Recently in Soups 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.

By Stacey Wang,

Growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, it comes as no surprise that I love Asian food.

One of the staples in my diet to date is Chinese curry. It's got a simple ingredient list - chicken or beef, carrots, potatoes, onions and curry powder. Quick to make, ingredients simple to remember and it can be made in bulk. A perfect combination for someone with little to no time to cook.

So I have grown fond of curry. Plus, it's satisfying.

In my search for a lunchtime meal, I pulled into The Commons at La Verne. The plaza was packed with cars on one side - mostly because of hungry mouths at acclaimed The Habit Burger Grill, coupled with bargain shoppers at Ross. The other side was empty, so I chose to park there out of intrigue.

That's where I found Siamese Restaurant, a dineresque Thai restaurant with cultural ornaments scattered throughout the place.

I ordered chicken curry from the lunch specials menu for $6.25 - which included Wonton soup, a choice of fried rice or steamed rice and a small side salad. I opted for brown rice, adding an extra $1.

The Wonton soup was forgettable, a soggy pork Wonton in a soup that had little flavor but a hint of sourness. I finished the cup quickly, set it aside and thoughts of how the curry would measure up filled my mind.

Unlike its Chinese relative, Thai curry has a thinner consistency and is slightly tart. It also has a creaminess because coconut milk is used.

To me, a good Thai curry is not too creamy, sour or spicy. The Siamese curry fulfilled each of these aspects.

My dish had thinly sliced white meat chicken, red bell peppers and jalapenos, drenched in curry sauce and topped with bamboo slices. The bamboo aged the flavor and the few jalapeno slices gave it a bite that crept on my tastebuds. I finished two glasses of water by the end of my short meal.

The portions weren't generous but reasonable, despite my being famished, because the great thing about curry is that it's incredibly filling.  

Siamese also offers variety of items on its $6.25 lunch menu, including Pad Thai, Karee Kai and Panang.

For an extra $1, menu items such as sweet and sour fish, chili fish and ginger shrimp are available.

To catch the lunch specials, you can visit the restaurant from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Even if you miss the specials, most of the menu is under $10.

Siamese Restaurant is at 1544 Foothill Blvd., La Verne; (909) 593-7097.

By Lafayette C. Hight Jr.

Entering Wang's was, well, interesting.

There's neither a service counter inside nor a podium of any sort, so while standing at the entrance for about many minutes I thought I'd been accidentally dipped in invisible ink.

Maybe there actually were only a handful people working that night, but the half-empty dining room - which had only about six tables occupied - didn't seem to warrant the lack of attention.

Eventually we did manage to catch someone's curiosity and found ourselves at a table, where we perused the menu and decided upon the Mandarin dinner, at $13.95 per person, which included a choice of soup and two entrees and some appetizers.

There were two of us, so the meal seemed a perfect fit. We opted for Hot and Sour Soup to start things off. When it arrived I was a bit worried because it came with a very strong smell of sesame oil. I was happy when I tasted it, though, to discover that it was the same soup I'm familiar with.

Shortly afterward, a plate with wontons, egg rolls and foil-wrapped chicken showed up.

It was here that I discovered that Wang's food seemed to only have one temperature. Hot. Screaming hot. Hot enough that Dante might have seen it served in the inner ring of the seventh circle.

It's almost as if the temperature was supposed to take your mind off the fact that the food was lacking in the flavor department.

Had my eyes been closed, it would have been difficult to tell the difference between the vegetable egg roll, the wonton and the fried wonton skins that were delivered as an appetizer  - tasting kind of like deep-fried paper. The small piece of baked chicken, however, was pretty good. The problem was that it was minuscule, about the size of my thumb.

Then the entrees arrived. The best part of the entrees was the shrimp. Not the whole dish, but the individual crustaceans. So it became a bit of a race to see who could get the most shrimp, without being obvious that we were trying to out-shrimp each other.

I was also trying to figure out why the chow mein arrived in a pie plate. Not the tin type, but a glass pie plate, while the beef dish had a normal serving dish.

