Oh, the flu season…the only up sides to getting the flu is having your loved ones cater to you, and getting to stay in your pajamas all day. The next time you are feeling a little under the weather, and all you want is a good bowl of brothy soup, don’t even think about microwaving some instant-mess, or having to chop up vegetables and do dishes! I know exactly where you can pick up some dinner while wearing your pajamas…or better yet, send your attendees to retrieve your dinner/remedy.

The Tortilla Soup at El Pollo Loco was discovered in just this way. On evening, when I was feeling not so spectacular, my boyfriend offered to pick up dinner. He drove thru El Pollo Loco and saw the Tortilla Soup on the menu and decided to risk it by ordering me a bowl. Low and behold, it was excellent. The soup itself was chalk full of chicken, vegetables and plenty of soothing broth. They also give you separate little packages of Parmesan cheese, tortilla strips and fresh cilantro for garnishes. It was great that these things were packaged separately, because when it finally arrived on my tray at home (while being served in bed) everything tasted really crisp and fresh…the fresh cilantro in particular is my favorite garnish.

This soup hits the spot. Since that day, we have been known to serve it at dinner parties, as well as getting a bowl or two on cold nights to warm up. It is right for just about any occasion, and will certainly fill you up much better than some greasy appetizer. So when your feeling low (or just in the mood for soup), give The Crazy Chicken a try, turns out he can do soup too.

Every friend I’ve ever had visit me from out of town always has one simple request (besides going to see Jay Leno), “Can we please eat at In & Out?” My answer is always a resounding “YES, brilliant idea.”

We all know that In & Out is delicious, and if you didn’t know, then swing by the drive through and get yourself a burger and join the rest of the civilized world in celebrating In & Out’s existence. But I digress…

 Instead of discussing a food item (as I usually do), this time around I’m going to discuss the menu itself. “Why?” you ask. Well, if you’re asking that question then you probably don’t know about the amazing subculture that is devoted to In & Out, and about their “secret menu”. Now, some smart aleck is going to say, the “secret menu” is posted on In & Out’s website…true, kinda. Yes, there is a secret menu page on the In & Out website, however their menu is incredibly incomplete.

The items listed by the In & Out “secret menu” website are:

Grilled Cheese- a burger with no meat and an extra slice of cheese

Protein Style- burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun

Animal Style- burger with lettuce, tomato, a mustard cooked beef patty, pickle, extra sauce, and grilled onions

Double Meat- a Double-Double with no cheese

3×3- burger with 3 patties and 3 slices of cheese

4×4- burger with 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese

Other items that are not included in this menu but ARE available at In&Out are:

Flying Dutchman

Dirty Sanchez

100×100

Neapolitan Shake

Animal Style Fries

Believe it or not, these are just a few of the additional items that devotees are aware of…to get a more complete list (or just to procrastinate at work) try Googling “In & Out Secret Menu.” If you want an even longer list, Google “In & Out Fantasy Menu” and you’ll not only get what actually exists currently, but also the items people are trying to name and create.

What is it Ya Gotta Try? Ya Gotta Try ordering something from the secret menu at In & Out, you may be surprised how nonchalantly the staff handles your order, after all, they get these orders all the time from other people who are “in the know.”

I’ve been going to Acapulco since I was a tot here in Burbank. It is a very family friendly restaurant with good food and good service. But I was very excited to be over 21 when I got my drink the last time I visited. I asked the waiter which was the best Margarita on the menu…he of course offered me the top-shelf-tequila-drinkers favorite. I explained that I’m not a big tequila drinker and I tend to prefer my Margarita’s a little on the fruity side to mask the tequila taste. He thought for a moment, then came up with the perfect answer: The Pinapple Margarita. The name only sold me, I was super curious and my taste buds started to tingle with anticipation.

The Pinapple Margarita only comes in blended form (not over ice, like a traditional Marg). So I ended up with a blended concoction that I just couldn’t remove from my lips. Each sip was a sip of summer and beaches. Pina Colodas can be a little sweet for me, but this margarita was more subtle than the average colada, so it was more like drinking a slushie. I could only taste a hint of the tequila, which was useful since I probably would not have slowed down on the gulping without that little reminder.

In my book, the Pinapple Marg from Acapulco will go down (no pun intended) as one of my favorite summer drinks…and one of my favorite winter drinks-since it’s so good at reminding me of summer days. For the few fruity margarita fans out there, that feel my pain when it comes to tequila shots, I encourage you to give tequila another try…in pinapple slushie form.

When we have business meetings during dining hours (lunch or dinner) one of the questions we always have to ask ourselves is, “What are we going to feed these people?” Before our discovery of Round Table Pizza, we’d often find ourselves scrambling to make something from scratch or find suitable take out. These days, we know exactly what our food game plan is: Order Round Table. Sure, ordering pizza may sound like a cop out, and often our colleagues and associates would see the pizza boxes and sigh, but once those boxes opened and the eating commenced, we never hear anything but, “Who made this pizza?” and “This is delicious, where did you get it?” To this day we keep Round Table’s menu handy (for personal and professional use).

