Anita's New Mexico Style Mexican Food

As a member of OC Food Blogs, a review has been posted on that site.

To read the review and view pictures, please click here.

Java Spice

With the recent closure of two Indonesian restaurants, Java Spice seems to be one of the few remaining restaurants specializing in Indonesian cuisine. Once owned by professional poker player John Juanda and his family, Java Spice has come under new ownership in recent times.

The restaurant is small, but tidy. The walls and interior space are sparsely decorated with Indonesian adornments. With the relatively small Indonesian community in Southern California, everything Indonesian seems like the TV show bar Cheers, where you can’t help but run into someone you know.

The Es Durian is sort of like a shake. Take some over ripe durian, if there is such a thing, mix it with some crushed ice and condensed milk, and you have this concoction which will send most Southeast Asians into ecstasy. Durian, known as the king of fruits, is definitely an acquired taste and smell. For the uninitiated, durian sort of smells like athletes foot with an underlying sweet funkiness.

The Ikan Goreng Tilapia Tuaco is a very large tilapia which is deep fried. Large cuts are imbedded into the flesh to let the sweet, pungent and spicy sauce to get into every nook and cranny of the fish. The flesh is firm, yet moist and the sauce gives the rather tasteless fish a life of its own.

The Beef Rendang is slow braised beef in a curry sauce. Unlike most rendeng’s that I have had, this version was rather sweet instead of the normal spice that is usually associated with this dish. The sweetness and richness of coconut milk bursts with each bite of the very tender cubes of beef.

The Ayam Kalasan is twice cooked chicken. The chicken is first cooked in coconut milk, then deep fried. The coconut milk imparts a subtle sweetness to the chicken. The finished chicken is then deep fried to give the bird a deep golden brown hue and to also make the skin crispy. Although the coconut milk should keep the chicken moist, there were part of the chicken that were overly dry.

Even without the star power that John Juanda would bring to the restaurant, Java Spice is a good option for Indonesian food at a very reasonable price.

Java Spice
1743 Fullerton Road
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 810-1366

Rockenwagner Bakery

Since closing his flagship restaurant a few years back, Hans Rockenwagner has opened up an informal cafe and bakery, and a separate bakery that focuses on breads, pastries and sandwiches.



Rockenwagner Bakery is probably most notable for their pretzel bread, and rightfully so. This artisanal loaf is like a huge un-knotted pretzel. The top crust has a very nice chew and a generous sprinkling of salt, that look like small diamonds in the rough. The bottom crust also has that nice chew, but is also very crunchy at the same time. The interior is everything you would want in a top notch pretzel and more. A slightly yeasty fragrance emerges when bitten into or torn apart. That distinctive taste that can only be a pretzel is recognizable from the first bite.


The Cheese Pretzel does not have that infamous knotted look, but instead appears like a buttermilk bar donut. Topped with a generous amount of cheese, the pretzel marries the best of both flavors. What could be better than a nice, chewy cheesy pretzel?



Well, for those that like things a little spicy, the Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel is your thing. Adorned with a couple slices of jalapeno, this cheesy concoction does have a surprising little kick to it.

If you're a pretzel fan, or like German baked goods, Rockenwagner Bakery would be an excellent choice. They also offer their famous Berliners, a German donut filled with raspberry jam and topped with cinnamon sugar, on Wednesday's, Friday's and Sunday's.



Rockenwager Bakery
12835 Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 578-8171

Fage Yogurt

Many consider Fage to be the Cadillac of yogurts, and it would be hard to disagree. This Greek yogurt is strained which gives it a much richer and denser texture. The yogurt is so thick you can hold the container upside down over your head without fear of being “slimed” on. It also doesn’t contain any gelatin which gives it such a smooth moutfeel. The thick, dense yogurt quickly envelops your mouth in tangy goodness.

Fage is relatively expensive compared to most brands, about twice the cost. The quality and flavor more than make up for the price difference. Interestingly enough, Fage has about half the carbs of regular yogurt, but more surprisingly it has more protein than your average yogurt. It doesn’t make any sense when you consider that it is strained, and the straining process would expel all of the whey out of the yogurt. All of that liquid that you find floating at the top of a container of yogurt is whey, which is primarily composed of water and protein.

Fage doesn’t come in a wide variety of flavors. Besides the plain, the only other flavors are strawberry, peach and cherry. There is also a dual compartment container of Fage that contains a side of honey. I’d rather get just the plain container of yogurt and add my own honey so you get more bang for your buck.

Fage is what Pinkberry and all of the other new wave fro yo places aspire to be.

Roy's - LA

Set in a cozy little space, Roy’s LA seems amiss among the sprawling skyscrapers and bustling busy streets. But step inside and you are suddenly whisked away to a different world, a modern tropical paradise that I immediately associate with Hawaii. Vibrant colors adorn the wall, with both modern and some traditional decorations sprinkled throughout the restaurant. Stalks of bamboo line the outer edge of the dining room, while three huge Plumeria art pieces line the wall above the open kitchen, like playful warriors standing guard over the cooks.

The open kitchen is a form of entertainment in itself. While each line cook and sous chef has their own responsibility they also work with precise choreography, producing each dish to come together with perfect timing. Curtis Mar, Executive Chef, is the conductor of the kitchen, making sure each dish goes out on time and more importantly, meeting his discerning standards.

After being seated and getting settled in, a bowl of edamame was placed upon the table. The edamame were seasoned with Alaea red salt and just a whispery hint of something sweet. While not overly sweet, it did give the soybeans an added dimension.

