Food for Thought

  Mongols BBQ Cuisine: Mongolian BBQ Entree Price:
$7.50 (after tax) 1064 Gayley Ave Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310)
824-3377

With the college student’s budget these days, it’s
hard to make the most of one’s money. Given an opportunity,
Mongols BBQ in Westwood is a prime location to economize and get
full.

For those who haven’t ever had Mongolian barbecue, the
beauty of it is that you, the consumer, choose your food to have it
cooked.

After paying $7.50 (after tax), the patron receives a tray with
a mid-sized bowl, a smaller bowl of rice, a bowl of soup and two
pieces of bread. They then proceed into a make-your-own meal kind
of deal where the diners can fill their larger bowl with a wide
variety of foods.

However, be warned: this meal is a good deal for those who are
carnivores. A vegetarian might not be too pleased with the
arrangement of paying so much for vegetables.

There are four meats (beef, pork, chicken and lamb) from which
to choose, as well as a large assortment of vegetables. Some
vegetables offered include celery, onion, cilantro, bean sprouts,
green onion, and there are still even more to be chosen from.
It’s sort of like a one-chance buffet line.

Now, hopefully the plate isn’t entirely full, because the
diners still have the option for putting noodles on top. Then,
after being prompted about garlic and the option of spiciness, the
bowl is taken away, and the contents are tossed onto a giant frying
surface, like the grills of Benihana’s teppanyaki style of
cooking food.

Emerging from the sizzling inferno comes a plate of what the
diner desires ““ a mouth-chomping, lip-smacking blend of meat
and vegetable with maybe some hot sauce and noodles. Yummm …
delicious.

Given the right circumstances, the plate of food that is cooked
can last for at least two meals, depending on one’s appetite,
and how well the food is packed in the bowl.

Since the meat is frozen and rolled, in order to get the most
possible food out of this meal, the dedicated diner must stand in
line and unravel the meat, meanwhile pounding it into the bottom of
his/her bowl so that the food is as flat as possible.

This requires a bit of patience and the ability to deal with odd
stares. It is in this method that any consumer can get up to twice
as much as any ordinary diner.

Aside from the food, Mongols BBQ itself looks like a normal
Westwood hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Dark and maybe a little
dingy, it’s not much of a date location. Regardless, Mongols
is a great deal for those who are not impatient and are willing to
take a step or two to save a few bucks.

Kenny Chang

 

  C & O Trattoria Cuisine: Italian Entree price
range: $6.95-$15.95 31 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey (310)
823-9491

“People Generally Don’t Leave Here Hungry” is
the motto of the enchanting Italian trattoria located right by the
beach in Marina Del Rey.

C & O Trattoria is famous for its luxurious Northern Italian
pastas served in gargantuan portions that satisfy everyone’s
gluttonous cravings.

The best way to experience C&O Trattoria is to enjoy the
meal on the restaurant’s dimly lit, sensuous patio, which
faces the facade of an ancient European-style home, creating a
feeling reminiscent of being invited into the backyard of a
picturesque Italian home.

The restaurant offers a kaleidoscope of heavenly pasta
selections that range from $6.95- $12.95 for the half portions. The
full-size portions of pastas, priced from $9.95-$15.95, are mammoth
enough to feed a crew of three to four people.

Start off the meal with killer garlic rolls sweetly topped with
thyme and lightly coated with a thin layer of olive oil.

The chefs have perfected the craft of creating tantalizing
appetizers such as Calamari Fritti ““ tender pieces of squid,
fried crispy and served with a tangy, lemon marinara
sauce. 

Another supreme antipasta dish is the Baked Stuffed Mushroom
Caps sprinkled with sweet basil leaves and grated parmesan
cheese.

The best dish of the house is definitely the Linguini
Pescatore, a dish generously filled to the brim with fresh
swordfish, salmon, shrimp, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes
prepared in a succulent garlic butter white wine sauce.

The meaty Bolognese does not fall short of perfection served in
a luxurious meat sauce with thick gnocchi (potato dumplings),
mushrooms and parmigiano.

Pasta lovers will appreciate a new menu addition, the Gemelli
Seafood Pasta, which includes clams, calamari, shrimp, and roma
tomatoes smothered in a thick, creamy white wine sauce.

The meal wouldn’t be complete without sampling the
Tiramisu, a fantastic dessert of Mascarpone cheese layered in
espresso-soaked ladyfingers, topped with shaved Italian chocolate
and sweet cream, as well as the double chocolate cheesecake baked
in New York fashion with chocolate fudge and whipped cream.

Every night, the staff and patrons of this Italian establishment
will burst into a traditional and raucous rendition of
“That’s Amore” as glasses of house Chianti and
cheers of “Salut” are being passed around by diners and
servers alike.

Whether it’s the bewitching homely atmosphere, titillating
dishes or reasonable prices, C&O Trattoria makes for a lovely
dining experience with family, friends and lovers.

Rosanna Mah