Sonic

If you are a resident in Los Angeles or Orange County, you would notice the commericals for Sonic - a burger joint - and wonder why it is being advertised on tv in Southern California because you don't know where any Sonic establishments are. It's not a big chain food establisment like McDonalds or Starbucks, but there is one in Arcadia and one in Anaheim.

Many customers can either pull up to the menu to order food and they do not have to get out of the car. There is also an option where people can order food through the walk-up menu and sit in the dining patio area. Wherever they choose to sit, there is someone who will deliver the food to you. Many employees will gladly deliver the food on rollerskates or rollerblades. Some employees are less brave and will walk with the food to deliver to the customers. There aren't that many fast food establishments who serve your food to you while on skate, so it is very nice to see that Sonic employees do!

For some reason, I wasn't really impressed with what was offered on the menu. Perhaps, I had similar items at other fast food joints and I didn't see any unusual items that I wanted to try. I ordered the footlong qauter pound coney because I do really love chili cheese hot dogs. It was certainly long and it certainly tasted good. I don't think Wienerschnitzel has footlong hotdogs and Wienerschnitzel is known for the hotdogs in the U.S.!

Ding's Garden

I went to Ding's Garden Chinese restaurant for lunch with some friends. While there wasn't much of an ambiance or decor, the restaurant was clean. The parking area is small and can be tricky since the restaurant shares it with other businesses, but my friends and I were able to find parking on a Sunday afternoon. Don't let the business name fool you. While the outdoor sign says "Ding's Garden", it says "Savory Garden" on the menu. It is because it's hard to translate Chinese to English correctly, and I assume that Ding's Garden is the correct translation.

The customer service was good. The food was good and very inexpensive. There were eight of us and we ordered quite a few dishes to which seemed like the majority of the menu. We ate very well for very cheap. Unfortunately, I don't remember the names to these food items, except for the Stinky Tofu that is next to the second soup.

Bangkok BBQ

Bangkok Barbeque is a small hole in the wall, mom and pop type restaurant that serves Thai cuisine. It has been in Walnut, CA for 15 years, perhaps longer! The exterior decor seems somewhat boring because it sits in a building that shares with other small businesses, and while the interior decor is not overly attractive, it is still cozy and quaint. The customer service is excellent as long as you can get their attention. Sometimes they get very busy when they are taking calls for take out orders and their busiest time is during lunch. The food is also inexpensive, delicious and the portions are generous. The restaurant is owned by a Thai family, so the food is very authentic. There are not that many Thai people who live in Southern California, but it is nice that there are a few Thai people here who can serve their authentic food. While patrons can dine in, they can also order take out. Because the portions are generous, it is recommended to share the food with a group of friends and/or family or make multiple meals out of from one dish.

I had eaten here before about eight years ago, but at the time, I did not care about taking photos of most things, including food, and I was definitely not in the habit of carrying a camera everywhere I went. I don't remember what I ordered before, but I remembered that the food portions were generous, inexpensive and delicious, and customer service was good.

Cashew Nuts Chicken (with rice on the side)

Pad Thai Noodles

O.C. Foodie Fest

O.C. Foodie Fest was the first gourment food truck event in Orange County. This was a one-day event that was held on August 28th, 2010 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Not only did all the best mobile eats came together for this event, this event also supported the local charities such as Pretend City: Children Museum, Child S.H.A.R.E., and Cart For A Cause.

The Honda Center - which used to be called "The Arrowhead Pond" - is the home of the NHL ("National Hockey League") Mighty Ducks (hockey team) and when they are not playing, sometimes there will be other events happening at this venue such as concerts, other sports (like gymnastics championships and badminton championships), many ice skating shows, and many more other events.

This was the first year that O.C. Foodie Fest had started, so it was a new event to all the people who lived in the area or were willing to commute. There were 50 food vendors (who sold food in trucks and other large vehicles) at this event and several thousand guests who attended to try as many foods as they could from these vendors. This was also a sold out event through online presale ticket purchases and guests weren't able to purchase tickets/admissions at the event. Purchasing tickets at the event was an option if it didn't sell out through online purchasing, but it wasn't an option today.