But I couldn't even think about that, as I was busy attempting to perform a miracle with the soy sauce (red, not green), salt and pepper that were on the table.

I figured out the right proportion after about 10 minutes - a splash of soy sauce, three shakes of pepper - to add at least a semblance of taste to the dishes.

I have to admit, that what I did like about Wang's was that the restaurant has a full bar with some pretty decent drinks, not typically found in Chinese restaurants in the Valley.

And by the end of the night, I needed one.

Wang's is located at 120 E. Lemon Ave. in Monrovia. For information, call (626) 303-3071.

Craving something other than fast or frozen food for lunch, I thought I would search for something authentic.

I had tried food from Casa Blanca Mexican Restaurant in Hacienda Heights many years ago. Though I couldn't remember what I had, I know I liked it for some reason.

I headed towards the restaurant on Gale Avenue just east of Hacienda Boulevard. Though the drive was long and hot, it was worth the trip.

The line in front of me ordered so fast that I didn't have enough time to look through the entire menu posted above the cashier. (Even if you are eating there, you order before sitting down.)

The picture of the carne asada plate looked and sounded good, so I went with that and a small horchata for $1.65 to quench my thirst. The waitress also advised that it would be 75 cents for each refill.

The plate, at $9.75, came with rice, beans and cheese, fresh salsa complete with some jalapeno seeds still intact and fresh guacamole.

The waitress served me my drink with chips and salsa as soon as I sat down.

When I tried the chips and salsa, I remembered why I liked this place - everything is fresh. The chips looked and tasted like they were made that day. 

The salsa also tasted like it fresh and was just spicy enough.

My carne asada (steak) plate came pretty quick. The size of the carne asada was not what I had imagined, it really was thick like a steak, not the thin slices I am used to barbecuing outside on a grill.

Though I didn't specify, my steak was medium with a little rare inside. I usually order my steak rare, but if you don't I would specify when ordering.

Nicely grilled on the outside, the steak was tender and juicy. I had only a few bites before I was full, so come with a big appetite.

The rice and beans tasted homemade like my mom's. The guacamole and salsa were perfect.

If you can't handle salsa that is too spicy be careful with this stuff. I caught a really strong seed on one of my last bites. 

I coughed a little and the hot taste stayed on the back of my tongue for a good while.

They serve breakfast all day with plates starting at $6.50. They had chilaquiles, cut tortilla strips cooked in a spicy sauce usually with meats and vegetables and eggs. I would definitely want to try that next time.

A variety of burritos start at $3.35, while tacos and tostadas begin at $2.25. They are also offered with appetizers, soups and a la carte items. Lunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Casa Blanca is at 15922 Gale Ave. in Hacienda Heights. For take-out orders and more information, call (626) 330-9549.  

I didn't grow up eating at fancy restaurants. The first time I stepped into a Denny's I thought it was fancy because we had to be wait to be seated.

So when I first went into Sizzler and saw it's salad bar I thought I was in heaven. I love creating my own salads and when I was younger I used to eat almost everything in sight. (Can't really do that now that I'm not as active.)

After high school, I really found out what a fancy restaurant really is but I still love having the freedom of creating my own salad every once in a while, so I made a lunch trip to Sizzler in West Covina with some colleagues recently.

I think Sizzler's steaks are decent and I definitely loved when they had all-you-can-eat ribs, but I never tried a cheeseburger there.

I took a chance on it this time since the restaurant chain's promotional commercials of a cheeseburger, side of fries and endless salad bar for only $9.99 had me brainwashed.

I ordered my burger medium raw, I would usually go raw on meat but I didn't want to take that much of a chance this time. The burger comes with your choice of cheese, I went with Swiss, lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion, which is my fave. Of course I like a little kick so I added some steak sauce and jalapenos.

After a cup of clam chowder soup and a nice helping of salad, complete with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and drenched in ranch, I dug into my burger.