If you are looking for a simple solution for your next gathering that will wow your guests try the Round Table Gourmet Veggie Pizza. With a very healthy portion of all your favorite veggies—artichoke hearts, zucchini, spinach, portabella mushrooms, roma tomatoes, red and green onions, and chopped garlic— and complimentary creamy garlic sauce, this pizza is sure to impress vegetarians and meat eaters alike. But don’t worry carnivores, we have a suggestion for you too.

For the meat lovers out there, Round Table has you covered as well, with the Ulti-Meat pizza. Now, I’m just as big a fan of this pizza because of the overwhelming amount of meat candy toppings. What is meat candy, you ask? Well, think about it…what is the one meat that you’d happily eat all by it self piece after piece until nothing was left but packaging? Answer: Bacon. Yes, my family and friends all refer to bacon as meat candy simply because it is just that good. As for the Ulti-Meat, well some may try it and think it should be renamed Heart-Attack pizza, but isn’t that a good sign? Here are the toppings: pepperoni, andouille sausage, sugar cured bacon (oh my), and hickory smoked sausage. 

Typically, for a group of 4-6 we’ll order two large pizzas (one Gourmet Veggie and one Ulti-Meat). Often we are only left with scraps, but when there are leftovers we know that they won’t last long.

I’ll be honest, this is not college priced pizza, it is a little more expensive than your typical 2am craving pizza (which is why we like to put it on the business card). The Veggie is $, and the Ulti-Meat is $. Please don’t let the price be a deterrent, it’s worth every penny.

I used to drive to Glendale to get my Zankou Chicken fix. Thankfully, times have changed and I can now get all the Zankou my little heart desires right here in Burbank.

This Armenian chicken shrine has hands-down the best roasted chicken out there. The chicken is moist, the skin is crisped to perfection and to top it all off, Zankou has a garlic sauce that will easily make you become a devotee. Sure you can make chicken at home, but why spend all the time in the kitchen when you can have Zankou do it for you (and probably do it better). Here’s my family’s typical order: two chickens, four orders of the pita, one side of hummus and oodles of the garlic sauce.

One of the greatest things about ordering Zankou, as opposed to going to another fast food restaurant, is that the leftovers are just as good as the first time around, and easy to incorporate into the rest of the week. We’ve used the left over chicken in home made soup; the pita and hummus make for a tasty snack all by itself; and the (rarely) leftover garlic sauce can be used on any pizza or sandwich to liven things up.

I’m always surprised to find out that a friend of mine has yet to try Zankou, but I’m also excited to be able to introduce this deliciousness to them. It never disappoints, and it’s more finger-licken-good than any other chicken that comes to mind. This is a fast food that is easy, tasty, and better for you than any of it’s fried counterparts.

The toughest aspect of writing this entry on Honeydew is figuring out what to feature: Pinkberry-style frozen yogurt, organic salads, organic coffees and homemade lemonade (different flavor every day) and the sandwiches were all options. But after talking with owner and chef Paul about the Muffeletta (a New Orleans original not easily found outside of that city) I knew I’d found my “It” sandwich.

Done Honeydew style, the Muffeletta includes all-natural turkey, all-natural ham and Genoa salami with sharp cheddar, parmesan and aged provolone cheeses grilled and served on toasted sourdough (locally baked every day) with an olive tapenade, tomato, romaine lettuce, red onion and mayo. And it’s good. So good that I wolfed down half of it pretty quick and only held back on the second half because I didn’t want to be unconscious for the rest of the afternoon.

Besides the great taste, you might have noticed another theme in the above paragraph. Honeydew is Organic with a capital “O.” They use organic foods as much as possible which isn’t unusual but what does stand out is their use of Green food containers, coffee filters, cups, utensils, recycled paper napkins, cleaners and even uniforms. Even the tables are made with wood from renewable sources. Somehow all this seems to contribute to the great taste of the food as well. Maybe I wasn’t missing the added taste of a Styrofoam container in my take-out?

Honeydew has a great formula: serious organic plus great taste. And the Muffeletta is a perfect example of this great combination.

No, this is not another alcoholic beverage…I do drink other things too. For instance, I happen to love tea. More specifically, I love Chai Tea and Thai Iced Tea.

I’ve had Thai Iced Tea with just about every Thai food meal I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve been trying to decide if there is one restaurant that does Thai Iced Tea exceptionally well. During my empirical research, I ordered the tea while dining at Exotic Thai Cuisine. I’m not sure if it was the neon lights on the walls, or the brightly colored chopsticks, but for whatever reason, this Tea tasted wonderful.

Typically, I order my Thai Iced Tea after my meal and use it as a dessert replacement. I’ve found that when I order it with the meal, I drink it too fast and end up pouting over my empty glass. By now I’ve learned that  A: I don’t like Green Tea Ice Cream, and B: A glass of Thai Iced Tea is sweet enough to appease my sweet tooth and I tend to enjoy it more if I get to focus on drinking it (as opposed to being distracted by all the great food on the table). If you are dieting, and looking for the dessert alternatives that won’t kill your calorie count, I always recommend looking over the specialty drink list.

