CA)

Los Angeles is littered with ramen shops. This one is becoming a favorite with their flavorful take on this aspect of Japanese cuisine.

Ramen Yamadaya is a restaurant chain with several locations in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, and San Diego. Their claim to fame is that their tonkotsu (pork) broth is cooked 20 hours to achieve flavorful perfection. But that's not all they serve - their other side dishes including their chashu bowl (first photo below) definitely showcase their attention to detail. If you're looking for a good, filling meal sub $20, this is the place to go.

The following photos were taken at the Torrance location (3118 W.182nd St. Torrance, CA 90504). I've also eaten at the Culver City location (11172 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232) and that place is just as good. Enjoy the photos, and get yourself down there!

For more information about Ramen Yamadaya, visit http://www.ramen-yamadaya.com/.

Quick Bites: Noodle World (Downey, CA)

I'm continuing on my food review binge for the month of May. This trip sent me to Downey to try out a chain that's just starting to make its rounds here in the United States. Not to mention, I got to see an old friend for the first time in years.

Noodle World Jr. (yes, there is a big Noodle World somewhere) features multiple noodle-based dishes from various parts of Asia. Their menu features favorites that a regular American would recognize, such as Chow Mein or Pad Thai, and everything is made to order. Noodle World also offers deserts such as milkshakes, slushies, and boba drinks.

Speaking of recognizable noodle dishes, I requested a serving of Pad See Ew, a Thai noodle dish with large flat noodles, a sweeter sauce, and beef. The food was pretty good, although I think the sauce could've used a bit more flavoring. But for the sub-$8 price for the meal, I wasn't going to argue much for quick cuisine. This place would be great for a quick lunch or takeout.

This location of Noodle World Jr. is located at 8236 Firestone Blvd. in Downey. For more information about this chain, visit http://www.noodleworld.com/.

Food Review: Scooters Dawg House (Mentor, OH)

I don't usually start a food review with the goods first, but this is some serious culinary porn. Want to see more of this Super Dawg? Read on.