Recently in Montebello Category

Working in the San Gabriel Valley, specifically West Covina, has definitely expanded my dining palette.

Even on the weekends, I find myself craving Japanese or Thai food, and one day I finally had to search for a Thai restaurant in my city of Montebello.

I've shopped in this shopping center plenty of times, my bank is even nearby, but I never really paid attention to Modern Thai next to the post office and CVS in the Montebello Plaza Shopping Center before.

I found about it online (go figure) and dragged my boyfriend in on a night when he wasn't in the mood for cooking.

This would have been my boyfriend's first time trying Thai food but I, on the other hand, had plenty to compare it to.

To get a good comparison, I ordered the Tom Kha Gai soup ($5 for bowl), a spicy coconut cream soup with chicken and mushroom, and the Chicken Pad Thai ($8) noodles.

We also ordered the Spicy Basil dish with beef stir-fried with chili garlic sauce and basil leaves ($8), and a side of steamed jasmine white rice ($1).

The first thing that caught me off guard was the way all the chicken was cut. It's like they tried to slice them any way they could to use every part of the chicken. They were good size portions but they were a little dry in the noodle dish.

The soup was spicier than I'm used to but very tasty with big pieces of mushroom.

The Pad Thai was not spicy and a little disappointing. It didn't have as much flavor as other Pad Thai I have tasted and the chicken didn't help much.

The best dish was the Spicy Basil. It had the right amount of spice and meat and I actually scooped up some of the sauce to mix in to the Pad Thai.

I went back another time for take-out and thought I would try a starter this time.

I ordered the calamari wonder ($7), which is pretty much fried calamari with sweet and sour sauce, to start with, and King's Curry ($9) for a main dish.

The calamari reminded me of popcorn shrimp from its size and the fried batter. They were decent but heavier on the grease and not on the flavor. The sauce didn't help much.

The King's Curry is shrimp and green beans sauteed in a sweet and spicy King's curry sauce.

The amount of shrimp in the dish was perfect and they were perfectly cooked. The green beans were a perfect combination with the shrimp and the spicy sauce brought it all together. This has been my favorite dish here so far.

The Thai iced tea ($2.50) is also one of my favorites. It doesn't have that coffee taste and is not too sweet.

The restaurant is at 2557 Via Campo in Montebello. They are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Lunch specials and catering is available, as well as free delivery within three miles. For to-go orders, call 626-724-9245.

I know it's been a while but I have finally ventured back out into my neighborhood to try more Mediterranean offerings in Montebello. Check out the first spot in this entry.

The next spot is Krazy Kabobs. From their website, Krazy Kabobs looks pretty nice and welcoming but my first impression was not the same.

I've noticed this spot before but it is so hidden and no one else mentions it that I forget it is even there. Krazy Kabobs sits at the end of a strip mall and is pretty much blocked from street view by Chela's Tacos in front of it (the former Taco Bell on Beverly Boulevard).

I parked in front of the barbershop next door and went in through the first door I saw.

When I stepped inside I saw it was like a small market and deli. I didn't see anyone inside, customer or employee, at first. Then a woman came out and asked what I wanted. (I'm sure her courtesy was lost in translation).

I asked her if they have food-to-go and she gave me a confused, bewildered look. Finally a younger man came out and I asked him the same thing. He said that they do and they serve it next door. 

I gave him a confused look. I hesitantly walked to my right towards where he pointed.

Apparently there was a separate entrance to the same building. But the other entrance leads you to some tables and chairs and to a counter with a menu of Mediterranean food complete with pictures. 

All the pictures looked delicious. They offer everything from salads and small lunch plates to dinner servings and family meals.

I went with the pork kabob plate - a skewer of tender pork marinated in a secret Armenian recipe, salad, basmati (armenian rice) or rice pilaf and a choice of one appetizer for $8.99.

Appetizer offerings were hummus, babaganoush, red kidney beans, tabouleh, shirazi salad, Mediterranean pasta, stuffed grape leaves and more.

I went with the basmati and the pasta - very tasty mixture of rainbow colored pasta and red onions in an olive oil mixture.

I guess I was their only customer for hours, it took a little longer because they had to warm up the grill.

It was fine with me because I was entertained by the news on the flat-screen television in the dining area. The only thing bothering me was the big industrial fan blowing in my face and making my contacts dry out. It was hot and this helped keep the place cool but it was on the floor and right in my face as I watched the t.v.

I took a break from the television and the fan to peruse the little market offerings of the store. I saw some baked goods packaged and ready for sale. They reminded me of a little bakery I lived next to on San Fernando Road in Glendale.

I loved going to get some of those fresh baked goods about once a week. I can't say if they were Armenian baked goods but they were tasty. Some flaky with white powdered sugar, others with a slightly sweet mixture with nuts rolled into a soft dough.

I was curious to see if they were anything like I remembered and grabbed a small container of the sweet nut filled dough when I paid for my meal.

When I did get around to having myself a serving of the baked goods I must admit they were a little dry and not what I remembered from the bakery in Glendale. I'll keep trying.

After tasting the basmati at the Garden Grill down the street, Krazy Kabobs was more moist and flavorful. Definitely my favorite so far. I couldn't stop scooping it up.

Even though it was quite a wait for my meal, in the end I was glad they took their time on the pork because it was perfectly cooked, tender and moist and the seasoning was delicious.

This is only my second stop on my Mediterranean dining train around Montebello but Krazy Kabobs gets my vote. Next time I'll order over the phone though and I'll go in through the second door.

Krazy Kabobs has an extensive menu available online and they do catering. They are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Call (323) 725-2929 for more information and to order or visit www.krazykabobs.com . 

