Kula--Laguna Hills

With Kula having prohibitively long lines in the Bay Area, we jumped at the chance to try one in Laguna Hills, where there was no line at 11:30 am on a weekday.

Each item on the belt is $2.25. Plates are returned in the slot at the bottom of this photo.

The novelty of having all food--even those ordered off a menu--delivered by conveyor belt was fun for all of us. However, the quality of the sushi, perhaps because it's sitting on a belt for such a long time, is below average.

You can also order food from a touch screen tablet at your table and the dish will arrive on a separate conveyor belt. There are two levels: Guests can choose standard sushi dishes from the lower belt (kind of like baggage at the airport) and the upper is dedicated to delivering ordered dishes to a specific table. This upper belt is controlled, in conjunction with sensors at each table, to assure the dish stops at the right spot. It's pretty slick. Below, my son's grabbing a dish we ordered from that upper belt.

What really motivates the kids, though, are the cartoons and prizes. Every five dishes gets you a silly animated short on the monitor and, for every fifteenth, a ball rolls down from a dispenser to your table. Inside the red ball is a knick-knack (like a tiny Post-It note pad you'll lose in a day or two).

Did we have a great time? Are we glad we went? Yes and yes. However, the quality of the sushi was the lowest of the half dozen or so restaurants we tried during our recent trip to southern California. Some restaurant try to get you to buy more sushi by selling you good food at a value. Some use gimicks. Kula is in the category of the latter.

Safeway Thanksgiving dinner-in-a-box

For Thanksgiving yesterday we got Safeway's boxed Thanksgiving meal. For $49.95 we got what you see in the picture above. The turkey was about ten pounds. Between two adults and two twelve-year-olds we ate about half of everything, including the bird.

What we received from Safeway was a good value, especially considering how much work it saved us. But, a similar offering from Lucky this year also included a green bean casserole and rolls. We tried Safeway this year, though, partly because it's closer and partly because we hadn't tried their packaged Thanksgiving dinner before.

The turkey, precooked, was tender and the aroma filled our home as if we made it from scratch ourselves. I would get this package again, but am more likely to go with Lucky next time because of the value. Whether you get a Safeway or Lucky turkey, though, be sure to pick it up about three days in advance to let it thaw in the fridge in time for Thanksgiving.

Gen--San Jose, CA

Hawaiian beef on the left, shrimp in the middle, Beef Bulgogi on the right and garlic chicken at 12 o'clock. 

We took the boys to Gen for Korean barbecue for their birthday two days ago. This place is worth all the internet hype. We had a delightful time and the service was top notch. I almost always tip more than 15% but never 20%; that is, until Monday. The grill was replaced five times or so and the server constantly took the initiative to ask if we wanted more food.

We got there at about 11:00 and could have ordered off the dinner menu, which offers about half a dozen more items than the lunch menu. However, the all-you-can-eat lunch offered plenty of offerings including small intestine, steak and shrimp. The best of all, we thought, was the pork chop--it's a must have.

Get there after noon and you'll probably need to wait.

The story of our lives--at least two hours of it. In all, 24 dishes.

CreaTEAve by Hello Desserts--San Jose

I had my best-ever cup of boba tea yesterday and I made it myself! The CreaTEAve model is for the customer to add his own ingredients. This includes ice, creamer and unlimited toppings. You then present your cup of goodies to the cashier, who will top it off with a plastic film and shake it for you.

Not a quick thinker on my feet, I was a little confused at first. But, the teenager behind me guided me through it. There are enough signs and recommendations along the way so you won't mess it up, but the best piece of advice is to go for low sweetness when adding the sweetener.

If this were next door or within biking distance of home, I'd be a regular here. But, alas, the parking in this mall, Pacific Rim Plaza, is positively hopeless so it'll be forever and a day before I can make it back.

Ramen Dojo--San Mateo, CA

With literally thousands of reviews on the internet and a seemingly equal number of individuals waiting ahead of you for a table (see photo below), the verdict on Ramen Dojo has long been in. I do, however, have one piece of advice: Even if you love your food hot enough to set the table on fire, for this one occasion try your ramen mild or even without spiciness at all. I got the one with medium heat and thought the ramen was OK and the pork was out-of-this-league tender. But, definitely not worth the 70 minute wait.

Then, my son Dylan, who ordered the same ginger pork as I did but with zero peppers, I was totally consumed by how rich and delicious the broth was. The flavor and creaminess really stood out. And, I thought, maybe I could stand in line again after all.

Ramen Dojo

805 S B St, 

San Mateo, CA 94401

(650) 401-6568

Poorboy's Cajun Kitchen--Santa Clara, CA

Last month I went to Poorboy's Cajun Kitchen in Santa Clara. I'd never heard of the place before my wife told me about it that morning, but I can't wait to go back.

The shrimp boil--a steal at $13.99

I had a shrimp boil which comes with a pound of shrimp, corn on the cob and sausage with a Cajun sauce with medium heat.  It was served in a plastic bag and you could use plastic gloves the restaurant provided to eat, which I did. Not only does this give new meaning to "bagged lunch", but the food was delicious, too. I counted 13 shrimp, but it seemed more than that. (The sauce was a bit too spicy for my wife and for me it was just under my limit, even at "medium.") Not only did I enjoy the lunch for its tastiness, but it filled me up, too.

Jenny had the Crawfish Salad Po' Boy, which we both ended up enjoying. She actually liked it more than the boil. Whatever your preference, my advice is enjoy your lunch here and then rest for a while--if time allows--at the Santa Clara City Library next door. Both spots will do you right!

Poorboy's Cajun Kitchen
www.poorboyskitchen.com

Scott's Seafood Sunday Brunch--San Jose, CA

About two weeks ago, my family took me to Scott's for Sunday brunch to celebrate Father's Day. Having been to Scott's in Oakland for a memorable buffet a few years ago, my expectations were very high--and they were met! All four of us really enjoyed ourselves and Tyler especially keeps asking when we can go back.

Scott's does so many things right, so it's hard to really know what to recommend first. Given the limited budget allotted by one's stomach space, I suggest making sure you hit the shellfish bar and the "and so much more" in the sign above--that is, the chafing dishes. There, you'll find creations you just don't get at a run-of-the-mill Sunday brunch, like Eggs Benedict with crab or salmon alla bella.

 

The latter was delicious, with salmon wrapped in a fluffy pancake. I remember regretting I had space for only one.

Salmon alla bella in the lower left

There is an omelet bar and you won't be disappointed by it. However, you can get a good omelet at a lot of places. When I come again, to maximize value, I'd go for more of the prime rib.

 

That said, one item seemingly commonplace that Scott's did amazingly well was the French toast. With syrup, to me it was as delicious and as satisfying as any dessert.

Prime rib with French toast

The desserts, by the way, were good but not all that memorable given the savory food we came for. The boys really enjoyed the cookies. I was thankful for the cut fruit given all the meat I had. The chocolate covered strawberries were superb, but then, how can one really miss with those?

We got there when Scott's opened, at 10:00 am and it wasn't that crowded. We were politely asked, though, to finish within two hours and by about 11:00 the restaurant was pretty much packed. The brunch comes with mimosas included, by the way, and they don't cheat you. The service is excellent and the liquids are continuously flowing into your glass.


www.scottsseafoodsj.com