The Scoop on Cookies

Welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had a nice break from writing on this blog, but now I'm excited to be back. Let's see what attractions I run into this summer!

First up on the block is a new ice cream store hybrid called THE SCOOP ON COOKIES.















I give it a rating of: A

Honestly, can I give any ice cream place a low rating? It's basically the greatest invention in the history of the universe right underneath the invention of the wheel.

Ever been to Diddy Reese in Westwood? Well, this place is exactly like that (except it doesn't serve hot dogs). It's a little more pricey that Diddy Reese, but you save money on gas driving up that far. $.75 will buy you a cookie, $7 a dozen, and all cookies are made there. It smells so delicious when you walk inside. They even have a unique cookie called the S'mores (perfect for a store by the beach). The ice cream is Thrifty's but it's really good. For $2.50 you can get an ice cream sand'wish' (yep, that's right folks) so it's about a buck more that Diddy but oh so good!

They also have some traditional beach candy like salt water taffy, but they have candies you've probably never seen before. There's a candy based on Idaho spud potatoes. Rocky Road and Charleston Chews are some of my favorites that they have but are always hard to find.

This place is located in downtown Huntington Beach right off Main Street. It's next to BJ's Pizza off Main Street. Trust me, you can't miss the bright colors!

Oggi's Pizza

Can southern California support yet another pizza joint that caters to families and friends? The answer is yes!

A-

Oggi's Pizza is a small chain of privately owned restaurants located in the So Cal area. With a diverse population of pizza joints as popular as CPK and BJ's it's a wonder that a small place like Oggi's can survive! Yet, it does an exceptional job in providing amazing service, great pricing, a welcoming environment, and awesome pizza!

When you want to watch a game or hang out with some friends some pizza joints can fill up quickly and you can definitely get the cold shoulder. However, this restaurant is kind of like Cheers...it seems like everyone knows your name (they don't), but it can be that type of place that regulars can meet. There are flat screen TVs everywhere showcasing the most popular sport games from around the nation. Even while I was there during the USC football game, it wasn't too terribly crowded to the point of unbearable.

I know that some places the atmosphere is great, but the food and service is forgettable. However, that is not the case with this joint. We ordered this salad type pizza (okay I'll admit that I forgot the name), and even though I didn't like all the toppings, I enjoyed the cheese and bacon that was left over. There is picture of it above. Not overly crunchy, but just the right mix of thickness and softness that I enjoy in a pizza. It's a perfect amount of sauce and cheese that just yells this was made with fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection.

The servers were very friendly, and they made sure that my drinks were never empty. I think I got three Coke refills without even asking! Then the dessert they offered was delicious (I got the cinnamon twists to share) and they gave us the warning about how large it would be. It was a great treat.

My only desire is that they would build more places like these. However, in that case, this place might lose it's charm. So if you're in the area, this is definitely a place to check out. My special thanks to Joe for suggesting that I try this one out.

Perry's Pizza

A local favorite in Huntington Beach, PERRY'S PIZZA!

B

For the past eight years since I've moved to Huntington Beach, I've driven by this place several times on the way to the mall. I never thought nothing of it. Recently though Liberty Christian (my school that I teach at) goes to this venue after every home football game for fellowship and to celebrate. Now after experiencing the pizza and other food novelties, I must say this is a great place to eat!

This establishment has been around for quite some time. I'm not sure about the exact date, but the ownership has changed hands a few times, and everytime it does, the new owner wants to make sure this place stays alive. They also have a drive-thru for those who have the pizza munchies on the run.

The menu has a variety of different offerings besides the traditional pizza. There have several hot and cold sandwiches to choose from. They've got different pastas, and spicy wings. The main reason I gave this place a "B" was that the prices for a traditional whole pizza is pricey (it can range from $15-20 bucks depending on the size), but if you purchase individual meals (pizza, breadsticks, and drink) it's at a reasonable $5-7 bucks.

The pizza itself is delicious. Just the right amount of cheese and sauce. There's not that much grease on it, and when you eat a slice, it's very light. You don't feel like you have to dump it all out so quickly! The crust and the break is crunchy, but not so crunchy that you break a tooth off. Very solid!

So if you see this joint in Huntington Beach off the corner of Edwards and Edinger, be sure to stop on by and check it out. Definitely worth a visit and the food isn't so bad either!

Breakfast rated here!