The toppings were fresh and the meat was cooked the way I ordered, not too raw or too cooked, but the meat didn't seem to be the best quality of beef used.

I know I'm spoiled because I have a chef at home who makes amazing burgers, any way I want them, but I was dissapointed with the quality at Sizzler. Even Carl's Jr. and Burger King burger patties taste better.

So finally, I will still be going back to Sizzler for the endless salad bar, including frozen yogurt, but I'll stick to other menu items I'm more familiar with like steak and lobster next time.

But since I don't have much room in the belly anymore, the salad bar hits the spot all on its own.

By Maritza Velazquez

Tofu. The first words that probably come to mind are bland and flavorless.  
 
But this healthy protein-packed food is not just for die-hard vegetarians. Nor does it have to be merely a meat substitute. 

At Koba Tofu Grill in Diamond Bar, you get both. 

This Korean eatery offers a dozen selections of soon, a type of Korean soup, which combines bold, spicy broth, soft tofu, and your choice of meat served in a boiling hot pot. 

I tried the Dumpling Soon Tofu, which features delicious beef dumplings and small slices of beef. Unlike many other soups I've tried, there's no fishing through the broth to find the good stuff. It's loaded with tofu.

My order came with six good-sized dumplings. Regularly $8.99, all of the soon varieties are now on special for just $6.99. To name a few, you have your choice of seafood, kimchi, seaweed, vegetable, curry, beef and octopus, or oyster soon tofu. 

You can order it mild, medium, spicy or very spicy, depending on your degree of chili tolerance. And I have to warn you, this stuff is hot!

The weather has been heating up too, so if you're not willing to tolerate the spice amid 90-degree temperatures, you can also try some of the other dishes and specialties Koba has to offer.

The restaurant also offers dishes like tofu and vegetable salad, pork bulgogi, barbecue beef ribs and chicken teriyaki. 

All of the Korean soon come with a plethora of side dishes. When I ordered, I had no idea I would be getting a mini feast - bean sprouts in a sesame sauce, fried fish, kimchi, white rice, potato salad and garden salad were a few of the offerings. And for dessert, you get a tiny cup of tart frozen yogurt. 

I enjoyed most of the sides with a few exceptions - I hated the garden salad and spinach, and the kimchi definitely wasn't up to par. 

The servers weren't particularly friendly either, but they did bring out the food quickly, and kept it coming. Anything else I needed (like refills on water and the check) was promptly brought to my table after waving them down. 

All in all, I had a good experience at Koba, which also has locations in Irvine and Fullerton. For under $10, I got a huge meal, with more than enough food to spare. 

The decor is great, too. A very clean, modern restaurant with dark woods, soft lighting, and calming wall colors, this place was a great find. 

Koba Tofu Grill is at 2839 S. Diamond Bar Blvd. in Diamond Bar. For more information, call (909)839-2898.

By Evelyn Barge, Staff Writer

The word's trickled out - twice now - on a relative newcomer to Garvey Avenue's pho-cluttered landscape.

The spotlight first fell on Pho Minh Vietnamese restaurant in December, when famed L.A. Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold heaped piles of praise on the eatery for outshining all its look-alike neighbors.

Then, in a front-page news story on May 1, the L.A. Times trained its eye on Pho Minh, where customers are quick to rave about the classic noodle soup but slow to make their way through the front door.

The consensus among interested parties? More people should be eating here. And now you can add me to that list.

My small-bowl order of pho dac biet (No. 2 on the menu, $4.75) was without doubt the best I've ever noisily slurped in a San Gabriel Valley strip mall, and there have been plenty of those occasions, though last week marked my first at Pho Minh.

I've been a longtime fan of San Gabriel's much-talked- about and always-packed Golden Deli, where I can order a feast for two for under $20, and the drive itself from Pasadena through San Marino's upscale, winding roads is part of the joy.

But at Pho Minh the joy is concentrated - simply and richly - into what's most important: the food.

Sailing down Garvey during the lunch hour, it's easy to get distracted. With the concentration of Vietnamese signs increasing on the drive west, so comes the onslaught of pho stops. Without a destination in mind, each seems indistinguishable from the next.