UPCOMING STOPS ON THIS MEDITERRANEAN TOUR OF MONTEBELLO: ANI'S CHICKEN and ZANKOU CHICKEN.

GOT ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? LET ME KNOW!

With the new arrival of Zankou Chicken in my city on the south western edge of the San Gabriel Valley - Montebello - I thought I would start a new culinary adventure in my own town.

Zankou just adds to the various Middle-Eastern cuisine offered in the city, of which many focus on chicken.

Off the top of my head I can think of Ani's Chicken right across from the Mart on Montebello Blvd.

On a recent Tuesday, with my chef taking a night off, (my boyfriend), we headed out to one of his favorite places to grab a Middle-Eastern meal, Garden Grill.

Garden Grill, competing with Subway and Pizza Hut on the same corner of Beverly Blvd. and Maple St., is a little food stop which is also a small market selling food items like Nutella and pasta to home decorations.

I must admit even though I've had kabobs and hummus for years, I'm still a little new to the variety of Middle Eastern offerings. I recently tried beef shawama for lunch at a new spot in Irwindale (keep an eye out for a future review), and I've only tried a gyro once.

The menu at the Grill was pretty easy to figure out for a newby like me, and there were lots of photos to help, with everything from sandwiches, salads and combination plates.

I had to try one of the special combos named after streets of Montebello, just because I'm a native. There was the Maple combo, Beverly combo, Montebello and Poplar combos.

I went for the Beverly which came with a piece of grilled chicken, beef shawarma (thinly sliced pieces of beef), and kafta, a ground beef patty mixed with parsley, onions and spices.

The combo plate comes with rice, salad, hummus and a fresh pita bread and a small soda for $6.99. My boyfriend went for the Maple combo with a beef kabob, chicken and kafta for $7.99.

Of course I started with the salad and hummus. When I first tried hummus years ago I couldn't imagine how it could be messed up  because of it's simple ingredients, but I have had some that was pretty bad and not fresh.

Garden Grill's hummus was good and fresh especially with the warm pita bread. The salad dressing was tasty as well, though I'm not sure what it was exactly, It tasted a little like vinaigrette.

I tried the shawarma first since I felt I could now compare it witht he other I tried recently. I liked that it was thinly shaved but not too dry. It was a little on the salty side for me but I don't like much salt at all.

The chicken was nice and moist and grilled with the right seasoning. The spices in the kafta were tasty like meatballs even though it looked like a hamburger patty. The rice was not dry either and there was some cooked noodles thrown in the mix which was a nice surprise.

All in all, the chicken was my favorite part of the combo. I also loved that they threw a pepperoncini in there, for those like me who liked to add a little kick to their meal.

I was pretty full and didn't even finish the entire combo but it served for nice leftovers the next day. 

Next time I'll try one of the kabob plates or a sandwich, which looks like a pita wrap. And of course some baklava - I love baklava!

Garden Grill is at 1501 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello. Open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., 7 days/week. Phone number is (323) 888-2054.

GOT ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD IN MONTEBELLO? PLEASE SEND THEM. 

Working in a big office like I do, and sitting right next to the lunch room, I feel like I am always getting hungry.

People warming up their food, popcorn, or organizing pot lucks in the next department over, bring so many smells that even if I just ate, I could snack a little on popcorn, or grab a hot dog from the pot luck if it's offered me.

No it's not good for any diet, but luckily I don't believe in them. I believe in moderation, so I try to just eat small meals and snacks a few times throughout the day and use water to hold me over between meals.

Today, though, really tested my strength. First, because of a department meeting, we were being treated to lunch. But at the same time, a 'roast' pot luck was being held in the department next door as a 'going awa' for someone.

So while I waited until lunch time for the free pizza, (can't pass that up!), the smell of hot dogs 'roasting' on a grill roller wafted through our section of the news room hours before our pizza would arrive.

Oh, but when it did - mm mm mm mm. It was worth it. I love pizza, but I can be picky at times. I don't like really thick greasy crust, despise black olives, so over pepperoni, and absolutely love mushrooms!

I am more partial to the little family-owned pizza houses than the 'fast-food' type, but if they meet the above standards, they'll do as well.

Rio's pizza in Montebello is one of those family-owned places that I grew up with and is my absolute favorite pizza. Freshly made pizzas, no skimping on toppings and a good price, especially on Sundays.

But today, I must say I found a close second to Rio's - Michelangelo's Pizza in Covina.

Thanks to a fellow reporter recommending this local eatery to our editor, we were treated to a fresh, warm, soft, cheesy pizza.

We had a cheese, a pepperoni, a sausage and a vegetarian pizza. Something for everyone.

I had the sausage and vegetarian pizzas, despite the vegetarian having black olives I had to pick off.

I have to start with the crust. It wasn't a thin crust that's for sure, but it was more airy than greasy. I usually don't care to eat the leftover crust end, but i couldn't help myself because it was just that tasty.

The sauce and cheese were just enough to cover each slice well and perfectly seasoned, not bland and not too much. The sausage was not too salty either, too much salt just kills every other flavor.

The vegetarian had the usual suspects - mushroom (yay!), green bell pepper, onion, black olives (yuck!) - but it also had slices of tomato that I thought were perfect, they weren't soggy and added more flavor. There was plenty of mushroom, too, that more than made up for the black olives.

I am curious to see what the rest of their menu offerings taste like.

Michelangelo's has two locations - on Citrus in Covina and Arrow Hwy. in San Dimas - and offer sandwiches, salad and pasta as well as pizzas, of course.

You can order online as well as by phone.