Exotic Thai Cuisine has won many, many “Best” awards over the years…they are renown for serving great food…I do think, however, that this is the first acknowledgement they’ve gotten for their Thai Iced Tea. I love being a trendsetter…Iced Tea Drinkers Unite! Go out, and discover your favorite Tea providers and give them the acknowledgment they deserve!

One of my favorite pastimes is going to a restaurant with a great patio and sipping on a tasty beverage with friends. Granville Café not only has a superb location on San Fernando (near the AMC), but it also has the patio, drinks and appetizers to boot.

My absolute favorite (after much empirical research) was their Berry Patch Mojito. If you’ve never tried a mojito then you’re missing out on one of the best summer drinks of all time. A mojito is traditionally made with rum, fresh mint, fresh lime, and a splash of soda water. The Granville Café has stepped this drink up a notch and added fresh berries to the mix. Not only is the presentation of this drink impeccable (it’s the kind of drink that people see from across the room and make a point to ask their waiter to bring them one as well), this drink also will bring you back to the Granville time and time again wanting another. It is sooo wonderfully fresh, light, and perfectly balanced (not too sweet, not too alcoholic, not too minty…just right). Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are all muddled in with the fresh mint and lime to create happiness in a glass.

You should know, that typically, I am not a rum drinker. Usually, I stay away from drinks that include rum as an ingredient. The Berry Patch Mojito is so delicious that the fact that rum is involved was a non-issue. In fact, I’d recommend this drink to anyone, rum drinker or not. However, if you swore to yourself that you’d never drink rum again, then here are some other selections I tried and loved: Tipsy Lemonade and Pearadise Martini.

If you are mysteriously not yet convinced to wander into the Granville Café, then consider this: they have an exceptional happy hour with discounted mixed drinks, beer and wine as well as deliciously discounted appetizers that runs Monday-Friday 4pm-7pm.

Once upon a time, I was a waitress at California Pizza Kitchen (nope, not the one in Burbank) and I met a number of CPK big-wigs. One of the funniest people I’ve ever met, was also the creator of the CPK Mac & Cheese recipe.

CPK has Mac & Cheese on the kids menu…BUT DID YOU KNOW, that there is also an “adult” version? No, this item is not listed on the menu, but you better believe that you can order it…and you should! The Mac & Cheese from CPK has been one of my little secrets for a number of years now. When ever I run into a Mac & Cheese enthusiast, they always have a recommendation for me as to where to find the “best” mac & cheese in town. I always politely jot down their recommendation, but then I ask them to go try the adult mac and cheese at CPK…then to email me and let me know what they thought. Without a single exception, the enthusiast always come back to me thanking me profusely (and sometimes cursing me) for intruding them to this addictive and undisputable champion.

Now, it’s not “fancy” mac and cheese, in fact there’s nothing gourmet about it. I don’t know about you, but when I’m craving this kind of comfort food all I want is three things: for it to be filling, reliable, and so good that I can’t wait until my next craving strikes. CPK’s Mac and Cheese is so good that I’m sure they don’t put it on the menu simply because they want people to continue eating their pizzas…having the mac and cheese known by the public at large might create some kind of mass hysteria should they ever run out.

By publishing this article, obviously I’m willing to risk mass hysteria…the mac and cheese is just that good…people should know about it, and it saddens me to think of how many mac and cheese enthusiast have been going without. So go, be satiated my comfort-food-loving friends! You can thank me later…

I stopped in Market City Caffe while I was out doing research for the Where’d You Get That blog. I wasn’t planning on featuring them for WYGT, but after pounding the pavement for hours, a girl’s gotta eat.

I always get the same thing whenever I go to Market City, the Pancetta Shrimp. If I’m super hungry I’ll get it as an appetizer and then another entrée as well, but more often I just get the Pancetta Shrimp and have it as my entrée.

I was trying to try new things, and find a new favorite, so I ordered a pasta dish, and had a bite of the entrée’s that my friends ordered. Not to my surprise, nothing could beat the Pancetta Shrimp. All my friends loved it, and I found myself wanting more after the last bite. When you eat something that just sings to you and calls your name as you walk by the restaurant, you know you have to feature the item in Ya Gotta Try This.

So, that said, here’s what the Market City Caffe menu has to say about the Pancetta Shrimp, “A Market City Caffe favorite since 1988. Jumbo shrimp marinated in balsamic vinegar and fresh basil, wrapped with pancetta and grilled.” Okay, as if that isn’t good enough to inspire a ride in the car, here’s what they left out: the appetizer order comes with four of these scrumptious jumbo shrimp and they are all served on a bed of broccoli, tomatoes and olives that are all equally as delicious as the shrimp themselves…I never know what to eat first, or what to save for the end, because it is all so good.

Practice what I preach: “If it is a nice day, eat on a patio. If you are at Market City Caffe, order the Pancetta Shrimp.”