"Is that one it?" "Wait, maybe this one?" "How about we just stop there; They're all the same, right?"

A word to the wise: Don't stray from the hunt. Buried in the back corner of International Plaza is your target - one that's worth the series of risky U-turn maneuvers required to get there.

Here, the broth is mellow and exquisite; the jumble of meats, hearty and fresh. Pho zen is achieved with a scattering of both the tabletop fish and chili oil.

What's more, this brothy concoction didn't leave me in sodium-induced shock nor with an MSG hangover, both of which I've come to warily expect from hole-in-the-wall joints in the Valley. Leaving Pho Minh, I felt lightly energized with a warm, full feeling in my belly.

And did I mention free iced tea, tinged with jasmine no less? That's no rotating special, either; It's printed on the menu. One day after the L.A. Times article landed on front lawns and newsstands across the city, Pho Minh was packed, every seat in the house filled. The staff and servers were overwhelmed by the traffic, literally running to clear off one table to the next.

For me, that translated into an extra-long lunch hour with lots of waiting involved. It was my only disappointment.

But busy is not the standard fare. Though certainly a long-distance destination for foodies around L.A. and Orange counties, it seems Pho Minh isn't drawing the necessary support from locals, the ones with the power to sustain its day-to-day business.

The dearth of diners probably has less to do with the recession (who would refuse a full meal for $5-$6 in this economic climate?), and more with the location and its dissonant chorus of equally-priced competition.

Save yourself the weeding process, and write this down:

Pho Minh is located at 9646 E. Garvey Ave., Unit 108, in South El Monte. For more information, call (626) 448-8807.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Looks like we're not the only San Gabriel Valley News folks looking for good eats in the SGV.

Check out our Public Editor Larry Wilson's Public Eye blog as he dishes about great little finds in the east and west side of the valley to enjoy a delicious, fresh meal. 

Although I've tried a few different dishes at Chang Thai in Irwindale, a thai joint Larry mentions, I can't resist the silver noodles salad with shrimp, chicken and black mushrooms in a tasty spicy sauce (and yes I would say it's 7 or 8 on a 10-scale of spiciness.)

And although I'm on a week-long high protein/low carb diet, I am now tempted to return to Birrieria y Cenaduria in Baldwin Park for some of those ropa vieja tacos. The first time I went to this local joint, a sweet older lady working there served me a yummy warm bowl of albondigas soup as I waited for my to-go order. So sweet and motherly (sigh).

By Maritza Velazquez

In Rowland Heights, there's no shortage of great Asian cuisine.

Banana Bay is no exception. This popular restaurant has a huge menu, with so many offerings that anybody with a liking for Thai flavors is sure to find something. For me, it was difficult enough choosing just one dish.

That's the beauty of eating with others. An acquaintance and I shared three courses, with more than enough left over to take home. For an appetizer, we ordered the Hand Rolls ($5.95), which had a great mix of tofu, sausage, crab, cucumber and bean sprouts. Wrapped in raw egg roll skin, it was topped with a very sweet peanut-based sauce.

Although I enjoyed the mixture inside of the Hand Rolls, especially the Chinese sausage, the sauce that smothered the two huge rolls didn't do a lot for the dish. I think it would have been much better without their "special sauce."

The soup came out next. The Seven Sea soup ($13.95), served in a boiling hot pot, is a treat for any seafood lover. It has scallops, shrimp, king crab legs, squid, mussels, tender white fish and baby clams, all in a very spicy broth with lemon grass and lime juice.

With chunks of dried chili, this one is not for those with sensitive taste buds.

For the entree, I ordered the Continental Fried Rice ($7.95), a simple dish with fried rice and fried chicken topped off with a fried egg and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Although this tasted like the least authentic Thai dish of the three, the chicken was both tender and flavorful. And the sweet and sour sauce made the perfect compliment.

The total came out to about $32, but three could have easily enjoyed this meal. There are some great entrees, though, that run under $6, and some that reach $15. 

