What’s Cookin’ Behind the Curtain – A Window into Indian Food

(Originally posted on LAist on May 25)



As much as I love fine dining, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with the comfort foods that I find at local hideaways that five-star restaurants can’t provide. While these local eateries will never make a Michelin guide, they possess a reliable meal, a distinct atmosphere, and the promise that they’ll never be overrun by trendy crowds and changing tastes. They’re the places that I identify with pride as one of “my spots”, a secret that only a select group of people know about.

Which gets me to this week’s restaurant: Bukhara Cuisine of India in Huntington Beach.

Bukhara is a classic neighborhood hole-in-the-wall restaurant that wins few points for ambience and service, but scores big on charm and meal quality. Specializing in Mughlai-style cuisine (ancient Northern Indian), Bukhara probably isn’t going to be the best Indian food you’ve ever had. As Ali Miller pointed out in Wednesday’s review of Electric Karma in Hollywood, LA is a bit lacking when it comes to high quality Indian cuisine. So while your meal may not transport you back to Delhi, you will get reasonably-priced good-quality food in a simple, no-frills environment.

Bukhara is a located in a strip mall across the street from the two-year old Bella Terra entertainment center. It is an interesting dichotomy to see the big megaplex theater and new stores and restaurants of Bella Terra opposite the rundown storefronts where Bukhara sits, tucked between a Subway and a Cingular Wireless outlet.

The inside of the restaurant looks just as dated as the outside. The décor looks like it was pulled from a vintage thrift store, except that I’m pretty sure that they’ve simply haven’t replaced it in the last 25 years. The tablecloths, seats, and wallpaper are a combination of a garish sea green and salmon, and the chandelier in the center of the restaurant only has about half of its bulbs working.

But if you can get over the initial shock to your eyes, you can enjoy the real charm of Bukhara. The restaurant is tiny, only accommodating about ten tables, and you can eavesdrop on pretty much any conversation, which may be a variety of topics given the motley crew of patrons that stop by. The best feature of the restaurant is the window in the middle of the restaurant that enables you to look into the small kitchen where the two chefs are busy at work. You can watch the chefs roll out paratha or skewer up big chunks of marinated chicken and lamb and cook them in the tandoor. Think of it kinda like going to Krispy Kreme, except without the free samples and conveyor belt.

Because everything is truly made to order, the dishes taste fresh and sharply seasoned. The menu says its tandoori dishes are served “sizzling hot on a bed of sautéed onions, bell peppers, and lemon”, which is no exaggeration since the food is literally brought straight from the oven. The naan is always piping hot (and I love me some naan). On my last trip, I started off with some vegetable pakoras (fritters), which were crisp, but not too greasy or heavy. I also gorged on an order of chicken saag (chicken cooked in cream spinach) and basmati rice. The big chunks of chicken were moist and tender, seasoned with garlic and cumin, while the creamed spinach was the hearty filler that nearly put me to sleep about an hour after I finished eating.

As far as menu items are concerned, Bukhara has the requisite selection of tandoori dishes and various vegetable paneer and masala dishes. Bukhara also offers a wide variety of lamb entrees, though I can’t vouch for those since I tend to avoid eating our fleeced friends. The house specialties include the standard chicken tikka masala, as well sliced lamb served in a green curry (lamb pasada) or ground lamb with onion gravy (keema curry).

Unlike some of the nicer Indian restaurants in LA which will cost you a pretty penny, the dishes at Bukhara are generally priced between $9 and $14 for reasonable sized portions. Bukhara also offers a daily lunch buffet for $8.95 ($10.95 on Sundays with champagne), and even does catering for its more conventional dishes. It’s fair to assume the moderate prices you pay reflect a discount for the lack of restaurant amenities. But that’s what makes it fun. I’d be more than happy to pay an extra dollar per dish for the food, but then I’d have to stop going there once it turned into just another Indian restaurant.

Bukhara Cuisine of India
7594 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Ode to American Gladiators

(Originally posted on LAist on May 23)

It’s so good to have you back.

I know you’ve been back for a couple of months already. But I still can’t believe that you’re here again. I mean, seriously, we hadn’t seen each other in more than ten years! Where have you been all this time?

I fully admit, when we parted ways before, I was the one who was losing interest and looking for something more in my life. So when ESPN Classic told me that you were coming back, I didn’t know how to react. You brought so much joy to my teenage years, but I guess I got bored of the gladiator schtick. Maybe I just felt like I was outgrowing you back then. It wasn’t your fault, I was just trying to figure out what I wanted.

