How To Tell if A Restaurant Is Good By Pete Allman

Many restaurants appear to be hip and flashy. that however doesn't mean they have good cuisine or clean kitchens, not to mention the service. Most people read Yelp to see what the reviews are. Yelp is a good gauge to know if a restaurant is overpriced and what their cuisine is like.

Let's be specific here. By going on a web site, you can get a good idea about the caliber restaurant you want to visit. that doesn't mean the kitchen is clean, nor does it mean the chefs use the finest ingredients. The way to really tell what a true restaurant is, is by visiting the restaurant and checking out their bathrooms, ask to take a look at the kitchen and meet the chef to find out if he or she uses natural foods in the preperation of their cuisine.

Some of the best restaurants, as far as great tasting cuisine may be hole in the walls. The food however may be out of this world.

The essence of time dining, one must remember, is to look for excellent service, a friendly environment, cleanness and a chef who takes pride in serving top quality cuisine.

Spend the time to conduct your search for excellent restaurants and you'll thank yourself for a quality evening of delightful cuisine.

The Counter Adds Variety To Overpriced Burgers

Marina del Rey is noted for some excellent dining spots such as The Cast and Plow at the Ritz Carlton,  The Beachhouse at the Jamaica Bay Inn, The Del Rey and Killer Shrimp, to mention a few.

One place, The Counter, a chain of burger restaurants is also located in Marina del Rey at Ralph's Shopping Center.  It's always packed and they have a fairly nice happy hour. Unfortunately, their burgers are overpriced. When I looked at the menu, I noticed the prices were $17.00 for a half pound hamburger which was not Black Angus. I wanted something different so I ordered the Buffalo burger.

Sorry to say it was dry and certainly not worth $17.00.  Good golly, I could buy an entire meal for that price.

On the other hand, some people aren't concerned about paying too much for a hamburger. In this case there's other choices such as The Ahi Burger,Vegetarian, Turkey and the classic Hamburger.  Better yet, if you're inclined, I'm sure there are franchises available. For more information call 310-399-8383.

Celebrity Scene News awards The Counter 2 stars.

Fast Food Not Necessarily Bad

By Pete Allman

There's been a lot of talk about fast food not being healthy.

That's true in some cases, however here are some great ways to get a quick bite and stay healthy.

Del Taco for example prepares their pinto beans fresh everyday. You can order the beans with a wrap or a burrito.

Since there not refried, you don't have to worry about too much oil in the food or added ingredients. De l Taco also serves dollar menues which are pretty good. Turkey tacos for one are lower in fat content, along with their fish tacos.

Mac Donalds, I know they're the so called junk food of the century, just happens to have a dollar menu that can give you the protein you're looking for. Take the hamburger for instance, just eat the meat and discard the bread. This way you're not dealing with the carbs. The same goes for their fish sandwiches and so forth.

Hokido, another fast food chain has asian food that doesn't have any Msg. Try the vegetables with brown rice. Although there is some salt added to the food, you'll find this cuisine pretty healthy.

The Islands - American Food with A Healthy Twist

By Pete Allman

Tony DeGrazier, the founder of Islands knew his surfing experience and lifestyle in Hawaii would one day be brought into his visions of a fun place to have American food with a healthy twist. Today, there are 60 locations throughout California.

My guest, Tom Hallick formerly of the Young and Restless and Gangster Squad and his wife Jin Jiang, who is a violinist with Andre Bochelli joined me for dinner. We were greeted by Bradley Beery the General manager of the Marina Del Rey store and Mellisa Taniguchi, also a manager and an exceptional one at that.

The Islands is a great setting with LCD screens throughout the restaurant, showcasing some great surf videos and a good selection of Craft Beers. Tom Hallick ordered a Hefeweizen and I ordered a Wild-berry Banana and Yin Jiang ordered a cool breeze, prepared with Coconut cream, banana and strawberries.

We then ordered the famous Tortilla Soup, consisting of chicken and fresh vegetables, topped with jack cheese, avocado and tortilla strips. The soup in itself is a meal, when you order the Endless Bowl, a mere $7.79 for all the soup you can eat.

Time to fill add a little more excitement with Buffalo Wings, served in Islands traditional spicy sauce, seved with carrots and celery with ranch dressing. This appetizer also can be ordered with teriyaki or bbq sauce. Just for the big eaters there's also the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, sever with chopped spinach and artichoke hearts mixed with sautéed onion and garlic in a creamy Alfredo sauce with fresh chips and salsa.