The Grilled Hawaiian Satay Skewers are a mix of chicken, beef, eggplant and shrimp each with a different seasoning. The Curried Chicken Satay is tender and moist with a nice curry spice; it reminded me of a cross between an Indonesian and Indian dish. The peanut sauce helps to cut through the pungency of the curry. The Mongolian Beef skewer is very tender and flavorful. The concentrated soy glaze enhances the beef flavor. The Miso Eggplant satay is a nicely grilled slice of eggplant with a miso glaze that is both sweet and salty. The eggplant is slightly wilted but still retains a nice meaty texture. The Shrimp skewer contains two meaty shrimp that is paired with a wasabi dipping sauce provides a spicy kick to the sweet shrimp.

The Roasted Baby Beet Salad is of the deconstructed type. Baby Bibb lettuce with a acidic balsamic vinegarette sits on one side of the plate, while roasted red and yellow baby beets provide contrast on the other side. Balsamic vinegar cuts through the richness of the blue cheese ranch dressing. An oozing block of blue cheese finishes the salad off.

A Lychee Sorbet is served as an intermezzo. The sorbet is light but is rather sweet. Although there is a hint of lemon in the sorbet it tastes like a light dessert instead of a palate cleanser.

The “Pulehu” Style Hawaiian Barbecued Sirloin is a very generous serving of sliced sirloin cooked to a perfect medium rare. The steak is glazed in a sake reduction and a green peppercorn sauce. The sweetness of the sake provides a nice contrast to the spiciness of the green peppercorns. The dish is served with a small stack of perfectly fried crunchy onion rings and potatoes au gratin. The onion rings are so crunchy that each bite reverberates inside of your skull like you were at a heavy metal concert. The potatoes au gratin are so rich, creamy and cheesy that a crash cart should be close at hand.

The signature Roy’s Hot Melting Chocolate Souffle is a rich dark chocolate flourless chocolate cake with a molten hot center. Breaking into the soufflé releases the sweet thick magma of dark chocolate within. The luscious soufflé is served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that provides a nice temperature contrast as well as a raspberry coulis which helps to cut through the richness of the chocolate.

Although Roy describes his food as being Asian Fusion to make it more appealing to the masses, this is really Hawaii Regional Cuisine at its finest.

Roy's
800 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 488-4994

Porto's Bakery

Porto’s Bakery has been a part of the Glendale community for as long as I can remember. Over the years they have expanded into what is now a huge space that encompasses two dining areas along with limited outdoor seating. When you step into Porto’s you are greeted by organized chaos. Empty tables are hard to find and are at a premium on the weekends. As you walk towards the bakery section, there is a long line that snakes through a roped off section. They have recently done away with their “take a number” system, which I think is a mistake as it is much easier for people to cut in line now, and that could really result in a mob scene.

The Cheese Roll is everyone’s favorite. In fact, they are so popular that they were sold out of the regular size Cheese Roll’s on my visit. I had to settle for the “party size”, which is quite a steal when $10 gets you 25 of these delectable pastries. These croissant-like pastries are topped with large nuggets of sugar to give it some sweetness. Inside of its honeycomb structure of butter and flour is a thick stream of cream cheese. The super flaky pastry is like biting into a nice buttery sponge. And the interplay of the sugary top mixed in with the tanginess of the cream cheese will surely make your eyes roll to the back of your head.

The Chocolate Croissant is a gigantic pastry of rich buttery goodness that is dipped in sweet chocolate on both ends. The croissant is finished with an egg wash before being baked to give it a nice golden brown hue. Beneath its crunchy exterior lies a light and airy interior that is as soft as a baby’s bottom. Like fingers in a gold mine, two veins of chocolate run the length of the croissant.

Porto’s has much more than pastries and desserts to offer. They also have a wide selection of sandwiches to choose from. The ever popular potato balls are also a winner. If you have never visited Porto’s you are missing out on a great culinary adventure.

Porto’s Bakery
315 N. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 956-5996

Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ

Okay, don’t shoot me. But I happen to like this place. Yes, I know it’s a chain, and along with that go the ever popular huge chain portions and prices. An offshoot of the Hof’s brand, Lucille’s does BBQ, which I think they do rather well. I have noticed a slight drop in quality over the years, but they are still among the top of my list of BBQ joints. Decorated in a somewhat Southern motif, Lucille’s offers live Blues music on the weekends.

Upon being seated, you are brought a basket of warm biscuits and apple butter. The biscuit is the size of a large rock, and has the heft of one as well. The biscuit is buttery and is more crumbly then it is flaky. Add the whipped apple butter, which has just a hint of sweetness, and this is a great way to begin any meal.

The Rib Tips are a generous portion of St. Louis Ribs. The ribs are marinated in their original BBQ sauce, which is a thick ketchup based sauce that is relatively sweet, then hickory smoked until tender. The ribs are then finished off on the grill to add a little char for another dimension of flavor. A nice pink smoke ring can be discerned on the ribs, which are very moist and tender. On their own, they are very good, but add some of the Hot & Spicy BBQ sauce for some added kick and this will certainly wake up your taste buds.

The Tri Tip Platter comes sliced and fanned out on the plate. As with the Rib Tips, the Tri Tip is slowly smoked over hickory. The Tri Tip is very lean, but has a little bit of a fat cap to give it some added moisture and flavor. The beef flavor sings in your mouth and is so tender hardly any chewing is needed. The corn on the cob is grilled and that added smoky flavor gets imparted into the corn. The corn is not overcooked and each niblet bursts with juice with each passing bite. The Macaroni and Cheese is drenched in a rich and thick cheese sauce. The elbow macaroni is tender but not overcooked. There is enough of a chew for any al dente pasta lover.

Although Lucille’s gets a lot of bad remarks, their food is consistent. The prices are steep for a BBQ place, but the end product will certainly satiate the inner caveman in anyone.

Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ
1639 E, Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-4944