Los Toros

Jeff has a fondness in his heart for Los Toros ( 21743 Devonshire Street, Chatsworth) that can only be explained by his having grown up with it. Perhaps if I hadn't eaten so many sopes at Benito's in high school I wouldn't think it was so great, either. But I am pretty sure Benito's would kill Los Toros in a taste test any day. I am pretty sure there are frozen burritos that could take Los Toros in a taste test, though. The one  plus is that they bring an addictive bean dip with the chips. I think if you go and just stick with bean dip you'll be okay.

Jeff had a shredded beef burrito that was completely bland. He said later that he thought he didn't "order the right thing." He has been eating there for over 20 years and still  hasn't figured out the right thing.Nathan fared better with the kids quesadilla. It is hard to mess up preshredded cheese on a tortilla.  

I went for broke with the appetizer platter- Jeff ordered it the last time he was there and swore it was delicious. He later said, "Well, it was good with margaritas." Probably all of Los Toros' food would be good with lots, and lots, of margaritas.  But when only under the influence of iced tea, it's pretty awful.  The carnitas were at least edible.

I've resolved for 2009 to not return to Los Toros- I regret it every time. Jeff can go back with his high school pals and continue to enjoy whatever it is about this place that I am missing.

Dandy's AKA Meal in a Bun

Dandy's, AKA "Meal in a Bun," is a tiny burger hut hidden next to the 7-11 at Mason and Lassen. Jeff always thought the name was Meal in a Bun because of the sign proclaiming A Meal in a Bun.  Nathan is fond of this place because they give you a wooden spoon with your order number on it and he can bang the spoon on the windows while he wait.  

I'm more of a fan of the Munch Box in terms of Chatsworth chili burgers, but Dandy's has three things the Munch Box lacks: Dr Pepper, junior size burgers, and onion rings. So we are winding up at Dandy's more and more.

We usually taked Dandy's home because the place is so tiny, and Nathan can't really be trusted to sit and eat outside near a parking lot.  Above is Jeff's junior bacon cheeseburger with an onion ring.

The junior chili burger. The chili is possibly the mildest chili on the planet- but the junior size at least lets you eat a chili burger with minimal regrets. The onion rings are next to perfect.  And the price is dirt cheap.

If I was totally crazy, I'd pick up my chili burgers at Munch Box and then stop at Dandy's for onion rings and drinks.  But usually we just settle for Dandy's.  It's a meal in a bun!

Rosie's BBQ

Rosie's BBQ (10220 Topanga Cyn. Blvd., just south of Devonshire) is quite possibly the least promising looking restaurant in Chatsworth (which is saying something, have you driven by the Hungry Ninja?) For one, it always looks empty and closed. For two, I am from Texas and am dubious of barbeque this far west of the Lone Star State.  However, a fat man that Jeff knows recommended it and we always take restaurant advice from fat men as they are rarely wrong.  

The place was totally empty when we went in and the picture above shows it as bustling as it got.  However, I think that's because it is primarily a catering business rather than a sit-down eatery.  We sat down and ate anyway (well, Nathan crawled all over the booths) and especially liked the Sergeant Pepper and Elvis tapestries hanging above our table.  

One thing I have learned about California barbeque is that you should always order the tri-tip (thank you, Santa Maria!) and the tri-tip did not disappoint.  It was perfectly smoked and I totally regret splitting a sandwich with Jeff- I could have eaten the whole thing.  The jus alongside was not that spectacular but the barbeque sauce was decent.  Potato salad was grocery store style, and garlic rolls were a mistake of a side order.  We also accidentally ordered potato chips, not realizing the sandwich came with potato chips, so we got a double order which was way too much (and they were pretty boring).

I wouldn't go back there to eat, but I would pick up a tri tip if I didn't feel like smoking my own. I'd just make my own sides.

Not Dining Related

Just FYI, tomorrow (Sunday, September 14) there will be a blood drive at Providence Holy Cross, 15031 Rinaldi St. • Mission Hills, CA 91345, from 9 AM to 4 PM for victims of the Metrolink train accident.

San Carlo Italian Deli

When my mother came and stayed a week with Nathan, I put San Carlo Deli (10178 Mason Ave, Chatsworth- Mason and Devonshire in the Vons Shopping Center) on my list of suggestions between the park and the indoor play place.  She texted me that week to ask if they always gave Nathan a free panzerotti. No, not always, but quite often they will give him a panzerotti or a sprinkle cookie.  Nathan's love for San Carlo Deli is intense- I usually avoid driving that stretch of Mason because if he sees it, he pitches a fit trying to get me to pull in.
Panzerotti are kind of like fried calzones, with mozzarella inside and the barest hint of tomato sauce.  Nathan loves them.  I am fairly certain if it were up to him, he'd have a panzerotti every day.  And I don't blame him- they are delicious. Greasy and messy and the perfect snack food. (Honestly, one would probably do you for lunch.)

One would do him, anyway.

Behind Nathan to the right you can see the deli case- Jeff would like to make sure that I mention that San Carlo has the "best Italian subs in the Valley."  We have only ever had the San Carlo special because it's so good we can't bring ourselves to branch out.  As I once overheard a woman say, "I can't decide. I think I'll just get the San Carlo Special because it's got everything on it."  We are partial to the soft rolls, which are chewy and baked on site.