By now, one would think we would be stuffed. That's not the case. The most famous food item on the menu is the Hamburgers. We ordered the Point Break, consisting with Gruyere and bleu cheeses, caramelized bacon and onion relish, with lettuce, tomato and mayo, along with the Kilauea, consisting of Jalapeño and black pepper-crusted burger with black pepper jack cheese, with Island reds, chipolte silo, lettuce and tomato. Since I enjoy Turkey and Veggie Burgers, my choice was the Hula Burger, prepared with applesauce, seasonings, bell peppers, celery and scallions. Just marvelous. Why not, it's all cooked on an open grill with the very finest lean ground beef and lean Turkey.

Now if you're looking for a quick meal, let me also recommend the Beach Bowl. Wow, this dish is prepared with fresh grilled pineapple, red bell peppers, snow peas, water chestnuts, red onions, broccoli and diced scallions with hoisin sauce, served over brown rice. This is dish is also available with chicken or Mahi Mahi for only $12.95.

So, whether you're inclined to eat a lot of food like us, or something quick, Islands is your place in the sun for a fun evening. American food with a healthy twist. But, if you have a sweet tooth, then enjoy their Kona Pie with Mocha almond fudge ice cream and cookie crust topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, roasted almonds and a cherry.

The Islands is located on 404 Washington Blvd. in Marina Del Rey. Call (310) 822-3939 for reservations.

Mack Shack Offers Fresh, Healthy, Fast Food

By Pete Allman

Imagine going to a restaurant that specializes in Fast food that is cooked fresh daily, using all the best ingredients. That's what The Mac Shack represents. Frank Masi and partner, J. Dapper, a real estate developer in Las Vegas are planning to open a chain of Mack Shacks around the country, which could be Franchised. Mack Shack is a fun place, specializing in Pastas, salads, and grilled cheese.

My guest on this culinary journey was Mark Richards. Mark has a radio show on KDWN 720AM on Saturdays at 7pm. His diversity in foods is excellent, making for a great afternoon of dining.

Our journey began with a bowl of sweet roasted corn chowder with onions. This dish was very tasty. All the cuisine at Mac Shack are prepared to order. Other soups prepared daily are Mushroom soup and Chicken Noodle soup. Our next dish was the Green Machine. It consists of Organic blend of greens, carrots, cucumber, broccoli and heirloom tomatoes tossed in a home-made watercress vinaigrette. There also several other selections with the Antipasto Salad being one of the favorite. The main entrees served were the Mac and Cheese sandwich, made with Wisconsin Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on white bread grilled golden brown, Pepperjack Mac, melted in pasata with Pepper Jack and Monterey Jack cheeses topped with fresh jalapenos, Shrimp Scampi, which is prepared with linguini pasta with tender shrimp sautéed with fresh tomatoes and parsley in a lemon and garlic sauce is also a tasty dish. There's the Veggie, which is prepared with Rigatoni pasta tossed with fresh spring vegetables sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

For those who prefer gluten free pasta, there is various dishes available also.

The sides, as they are referred to are Garlic Bread, Meatballs Gnocchi, with a choice of pesto, marinara or bacon-Alfredo sauce, Artichoke Gratin which are fresh artichokes sautéed in a lemon garlic sauce, topped with seasoned bread crumbs and Cauliflower Gratin, consisting of fresh cauliflower, topped with seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan mozzarella cheeses, baked golden brown. Mac Shack is located in Summerlin at 8975 West Charleston Blvd. suite 140 Las Vegas, Nevada 89107. Call for your next catering event or party at (702) 243-1722.

Celebrity Scene News rates Mack Shack three stars for an overall good experience.

Ugo's Presents Authentic Neopolitan Pizza

By Pete Allman

Anyone who's been to Italy knows that real pizza is baked in a wood burning oven. At Ugo's, they are recognized as an authentic pizza maker by VPN (Veta Pizza Neopolitan Association) in Napes Italy. Ugo Pascarella, the owner and visionary of Ugo's, is a man who knows his art and has a tremendous passion to only use the original ingredients that have been handed down for hundreds of years from Naples, Italy. On the night my guest and I were dining at their unique wine bar, the first of its kind in the area, Ugo greeted us and gave us a tour of his restaurant, explaining his success. First there's the Stefano oven brought in from Naples, Italy, then there's the machine that makes the dough, also imported from Naples Italy and then there's the Gelato machines which make the various flavors such as Mango, Strawberry, Watermelon, Cappuccino and the list goes on and on. In fact Ugo also makes all of the deserts right at his restaurant, where tourist and locals enjoy them on a daily basis.

With so much passion and work ethics, the team at Ugo's strives to please the customer. It's like one big family. That's the way Ugo likes it and that's what brings people back again and again. Even the studios continually ask Ugo's to cater for their events.