The service here varies, as you'll find if you decide to take a trip to Rowland Heights. I've been here several times, and my recent venture was definitely the most pleasant.

Although the server made no attempt to say hello or make conversation as he took our drink orders, at least we didn't have to wait 15 minutes before a server came at all (yes, that has happened here a few times before).

Despite this, the atmosphere is fun, and the dining room big enough to accommodate large parties.

Banana Bay is at 18230 Colima Road, Rowland Heights. For more information, call (626) 839-5511.

By Lafayette C. Hight Jr.

Something Healthy does something simple in Monrovia.

The most expensive menu item is $7 and their fare can be summed into five groups: Panini sandwiches, wraps, soup, salad and fruit.

Located in a shopping center on Shamrock Avenue that seems to share the healthy-living philosophy - with a gym and health-food store (ignore that fried chicken place on the corner) - Something Healthy is a 10-table restaurant where everything is handmade.

On my first visit to the restaurant I decided to try a $7 tuna melt on whole wheat bread (sourdough is the second option). 

I'll admit that I didn't read the fine print on the menu, so it came as a surprise when I tasted the very powerful flavor of rosemary. 

While unexpected, it wasn't a bad addition to to the fish. Generally I'm used to the herb on poultry potatoes and other meats, but don't think I've ever had it on tuna. On this sandwich, however, it was the perfect ingredient. 

And of course, as I looked closely at the menu, I noticed "smoky rosemary aioli" listed in the description.

I made my sandwich a combo by adding potato chips and homemade iced tea and it was then that I noticed that all of the chips available were baked varieties of popular brands. And the iced tea offered - that day the choices were Mango Lassi, Cherry Raspberry and Blood Orange - are bottomless, and served sweetened or unsweetened.

I had this fear that unsweetened tea from a healthy food place was the equivalent of water, with three drops of flavor, but I'm happy to say that I was proven wrong.

The Cherry Raspberry was my first pick - and probably my new favorite tea - and I had to try a second on the refill, which was the blood orange. Both were flavored very well, and though I ordered them sweetened, it wasn't at all over sugared.

With each sandwich or wrap comes a side salad and it turned out to be a real salad - none of that non-nutritional iceberg stuff here - and dressing made from scratch.

The next dish I tried was the southwestern turkey wrap, which contained lettuce, onion, corn, tomato, hummus and salsa.

The salsa was only slightly spicy in my opinion (to me it felt like 400 Scoville units) but there are some lightweights who might actually feel the burn. I did find myself wishing that there was less lettuce and more turkey, but that could be because I was hungry that day.

Next time I'll have to try one of the soups. They were advertising some sort of southwestern chowder and I hope they have it the next time I visit.

Something Healthy is at 1014 S. Shamrock Ave. in Monrovia.

By Maritza Velazquez

Finally a Mexican restaurant with a little authenticity. 

I was in downtown San Dimas, looking for a place that would quiet my growling stomach, when I came across Casa Del Rey. It's just a little further down Bonita Avenue, away from the cute Western-style shops.

I had never heard of the place, but what I found within was very surprising.  The dimly lit dining room was pretty empty, as it was well after the lunch rush. 

It was a beautiful day outside, so I opted to sit on the covered patio, which has heaters for the cooler winter days and is decorated with a line of pretty blue and flowered wall tiles.

I found that the service here was exquisite from the time I walked in. As soon as I took a seat, the server was already at work, taking my drink and meal order.

After scrolling down the expansive menu, I decided on the El Ranchero plate ($12), which comes with two enchiladas, one cheese and one beef, rice and beans and choice of soup or salad.

As I waited less than 10 minutes for my meal, I feasted on the fresh chips and salsa. My server dropped off both a mild and hot salsa, but I find my tastebuds always favor anything with more kick to it. 

And the hot stuff had just enough kick. 

My soup was just as good - albondigas - a small cup with thick pieces of tender meat, onions, carrots and celery. 

