Ocean Ave., (Santa Moncia, CA)

A great way to end a long work week... Dine in LA has a long list of awesome restaurants to choose from and a 3 course dinner for $34 bucks you can't go wrong no matter where you go!

So my girlfriend and I chose Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica.... good wine... good company... and good food.

we started off with a blue cheese and tossed green salad with caramelized walnuts.. a litttle too much cheese.. but if u pushed it off to the side, the rest was great.
we were a lil worried about unfresh oysters.. but they turned out great! Slurped mine down with ease.
both the mahi mahi and king salmon were very well done and presented... rice was a little off, too glossy and bland for my liking.

last but not least desert... we got warm chocolate bread pudding that is reminiscent to molten chocolate lava cake but with less ooze.. so you feel less guilty! To wash out the palate sorbet sampler... the coconut sorbet taste like your eating tropical tanning lotion but in a good way.

This would be a good spot during the day since its right night to the beach... sit out on the patio area and enjoy!

Vanilla Bake Shop (Santa Monica, CA)

If heaven were to be bundled into small packages... Vanilla Bake Shop did just that. Their cupcakes? Sweet. Sinful. Satisfying. 3 mini cupcakes for $5... the perfect antedote for 3 p.m. workday blahs.

Cavities? A comprise we are willing to accept.

Potluck with the girls

At least once a month, my girlfriends and I get together to cook, indulge and loosen the pants~ The picture shown above is our mini caprese salad...plump grape and mini heirloom tomatoes... soft mozzarella balls and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar, evoo, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Ridiculously delicious!

Our homemade Saturday lunch consisted of a mini caprese salad, guacamole, deep fried tilapia (for our crispy fish tacos), caramelized onions, SPICY salsa and baked chicken (for our chicken tacos).

Seafood paella... arborio rice, jumbo prawns, squid, clams, mussels, crab and peas. Perhaps it was our feast for lunch or our chunky spanish seafood medley...but geezums.... our bellies rivaled women in their second trimester :)

Stacks Pancake House (San Francisco, CA)

If you're ever up in the bay and in search of a good breakfast joint-check out Stacks Pancake House.... there's always a long wait and hardly any street parking... but well worth it. Complimentary coffee, large menu selection and big dollops of sourcream... can't go wrong there.

Hime Sushi (San Francisco, CA)

California roll draped with eel and buttery avocado, sprinkled wth masago and garnished with wasabi and ginger. The pieces per serving... quite respectable :)

Samurai roll: California roll topped with spicy tuna and homemade potato chips. To enjoy the roll and potato chip together... ideal, but unless you have a large mouth... painful.

Hamachi Jalapeno sashimi slices... each slice topped with jalapeno, soy sauce, garlic and olive oil... whoever thought to pair these two together...ingenious.

Melting Pot (Old Town Pasadena, CA)

Chunks of bread, slices of fruit and florets of broccoli and cauliflower.... they are made for cheese dipping.

We ordered several combo plates of meat... chicken, shrimp and different cuts of steak... each with its own special marinade and seasoning. Once battered, boiled or deep fried, the array of dipping sauces were a fun, flavorful compliment.

Dunking creamy bites of cheesecake, slices of bananas, strawberries and bits of brownies into a warm tub of milk chocolate... a perfect ending....and the perfect beginning to the start of our diet~

Shakas (Alhambra, CA)

Shakas Hawaiian restaurant-started off dinner with some mango soju~

Probably the best dish on the menu....'The Sampler'.... Spam musubis, beef sticks n' fried chicken wings. Aside from the spam, it didn't scream 'alooooohaaa'...but yummy nonetheless.

Cream's Birthday (Takami Sushi-Downtown Los Angeles, CA)

Cafe Luxe (Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, NV)

After partyin' VIP style at Tao, a kobe beef hotdog is the perfect way to end the night. Hands down, best hotdog. The hotdog was grilled to perfection and the spicy mayo dip for the french fries... heavenly.

Since Cafe Luxe is the sister restaurant to Cheesecake Factory, they also serve chunky slices of their creamy white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.

Maki Maki (Irvine Spectrum-Irvine, CA)

Sunday all you can eat brunch for $24.95 per person... it's a STEAL! The following dishes were consumed between the two of us... our appetite amazes many...and disgust some...