Roy's Hawaiian Fusion - Anaheim, CA

if there's a better restaurant in oc - i havent found it.

there's probably not another restaurant i go to more regularly than roy's. i always feel welcome whenever i come in, the people remember my name and the food is always amazing. i would consider roy's a fine dining establishment, but its cheaper in price than most "fine dining" places. they feature an "aloha hour" that includes $5 apps (6 kinds) and $5 drinks (the entire drink menu). for dinner, you can get a 3 course meal for $35.95 or indulge on the other tasty selections.

rim fire calamari

calamari steaks. i'm a fan of rings and tentacles but calamari steaks are where its at. its not as fishy, more flavorful, and generally just taste better. its breaded and fried and tossed with a spicy but still sweet chili sauce - and the portion size is huge. great for sharing. it also comes with kish's favorite: sauteed mushrooms.

lakanilau roll

not a lot of people know roys serves sushi. this roll is the surf and turf roll that features snow crab, avocado, tempura asparagus and wagyu beef on top. BEEF ON TOP. with truffle oil on top. truffle oil and beef? sign me up every time.

ahi tartare

i remember when i first tasted this dish. i didnt think i'd like anything about it but now theres nothing i dont love about this dish. the fish quality is amazing and the tartare is flavored with a garlic chipotle aioli to add some heat, maui onions to add a crunch that compliment the delicately sliced tuna.

butterfish

what about butterfish doesnt sound amazing? if youve never had butterfish then youve never had melt in your mouth awesome fish. you can eat butterfish without teeth, that is how much it melts in your mouth.

barramundi

the place changed it temporarily, but they used to have a sweet corn and blue crab crusted barramundi. the currently serve the same prep with mahi mahi instead but im sure they'd make it with barramundi. unlike butterfish, barramundi is a flaky fish, the crust compliments it with the crab and corn but the sun dried tomato anisette cream sauce completely sets this dish off. the dish is very savory and rich, and sets a standard for fish after you eat it. also comes with sauteed mushrooms, another kish pick.

chocolate souffle

whats not to love about a dark chocolate cake that oozes out in the middle when you cut into it. they're made to order 20 minute signature dessert will make any night have an awesome ending.

blackberry cabernet sorbet

they serve a trio of sorbets, but this is my favorite one. remember when you were a kid and saw your parents drinking wine and wondered what it taste like? this is what you thought it tasted like in popsicle like form. it has a little punch from the wine, a little tart, very fruity and most of all its a nice cleanse for the palette, even gutter palettes.

overall, stellar seafood, great service, and good value for a fine dining establishment.

Britt's BBQ - El Segundo, CA

reason #1 of why britt's is awesome: i've gotten a variety of their bbq plates, but what i'd really suggest is their triple slider combo. and you wouldn't know it, but their best one is the pulled chicken slider. i always think chicken is just ok and i'd typically go with tri-tip or brisket, but no nonononononono....pulled chicken.

reason #2 of why britt's is awesome: they give you free food. not just free food, but GOOD free food. they give you an appetizer of this thing they call meat candy which is just marinated bits of pork which starts off your adventure at britt's on the right foot. at the end they give you these little powdered sugar cream puffs. it's like eating pillows. literally.

reason #3 of why britt's is awesome: now service isn't usually something high on my priority list, but since they're relatively small, food comes out with the quickness. always dope when you're perpetually hungry, like me.

TLDR version: pulled chicken sandwiches FTW

Yamadaya - Torrance, CA

whenever you see pork belly on a menu, it should be a no brainer. why would you even think about ordering  anything else? it's the best tasting part on the best tasting animal!!

it's like starting a hot girl list and not starting it with jessica alba or minka kelly.

this place specializes in tonkotsu (pork soup base) style ramen, so if you're looking for a choice of miso, shio or some other stuff, i'd suggest going to another place.

of the ramen selection they have, my personal pick would be the kakuni pork tonkotsu ramen.

and honestly, it was good, but only ok. a 7.7/10. i'd give the santouka special pork a 32/10. it wasn't super melt in your mouth delicious, but they give you a lot in your serving. A LOT. and it's good once it's sitting in hot broth and softens up a little bit. but yeah, it should be a lot more tender.

the noodle portion was ginormous (one of the largest i've seen), the firmness was perfect....and well i'm going to stop now because this is sounding really gay.

there's other variations of their signature ramen i want to try in the future, but i would highly recommend coming to yamadaya for a quick bite if you're driving on the 405 through torrance or if you want to see me eating by myself.

TLDR version: not the best ramen, but hits the spot if you want a quick bowl of ramen!