Bolsa BBQ Pork from Dos Chinos

 
Seviche from The Lime Truck

 
On left, roasted pear with nutmeg wrapped in edible paper; on right, balsamic fig with candied bacon wrapped in edible paper; both from Cool Haus

 
Slider (forgot which truck this came from)

 
Pita Sandwhich from My Kabob Express

I forgot what this was called and which truck it came from

Curry Up

Curry Up is an Indian fast food place located in Pomona, CA across the street from the Cal Poly Pomona (state college). There is a junior college (Mt. San Antonio College) about one mile from this place, so you can imagine how busy this place gets during the regular school year. There is nothing attractive or stunning about the exterior or interior, but this is a fast food place after all, so don't let that stop you from trying this place out. The food tastes great and is very inexpensive. The customer service is very good and the store employees are always friendly and very prompt at greeting customers with a smile. There is no air conditioning in the place, so plan to visit during the cooler time of the day/year or sit farther away from the window. The spicy level is very mild, but there is enough of it that will make you sweat.

Both one item combos and two item combos come with rice, plain naan and salad. The salad comes on a separate plate for the two-item combo and naan is basically a flat bread, but you can add garlic to the naan for an additional .45 cents at Curry Up. Both versions are very good. Curry Up also servers a variety of drinks including Boba Milk Tea which is not a typical Indian beverage. Boba teas are are actually Taiwanese beverages.

Indian cuisine is typically very spicy because that is how Indian people enjoy their food. The spiciness in the food at Curry Up is more on the mild side, but if you'd like more spice, you can ask.

Two item combo: Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikki Masala with rice

One Item Combo: Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry with rice and salad

Garlic Naan (bread)

Green Apple Boba Milk Tea

Dumpling House

Dumpling House in Arcadia, CA is a relatively clean Chinese restaurant. There is no outdoor dinining, but the indoor dining is somewhat small so there is a wait when it gets busy. The interior decor is also quite nice. Most of the dishes are of various dumplings, but the restaurant also serves other dishes. The food was very delicious. The prices are reasonable for all the dishes, however, it is best to go in a group so that everyone can share and taste each plate. It is even more inexpensive as a group. This restaurant is highly recommended for the food and it is great to go with a group of friends and family.

I went here with a group of friends for dinner. There were six of us and we ordered quite a few dishes to which seemed like about the majority of the menu. We all ate very well and we still paid very cheaply for the amount of food we ordered. Unfortunately, I can't remember the names to all these dishes because we ordered so much.

Coffee Break

While the outside doesn't look appealing, attractive or interesting and the business name seems odd, don't let the outside fool you. Coffee Break in Walnut, CA is a quaint, comfy cafe with a hint of homeliness to it and it serves more than just coffee and tea. The interior is very chic and modern. This is a mom and pop resturant that has been in business for over 15 years although it has changed ownership many times during its many years in business.

While the place is very small, it is more than just a break for coffee. It serves a variety of tea, coffee, and hot dishes. They have dine in and take out orders. The prices are very reasonable and you get a lot for your money. There are also always specials going on, so if you are a student at one of the nearby colleges, keep an eye out for them. It is right across the street from Mt. San Antonio College (junior college) and about one mile away from Cal Poly, Pomona (state college), so you can imagine that this place gets very busy for their weekday lunch and dinner during the regular school year.

I have been here many times before, though it has been awhile. I usually like to order green tea and some kind of rice dish. I've decided to venture off and ordered the iced Almond Coffee and the Satay Beef with Fried Noodles and Pumpkin. To my surprise, both were very tasty. I like my coffee to taste like coffee with a sweet taste.

 

Satay Beef with Fried Noodles and Pumpkin

Iced Almond Coffee