But what really impressed me was my entree, the enchiladas. Right when the hot plate was dropped off at my table, I knew I would enjoy it. 

Both the shredded beef enchilada and the cheese enchilada, topped with a red ranchero-style sauce, a huge dollop of sour cream and lots of cheese, were as delicious as they looked. 

So were the beans and Mexican rice. 

According to its Web site, Casa Del Rey uses no lard in its beans and uses no trans fat oil in all of its fried dishes. 

And for those of you who want to spare your arteries further, this restaurant offers many vegetarian and low-carb options such as the vegetarian tacos and health-nut salad. 

When I find a good Mexican restaurant, I don't hold back at all, and I will definitely be heading back to Casa Del Rey for more. 

Casa Del Rey is at 345 W. Bonita Ave. in San Dimas. The restaurant is open seven days a week. For more information, call (909) 592-2776.

By Lafayette C. Hight Jr.

Things were going so well at Cafe Massilia until I made a terrible mistake.

I chose to visit this fairly new French restaurant in Monrovia early on a Sunday morning, which happened to coincide with the only day the restaurant serves breakfast, but opted to sample dishes from the lunch menu instead.

I decided to begin with the $7 Soupe de la Corniche, the restaurant's onion soup (In a French restaurant, French Onion Soup is simply called onion soup) and it arrived in a ramekin with toasted French bread and parmesan cheese.

This style of soup is one of my favorites and what I generally look for is the right type of cheese, which, for me, is the kind that doesn't turn into a mile-long, unbreakable strand when eating it with a spoon.

Cafe Massilia's version had the right amount of sweetness, and the cheese and French bread.

My lunch companion - the best part about doing reviews like this - chose the vegetable soup of the day, cauliflower soup, which I have to admit was very good.

Now I should probably point out that cauliflower is my second-favorite vegetable. My favorite? Every other one. 

I'm happy to report that this soup was seasoned so well that I wouldn't have had any qualms about ordering a portion for myself on my next visit.

Before I get to the main course, and my grand error, I'll tell you about the restaurant itself. Located near the corner of Myrtle and Lemon avenues, it has occupied the site of another, now-defunct French restaurant for the past six months.

The maitre d'/co-owner Chris Giovanelli keeps French music playing - everything from "La Mer," to the French version of "How Much is that Doggie in the Window," called "Le Chien Dans La Vitrine" - and during the course of the meal played a couple of classic French DVDs to show us, and the other patrons, his homeland and famous French actors.

I found it humorous that the table water was served without ice - exactly the same as my dining experiences in Europe - except that Giovanelli gladly gave us a couple of hi-ball glasses full of the stuff instead of turning his nose up at us and giving us one cube, like they do across the Atlantic.

For my lunch entree, I chose the $11 Baguette Pan Bagnat, a sandwich made with white tuna, a boiled egg and bell pepper, with a Caesar salad.

The Caesar dressing was the best I've ever had. I thought there was a hint of horseradish, or cayenne pepper, because it had a degree of spiciness that I really loved, but after asking the chef, he told me that it was just a very large amount of garlic and anchovies.

I started eating my sandwich, which was made with chopped tuna and was enjoying it until I made the mistake of sampling my fiance's $11 Crepe de la Mer.

It was this cheesy, creamy, buttery mix of smoked salmon and asparagus that was sauteed in white wine which made my sandwich pale in comparison.

And unfortunately I could only finagle a couple of forkfulls, so I'm going to be itching to go back and get my own crepe.

Cafe Massilia is located at 110 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia, (626) 471-3588 or visit www.cafemassilia.com. 

Lisa's Coffee Shop catches my eye often, when I travel east on San Bernardino Road to an assignment or have lunch somewhere else.

I was in the mood for a warm American dish and decided to satisfy my curiosity for what's inside this little diner that's surrounded by auto shops and industrial buildings.

The cozy restaurant, with its small town 1950s feel, has lent itself to a few movies and commercials. The vintage Coca-Cola signs and the many state license plates hanging on the walls helps add to this old style diner.