Okay everyone, now people love their breakfast. There's no denying it. Sometimes you might skip it, but that only makes it more enjoyable when you do have it. For me, breakfast is the best meal of the day (well it can be), with dinner coming in second and lunch a faraway third (only exception is when I skip breakfast, so then lunch moves to the number one spot).

All this week, I've been touring the local Huntington Beach scene for the best chain stores to eat a good breakfast. I'm going to rate each one and write a little blurb about why I liked it or not. Even after I write this, you should definitely try to go out and eat breakfast at one of your favorite places that you would normally eat lunch or dinner at. The experience will be different and you would be surprised at what they offer. Trust me, you should at least try it once.

MCDONALD'S

B

This place is always a classic. They have a huge menu for lunch, and with the new McCafe, their selection of "wake-up" juice just can't be beat. I had their Sausage Egg McMuffin combo which was delicious, but of course it was just lacking that special something called freshness. Coffee was awesome, but the hashbrown itself left something to be desired. This is the choice of breakfast for those that are in a rush and want something fast.

CORNER BAKERY CAFE

A

Normally I come here for lunch and dinner for their pastas and soups, but their breakfast menu is equally as delicious. I had the All-American Scrambler which was made with fresh eggs, bacon, roasted potatoes, and two pieces of toast. OH IT WAS GOOD! The only negative is that it takes about five minutes for them to make the food, so expect to wait a little. However, it will not disappoint. I would choose this place over a Denny's breakfast anytime. They also had a wide selection of omelets and other items. If you're looking for a place to try out breakfast, then give yourself a little extra time before school or work and check this place out.

NOAH'S BAGELS

A-

Now as Corner Bakery has the best place to eat breakfast if you want to sit down, then Noah's Bagels is the best place to eat breakfast on the go. Their bagels are baked fresh everyday in store (no vendors) and they have a wide selection of other breakfast sandwiches and coffees. I tried their blueberry bagel and it was nice and crunchy. The Hazelnut coffee was also good and sweet, just the way I like it. The only negative is that it is a little pricey (a bagel with cream cheese and a side of coffee ran about $5), and the amount of cream cheese was thick (that's maybe where the high price comes from), but you can't beat the unlimited coffee refills.

STARBUCKS

C+

Okay, the coffee is good, but the breakfast selection is not so hot. That's why it has such a low rating. First off, why does an old-fashioned donut cost $1.50?! C'mon, what's wrong with you people. I also think that their other pastries have gotten smaller and gained in price since it opened. I remember when I bought a blueberry muffin and it had this huge muffin top with a wide base and it only cost a buck. Now I get a cylindrical shaped muffin that's half the size for $1.50. I think the one on display was looking like it was about to melt apart too. Gross!!! I saved my appetite for just a coffee crumble cake, which was good but didn't blow me away. I think when Starbucks started to expand into other areas, it really fell behind in what they did best. The coffee was decent but not something I would go out of the way for. Just stop here for coffee if you missed making it at home.

SO no matter where you are at, I encourage you to check out eating breakfast once. Just give it a shot and post your comments below!

Galco's Soda Pop Stop

Okay, so I went on a spontaneous trip yesterday afternoon (spontaneous meaning not planned beforehand...*cough* Nick's trip to the beach late night *cough*) to Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, just south of Pasadena off the 110. Let me say that this place is soda heaven in a desert place! I'm going to give it:

A-

The only reason for the minus is that it looks a bit run-down in the inside, but I think that's to keep the prices low.

Basically it's a converted small marketplace. Nothing on the scale of Albertson's or Ralphs, but like a local grocer. Inside they have two aisles devoted to simply every soda from around the world. One soda I saw was called "Lenin Lemon" for the Russian communist leader. There were some other favorites too from the midwest.

One that I saw was Cheerwine. It was featured on Food Network's Unwrapped and is a very popular soda in the midwest. It doesn't have any wine in it but is named simply because of it's texture and taste. It tastes like a cherry flavored soda with a hint of cola, but no caffeine. When you pour it in a bottle, it looks like you're drinking a sparkling wine of sorts. It got its name from a time when chemists named soda from their characteristics. So like root beer looks like beer, Cheerwine looks like wine.

Another favorite was the Dr. Pepper made from real cane sugar. I didn't have a chance to try it, but my brothers drank it down like water.

The larger collection was out on display in the shelves to purchase directly, but of course, they were warm. There was decent selection of goodies in the refrigerator cabinets including some from Jones Soda Co. that had political names on them. There was also a wide selection of beers and wines, but none that I recognized as unique. Ironically, this soda place had your classics such as RC cola and Sunkist, but no Pepsi or Coca-Cola (although, they did have Mexican Coca-cola in bottles).