So, here's what we recommend for pizza lovers. Try a Marinara. It is prepared with crushed San Manzoni tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. It takes only a minute to make in the 1000 degree Stefano oven, which uses Apple wood logs, as well as Oak and Almond. When you receive the pizza, you'll be able to fold it and eat it as they do in Italy. It's best to eat your pizza immediately. We also recommend the Quattro Stagioni, prepared with San Manzoni tomatoes, homemade mozzarella, ham, fresh mushrooms, black olives and artichokes. Another recommendation would be the Ciccio, prepared without tomato sauce, but rather homemade mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, arugula, parmigiano Reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil. By the way, t6he flour used in the preparation of the pizza is Cuputo flour, imported from Naples, Italy.

Like all good restaurants, there's a selection of poultry, meats and seafood. At Ugo's the Salmon All'uva has a great taste, as its sautéed Atlantic salmon with grapes and moscato wine sauce. There's also the Bistecca, a 16 oz., prime dry aged rib eye.

Vegetarians however, can order gluten free pasta and various salads. The meatless Lasagne, authentic Bologna style is the best I've ever tasted. For a great salad on the Insalate E Zuppe, there's the Insalata Spinaci, prepared with caramelized pecans, red onions, and homemade gorgonzola dressing. Aucculent taste that will have you humming, em good on the way home.

There is no way that one could pass up the homemade Gelato. That is a must and I dare say the final ending to our dining journey. It's all authentic, using the best ingredients, all imported from Naples, Italy.

Weather you're looking to socialize at Ugo's wine bar or dining out, Ugo's is that restaurant that will surely appeal to your palate. Ugo's is located in Culver City at 3865 Cardiff Ave on the corner of Washington. For catering an event or a particular celebration call 310-204-1222.

Celebrity Scene News awards Ugo's 5 stars for their Neapolitan Pizzas, fine wines, and excellent service. Tell them Pete Allman sent ya!

Paiche - Voted Best Restaurant In The United States

By Pete Allman

Paiche, the Peruvian Izakaya Cuisine has been voted "Best New Restaurant in the United States" by Esquire. Located in Marina del Rey, this busy eatery is the vision of Executive Chef Ricardo Zarate.

Chef Zarate has brought some unique flavors to Southern, California. He has appeared on many shows on The Food Network and is consistently perfecting his menu for his various restaurants. It's understandable why he was also voted "Best New Chef In America" by Food and Wine Magazine.

I invited Tom Hallick a former star of The Young and Restless who played Brad Garret for many years, along with many starring roles in films and episodic television. Tom brought his wife, Jin Jiang, who is a concert violinist with Andrea Bucelli, Both have traveled the world over and know the quality of fine dining.

Piache was designed by Chef Zarate. The pillars of the restaurant resemble fish fins, decorated in blue with contemporary seating and an open kitchen. On any given night, there's a full house of patrons of all cultures, who are just waiting to chow down some of the most delicious dishes they've ever tasted. Now let's begin our dining journey by introducing Cort Zimmerman, the General Manager and Megan, his assistant manager. Both greeted my party and recommended a tasting that would send us floating out of the restaurant at the end of the evening.

Tuna Tartar with caviar and a soy ceviche dressing with wonton chips and shrimp dumplings with soy-lime sauce dressing with spicy rocotto infused oil with seasoned vegetables was an uplifting surprise. "This is so good, it's the best gourmet I've tasted with this caliber food," stated Hallick. Ah but there's more to the tasting. The ceviche's, sashimi style were also amazing. The Yellow Tail and Albacore has a sweet lemony taste, that is the best taste to my recollection continuing with the tastings, there's the Wagu Beef which is seasoned with Parmesan, saiha in chi oil, with a soy dressing with garlic.

The Kampachi, with ricotto oil, yuza onion, garlic dressing on a Himalayan rock salt, was another excellent dish.

Other items included Crispy tuna tacu tacu , which consist of spicy tuna with rocoto aioli. For the adventurous palate I would highly recommend The Niman Ranch Pork Belly, prepared with aji Amarillo butternut squash puree and pomegranate salsa criolla over the pork crackling.

What about something that's a bit more gamey? There's Saltado De Quail, a sautéed quail with five spices, and rosemary dressing over the quail.

Seafood lovers on the other hand will definitely enjoy the Chaufa De Langosta, lobster and mixed seafood with fried rice and the Saltado De Camarones, which is a sautéed shrimp with saltado sauce and homemade pasta.

Before we tell you about the deserts, we must also recommend the Pacu Ribs, which are Amazonian fish ribs in a anticucho lime miso with zapallo puree. For simplicity there's the Prime Short Ribs with baroque sauce.