Open everyday for breakfast and lunch only, Lisa's menu offers a selection of classic American dishes, with some Mexican plates thrown in for good measure.

Although steak and eggs sounded good and Lisa's serves breakfast until closing, breakfast for lunch didn't feel right this time and I went for the Texas-style sirloin steak lunch instead.

My plate came with mashed potatoes and gravy and two halves of a dinner roll buttered and thrown on the grill for a bit, and a choice of cup of soup or salad.

I went with a cup of the soup of the day - albondigas, a Mexican meatball soup with chunks of potatoes and carrots. 

I can't help but compare my mother's Mexican cooking to other Mexican dishes, and though this albondigas was slightly different than mom's, I liked it better.

Sorry, ma.

The broth wasn't as greasy as I'm used to. It was very light and the meatballs were soft and seasoned just right. 

The sirloin steak can be rubbed with chipotle sauce or blackened for only 79 cents more. I love spicy food, so I went for the chipotle rub.

Now I can't recall if I asked for a small cut of steak or a large cut, but if what I got was a small cut, the large cut could have fed me all day and then some. 

My large piece of steak came medium, just as I asked, juicy and colorful with the chipotle on top. 

From just a few bites of the mashed potatoes, I could tell they were freshly mashed with skin and all. They were great.

The gravy was good, not too syrupy and not too thick. But it was a little too salty for my taste. The soft dinner roll was perfectly buttered and toasted.

With the soup and a good helping of mashed potatoes and steak, I was full and had to throw in the napkin. 

But there was still plenty left for dinner, which is good since Lisa's is closed for dinner.

There was only one waitress at the time and she patiently tended to the locals and regulars stopping in for a good hearty lunch, so be patient for her to come around and help you too.

Once she took our order though, my and my lunch companion's meal were out in about ten minutes, fresh, warm, and just what we ordered.

I don't know if I'll ever be around the area early enough to have breakfast at Lisa's, but I sure will be back sometime to have breakfast for lunch.

Lisa's Coffee Shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and located at 1530 W. San Bernardino Road in Covina. Visit www.lisascoffeeshop.com or call (626) 339-2014 for more information. 

By Lafayette C. Hight Jr.

I love soups - during all seasons of the year - but for me, especially during autumn and winter, there's nothing more satisfying than a boiling pot of the good stuff on a cool afternoon or evening.

My top three soups of all time are: 1. Fil Gumbo. And I've never found an incarnation that tops our family's more than 80-year-old recipe. 2. Clam Chowder. It's gotta be New England Style. And 3. Thai-style Tom Kha soup, or one of it's many variations.

I opted for the latter as an appetizer at Chang Thai Bistro in Monrovia, where it goes by the name Tom Kah Gai and is available with chicken, shrimp, vegetable or tofu.

About a quart of the soup arrived shortly - I chose chicken - which is an entire meal in itself for someone dining alone, but still makes a decent appetizer when split among as many as four.

Carrots, chili peppers, lemongrass, lime leaves and mushrooms all simmered in coconut milk never tasted so good.

Next I had the stir-fried Heavenly Pepper Garlic Chicken dish.

Now, for me, it usually takes about 13 cloves of garlic in a recipe before things get heavenly. Sadly, I didn't really taste much garlic. That's not to say that it wasn't good. It was, in fact, a very tasty dish with a slightly tangy flavor, and served with lots of crunchy cabbage. My expectations from the title, however, had me expecting a Stinking Rose or Versailles Cuban Food kind of experience.  

Finally, I had the opportunity to taste the Chicken Pad Thai, which was definitely up my alley, because it came from the kitchen exactly at the degree of spiciness that I love. Somehow, the chicken in the Pad Thai was super-juicy - much more than the other chicken dish and the soup - which is a conundrum I can't exactly get my head around, but I'll take it gladly.

Chang Thai Bistro is located at 614 S Myrtle Ave., in Monrovia. For information call (626) 357-9658 or visit changthaibistro.com.