Other than the soda, they also had some classic candies on display. Most of them you would recognize from the local supermarket but re-packaged with nostalgic designs. Nothing to go out of the way for, but a nice compliment to all the sugar induced feelings you will get when you try one of their sodas.

So if you're ever in the area, definitely give this place a try. It's a diamond in the rough!

Petco Park Review

Before I start, I just want to clarify that I'm reviewing the ballpark and not the Padres. We all know that this year they are the stinker of So Cal, but thankful they have a glorious stadium to be proud of. I just recently visited the ballpark less than a month ago, and here's my review of the place:

A-

This place has got to be the most beautiful ballpark in southern California! No doubt about it, Petco Park was made for the fans, and the park itself creates an amazing atmosphere.

In left field, they have the historic Western Metal Company building that was retrofitted to hold seats, a gift shop, and a sit-down buffet style restaurant. It blends right into the field, and in fact, some of the seats overhand in field a little. The corner of the building acts like a foul pole too!

In center field, that's where you can find the $5 seats. Basically there are benches, and at the lower benches there is sand for all the kiddies to enjoy. While there is no game being played, this place is open to the public. It's the only ballpark in MLB to be open to the public while no games are being played. Behind right field is another historic building that used to be a candy factory. It is the largest building ever to be picked up and relocated. Currently it's under renovation, but I would love to get some candy from that place!

In fact, this entire area was a dump at one point in San Diego. That's why they built the stadium here, because it was the cheapest land in downtown. However, an apartment here can run you upward of two grand, and that's just for the lower level suites!

The stadium itself is designed so that whenever you're walking around, you can always get a good look at the game. It's big open walkways allows you to see the game practically wherever you are in the park. With clearly designated areas for food, you don't have to wander around the entire park looking for your favorite place to eat. In fact, I found a Rubio's that made their famous shrimp burritos quite easily. It taste just as good as any regular Rubio's I've been too.

About the only complaint I have is that the seats are tilted in towards the home plate. So your legs get kind of tangled with your neighbor and can give you a sore back afterwards, but nothing to complain about.

So if you're ever in San Diego looking for something to do, definitely check out Petco Park. If there's a game, you can walk-up to the ticket window and get a couple of $5 tickets, or if no game is being played, just go ahead and walk right in. Also there's a beautiful view of the bay right behind home plate, so that's why I'm giving Petco Park the award for:

MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

Sonic Reviewed!

Sorry kids, but I'm not talking about everyone's favorite blue hedgehog here. I'm talking about the greatest drive-in restaurant on the face of the planet: Sonic! Okay it wasn't that great, but here's my review:

B+

A nostalgic place to eat, but the quality of its eats could be a little better.

First off, if you've never been, it's basically a traditional drive-in restaurant where diners pull up their cars to one of several menu boards and speak directly into the microphone the food that they want. Most Sonic joints (except this one) deliver your food while on roller skates and then attach the tray of food on the side of your car. I guess due to liability reasons in California, they no longer do that. Then everyone enjoys their meals and has a great time. That last part is not really included in the cost.

The drinks and dessert selection was quite nice and plentiful. During certain hours of the day is happy hour where drinks are half off. Personally I had the ice cream cone on one occasion for a buck and it was delicious. My comrades that I went with had various other drinks such as cherry limeade which they were certainly addicted to. Almost to the point of scary. Just kidding. It was good though as they put in a real cherry and green lemon to give it the right amount of flavor.

Now when we came on another day to try some of their fast food, I must say I was a bit disappointed by the taste alone. For a place that is suppose to highlight its unique flavors and nostalgia, they sure missed the ball when it came down to food quality. The fries were bland and looked like they came out of a tube. C'mon Sonic, its the 21st century, even Carl's Jr uses fresher fries than these! The popcorn chicken was good but nothing special about it. Even the pictures of other food options looked rather bland. It was almost as if they stole the menu from a Boomers! mini golf snack bar. For some strange reason, you could also upgrade your meal for no added cost. What's the deal with that?! Trying to make people feel good about themselves for eating even more bland food.

Oh well, for all its worth, its a great nostalgic place to eat. If you enjoy eating in your car or dining in their outdoor patio, then Sonic is your place to go. Don't forget to order that famous Cherry Limeade!