Those with a hearty appetite may want to order the Verduras, side dishes of Spinach, Cauliflower, Carrots, Peewee Potato or Haricot Vert.

"In China, we have not tasted cuisine so unique," stated Jiang.

There's no question that there's always a little room for desert. The green tea coconut cake and the Molten Chocolate cake were just as delightful for ending our culinary journey. A little cappuccino and it's time to retire.

Paiche is just off of Lincoln Blvd. on 13488 Maxella Ave in Marina del Rey. For reservations call [310] 893-6100.

Celebrity Scene News awards 5 stars to an exquisite evening of superb cuisine, with excellent service.

By Pete Allman






The Ritz Carlton has 85 hotels worldwide in 30 different countries. There are four hotels which specialize in organic cuisine, one of which is in Marina del Rey. Ryan Flannery, the Food and Beverage Manager invited me to write a review on the new Cast and Plow restaurant.


The restaurant is contemporary in design with open lounges, terrace fire pits, all of which overlook the marina. I would dare say it's the premiere place to dine and at the same moment, a gathering place for those who enjoy a relaxed, hip atmosphere.

Kimit Kaygusnz, the Executive Chef, originally from Turkey and Javier Bravo, Chef de Cuisine from Brazil believe in the slogan, "community made", as it appears underneath the Cast and Plow name. The principle here is truly Artisan cooking at its finest. What sets the new restaurant apart from others, is their dedication in preparing the finest selections of organic beef, seafood and other produce, some of which comes from the Farmers Market locally and farmers around Southern, California.

On this occasion my guests were Tom Hallick, who starred as Brad Garret on "The Young and Restless." and his wife, Jin Jiang, a concert violinist with Andrea Bucelli. Both have traveled extensively throughout the world. Tom who is also remembered as the first host of Entertainment Tonight recently stated," Cast and Plow is one of the premier dining spots that I have dined at. It's as good as it gets."

The evening of our culinary journey, we were introduced to chef, Brandon Duley, who prepared what i would call, "the supreme delight". Tom ordered a Ribeye which was aged and smoked for 32 days. It was prepared with asiago cheese potato puree in a herb salsa verde. Jin ordered the farm raised Organic Salmon, prepared with beluga lentils, guail egg, and mission fig chutney in a ham hock broth. I ordered the Halibut, which was caramelized with cauliflower, and romanesco with hazelnut butter. The dishes, of which I sampled each one, were excellent. Ah, my eyes are bigger then my stomach, as I also ordered pumpkin soup and Chef Duley's Thyme Tagliatelle. The pumpkin soup is prepared with pumpkin oil, asiago bread crostini and pumpkin seed peste. the Thyme Tagliatelle is prepared with organic spinach, preserved with meyer lemon and parmesan cream.

I would be remiss if i didn't mention that there is a large selection of wines from around the world at The Cast and Plow, along with some unique cocktails. The Blood Orange Fizz for one, is prepared with Plymouth Gin, lemon grass syrup, blood orange juice and cream whites. The Perfect Storm is prepared with Casamigos Resposado Tequila, cassis and lime juice. Those names stand up to the taste of the cocktails and everything is made fresh.

All of our entrees were accompanied with additional side dishes which included market beets, consisting of local cress with pickled mustard vinaigrette, chilled octopus, consisting of pistachio and cardamom pesto, with focaccia croutons and a kale salad with bibb lettuce, organic egg and crumb read croutons. Our deserts were prepared by pastry chef, Adina Morgan and oh it was so delicious. Chef Adina picks her own Pomelo grapefruits from her backyard in Balboa Park. The White Pomelo Pie, as it is referred to, is prepared with Italian meringue in a port reduction. The Greek yogurt with chamomile honey, blubbery and pistachio brittle was another delight and the final winner was brown sugar cake, prepared with medjool dates and salted caramel ice cream. All the deserts and ice creams are prepared by Chef Adina, The Ritz Carlton is located on 4375 Admiralty way in Marina del Rey. Reservations may be made by calling (310) 823-1700.

Celebrity Scene News highly recommends The Cast and Plow and awards 5 stars for excellent cuisine, a wonderful setting and superb service.

Shalimar Cuisine of India Adds Variety to Indian Cuisine

By Pete Allman

You don't have to travel to India to enjoy the delightful cuisine they are noted for. Located one block from West L.A. College in the Raintree Plaza, Shalimar has been serving locals and tourist for many years.