Today, though, we got a small pizza, which is just the right size for two and a half to share for lunch, especially if the half is already stuffed full of panzerotti.  I am mainly partial to very thin crusted pizza, but Jeff, who likes a pizza with a crust, thinks this is better than Mozza.  It is easily the best "regular" pizza around, and well worth eating fresh from the oven.  The burns on the roof of your mouth will heal.   

You'll often bump into friends at San Carlo or neighbors who have yet to become friends- it's one place that everyone I know goes, and you'll see firemen next to bikers and always a good number of Italians. I count San Carlo as one of my favorite things about living in Chatsworth.  I am pretty sure it is Nathan's favorite thing, period.

Fast Taco

When we moved to Chatsworth our dear friend, hometown boy, and vegetarian Joshy D was most elated, I think, to learn that Chatsworth now had a branch of lard-free, trans-fat free, majorly delicious Poquito Mas. So we were going to Poquito Mas a lot and marvelling at how they could get something so simple (the burrito) so right, while other chains (Baja Fresh, La Salsa, etc) were all so tasteless.  And then one day Joshy D said that if we liked Poquito Mas, we would love his high school haunt, Fast Taco, which he had abandoned due to their use of lard.

He waxed on and on about it, which I took with a bit of a grain of salt, because Joshy D loves EVERYTHING (other things he has raved about for months on end include the film Blame it On Rio- when Joshy D likes something, he LOVES it).  But eventually I took Nathan there for lunch, because I have nothing against lard- in fact, I like lard- and their carne asada burrito was phenomenal.  They serve it with grilled scallions and lime and it is the perfect balance of meat, salsa, cheese and tortilla, with just the right amount of guacamole and sour cream.  And about a dollar cheaper and much faster than Poquito Mas.  

For a while Nathan and I went every Friday, when he was at the age where he would sit in a high chair (they have a tiny dining area, but they have a high chair with a tray, a restaurant rarity) and gnaw on tortilla.  Then he got less easy to keep still so we'd get it to go.  We were going to get some today but were struck by the downside of Fast Taco- the incredibly jampacked parking lot.  I'll have to just drag Jeff tomorrow- worst case scenario he can go in and get the food while we circle the lot.  Because after writing three paragraphs about Fast Taco I really, really need some Fast Taco.

Emle's

For Labor Day Lunch we went to Emle's in Northridge (9250 Reseda Boulevard).  I had always been curious and Buzzard is apparently a huge fan ("the food is impeccable!" he declared on the way there.)  Buzzard also approved of the glass windows.  The crowd was a good mix of the Buzzard Generation and rowdy CSUN fratboys.

Since Emle's is apparently voted the Best Breakfast (of all time? of the Valley? By who?) we all went with breakfast except Jeff, who ordered a turkey cranberry wrap.  It was pretty much a romaine salad with turkey and dried cranberries in a wrap.  I thought it had way too much lettuce but Jeff loved it.Grandma Buzzard had the smoked salmon omelet with onions and hollandaise sauce. Buzzard declared, "Who needs a deli!" I am not sure I'd go that far, but the bagel was a huge hit with Nathan. Buzzard had the "Nick's Special" or "More Breakfast Meats than Any Human Should Eat."  He thought he had to pick one but no, it comes with ham, bacon, and sausage.  The sausage is made on site and was fantastic, peppery and laced with fennel. I'd go back just to pick up some sausage to go.  Buzzard also declared his french toast to be "like Miami, Florida."  He explained that he used to go to a deli called Wolfie's in Miami that made the thickest french toast he'd ever had- this version wasn't as thick, but tasted the same.  It was extremely eggy and next time I'm going to try their special french toast- lots of tables around us ordered it and it looked more like a big plate of beignets than french toast.  

I have a compulsion that forces me to order Eggs Benedict whenever I see them on the menu, even in the most unlikeliest of restaurants.  Emle's seemed like a moderately likely restaurant, though.  The selection of meats you could get in place of Canadian Bacon was intriguing (Filet mignon I can see, but calamari steak?) and I went with corned beef hash, which I haven't eaten regularly since college, when I swore by it as a hangover preventative.  The corned beef hash was extra crisp and exactly like the canned stuff I ate in college (which in my book is a good thing) and the hollandaise was rich, if lacking in flavor.  The black olives were an inexplicable touch.

The potatoes, though, were a home run- cut new potatoes cooked soft to almost mashed consistency inside, crispy outside.

We did not need any more food after that but Buzzard swears by their special desserts- todays was sweet potato pie with a graham cracker crust topped with vanilla gelato. (Buzzard like that since he feels no dessert is complete without "white ice cream.")   They brought one and a half slices.  The pie tasted of canned pumpkin, though, and was not too remarkable. (To be fair, Buzzard and Nathan were huge fans of it.)

Nathan of course does not have the most discriminating palate.  He ate half a bagel (see the cream cheese under his nose) and a banana pancake (rubbery, but brought out nearly immediately when the owner and his wife saw me pacing with Nathan, who does not like to wait).  

Is Emle's the best breakfast? No, not really. (I'll get to the best breakfast in a future post, don't worry.) Is it a good breakfast? Yes, and at the price (and with no wait!) it's a good local choice, particularly if you are eating with toddlers and/or senior citizens.

(Edited to add: I forgot to mention the Buzzard's best quote, about Nick, the owner: "He is very skilled in the culinary arts. And also, an attractive man."

Also, Jeff feels "loved" is too strong to describe how he felt about his wrap. He did eat the whole thing in about two seconds, but apparently he was just hungry.)