Durga Knattri, the owner started cooking about 20 years ago in India. He arrived in the United States in 1994, realizing that there's a great diversity of folks who enjoy Indian cuisine. After working for Gaylord India Restaurant, he then decided to control his own destiny and live the American dream.
There are many regions of Indian cuisine throughout the country. Southern and Northern are most popular. Northern Indian cuisine is noted for their curries with goat, spinach, chicken, and lamb. Southern Indian cuisine has many spices added to the meats and vegetables, according to Chef Durga.
I love curries, especially with goat and lamb. Add some basmati rice, a drink of Mango Kiefer and you'll be in heaven. This dish is prepared with grated paneer, vegetables, fresh tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and saffron sauce with fenugreek.

Achaar, a traditional appetizer of mixed pickles, raita and relish, adds to various selected dishes as does the mango and mint chutney. This is especially good with Chicken Tikka, Chicken Vindaloo and Kashmiri lamb. I enjoyed all three selections which were very tasty without too much spice added. For an introduction to Indian cuisine try Shalimar's buffet. In addition you'll also notice that they have Nepalese style cuisine and Chicken Chow Mein included on their menu. It is rather unusual to have this added to Indian cuisine; however, that does not deflect from the quality of the Indian cuisine I tasted. From the standpoint of the interior of the restaurant, they are remodeling. So, don't let that stop you from checking out their cuisine. Shalimar Cuisine of India is located at 10708 Jefferson Blvd, Culver City, California. Lunch is served from 11am to 3 pm and dinner is served from 5pm to 10 pm. For reservations or to place an order call (310) 839-7462 Celebrity Scene News awards 3 stars to Shalimar Cuisine of India for their cuisine. Be sure to tell them Pete Allman referred you.

Pampas Grill - A Brazilian Treat

By Pete Allman

Culver City, in Los Angeles, has so many diverse culinary delights and Pampas Grill is one of those popular eateries that have its customers returning time after time.

Alex Ayzin, one of my associates and friends happens to be a business broker, who enjoys a diverse menu, especially with a little spice added to the meats. On this particular occasion, we thought about a celebrative atmosphere where we could enjoy a salad bar and a variety of meats. Pampas Grill prides itself in serving bacon wrapped chicken, top sirloin and garlic beef. There's so much to choose from, with items such as collard greens, garlic rice, plantains, and all sorts of salads for vegetarians.

I especially enjoyed the Chicken Stroganoff and the lamb on this dining venture. Although everything is weighed by the pound, one can meter their plates and usually get by for $17-$20.00. Pampas is always busy, but the cuisine is well worth the wait. The only downfall dining there is the parking, which sometimes takes a few minutes to find. Pampas Grill is located at 3857 Overland Avenue with hours of operation starting at 10:30 am until 9pm. There's also 20% off on Happy Hour from 3pm-6pm. For parties and catering call (310) 836-0080. Their second location is in Farmers Market at 6333 North 3rd. Call (310) 931-1928 for more information.

Celebrity Scene News awards 4 stars for an enticing evening of dining.

Dinner At The Queen Mary

 By Pete Allman
The Queen Mary, located in Long Beach, California is one of the main focal points for tourist and locals to enjoy. The 156,000 ton ship which played host to dignitaries and celebrities, presents that history with tours of this historic vessel.

Over the years there have been many improvements at the Queen Mary, one of which is their restaurants. On a weekend, I brought Pat Vegas, of the group Red Bone and his wife Estel to dinner at the Promenade Cafe, located on the main salon floor.

Tony Mc Carthy, the food and beverage manager greeted us. According to Mr. Mc Carthy, business has been extremely good.

The Promenade serves a three course dinner from 4pm until closing. For a mere $32.00 one can choose from Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon or Braised Boneless Beef Short ribs. The Salmon is served with rice pilaf, and seasonal vegetables served in a mustard sauce. The main entrée comes with clam chowder or whatever the soup of the day is and a nonalcoholic beverage of choice. The Braised Boneless Short Ribs are served with garlic mashed potatoes with broccoli with natural jus. Both dishes were very good. As an added portion to our dining, we all ordered a Promenade House Salad, which consisted of mixed greens, tomato, cucumbers and candied walnuts.

As with any good meal, I always like to meet the chef. On this evening we met Chef Brain Stout. Chef Stout spent 27 years at The Fairmont 4 Seasons Hilton. He has that personality to host his own television show, creating some of his favorite South of the Border dishes. With his suggestion we ordered chocolate cake and cheesecake with a cup of espresso to end our evening of gracious dining. The dining experience and the view is well worth an evening of dining and tours at The Queen Mary. For parties and anniversaries call (562) 499-1600. The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway.

Celebrity Scene News awards 4 stars for good cuisine, service and a wonderful ambiance.