But these last few weeks, all of the quality time we’ve been able to spend together has made me realize how much I truly missed you. I didn’t appreciate how special you really are, with your unique combination of athletic prowess, cheesy personalities, and bad hair. That first weekend back in March when we reunited during your TV marathon, I found an immediate attraction like the first time we met. I was supposed to go out and run errands, but I couldn’t resist watching episode after episode.

I hope you don’t hold it against me that we split up all those years back. People change. Look at all the changes that you went through while we were together. Remember when we first met? You were at Universal Studios Hollywood on that dark, ghetto set with equipment that looked like it was purchased from a 99 Cent Store (seriously, medicine balls on the Eliminator?). There were only six gladiators then, and they weren’t very good. The worst was Malibu. He tried to play the surfer personality with a trademark hang loose sign, but would get constantly schooled by some middle-aged guy in a mullet on Breakthrough and Conquer or Powerball. Nitro and Gemini weren’t so bad. But Lace was definitely worth remembering - so fashionable.



What kept me interested in you were those crazy athletic events that I couldn’t find in anyone else, despite the questionable spandex outfits. I loved watching Assault – I remember trying to recreate my own game with friends by throwing tennis balls at each other while trying to hit a cheap homemade target. You also exposed me to the thrill of The Wall. I was so impressed when you junked the rope swing and added the cargo net and zipline to the Eliminator. Yes, things were good during those early years. When Larry Thompson yelled “Contenders, ready! Gladiators, ready!” my heart always skipped a beat.



I didn’t even mind that much when you tried to make yourself more flashy. I found Atlasphere and The Maze fun, if not a little quirky. And Slingshot was kinda cool ‘cause the contenders could sky on those bungee cords. Some of the new gladiators brought new energy to the show. Laser and Turbo were pretty dope, and when you brought Elektra on, well, she was just frackin’ hot. Even when things got a little stale, Mike Adamle always kept me entertained.



But somewhere along the way, my feelings started to change. You brought in all of these new gladiators that had lame nicknames like Hawk and Sabre and no personality. And while you did your best to innovate by introducing events like Sky Track or Pyramid, they just weren’t as interesting. Maybe the contenders just got too good and figured out how to beat the gladiators at their own games. All I know is by the time you got canceled, I wasn’t all that broken up about it.



Now that we’ve had all this time apart, I understand you so much better. You always portrayed yourself as a serious show, but never took yourself too seriously. It was a game, but it was first and foremost entertainment. These days, half the shows on TV these days are reality programs of some sort, and all of the participants have an agenda and a sense of self-importance. But not you. Your participants were there for the glory of competition. They weren’t looking for celebrity, they wanted a challenge. And the gladiators willingly played the foil. There was no tribal council, no boardroom, no rose ceremony. Only muscle-bound jocks beating up on hapless weekend warriors with wannabe Bobby Brown fades.



Maybe we can’t have the same kind of relationship like we used to. But I know there’s a place for you in my life. On my TiVo. Late night, you, me, and Human Cannonball. I hope you’ll take me back. I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

American Gladiators originally aired from 1989 through 1996. Since its rights were acquired by ESPN in March, it can now be seen on ESPN Classic on weekdays at 4 pm and 10 pm and on weekends from 6-8 am.

Lotto Fever

(Originally posted on LAist on May 22)



The odds of winning the California SuperLotto jackpot are 1 in 41,416,353.

The odds of the Clippers winning tonight’s NBA draft lottery are not quite as infinitesimal at 1 in 200, but still seem highly unlikely. The prize? It’s not quite a gazillion dollars, but in basketball terms, it is close: the chance to choose either 35-year old Ohio St. center Greg Oden and Texas swingman Kevin Durant, two of the most hyped players in several years to enter the draft, whom many believe have the ability to singlehandedly turn a franchise’s fortunes around.

When we last left the Clippers, they had kept their season alive until the last game, when a win by the Golden St. Warriors officially eliminated the Clips from playoff contention. What that meant was that the Clippers were the best team not to make the playoffs, and consequently given the lowest possibility of winning the draft lottery (only teams that finish out of the playoffs are eligible for the lottery). In other words, they sucked just bad enough to not put themselves in a position to get better.

For non-basketball fanatics, the NBA draft lottery is used to designate the top three picks in the June 28 draft. The teams are ranked based on reverse order of finish, with the team with the worst record getting the highest number of combinations of a set of four ping-pong balls. Each subsequent team gets fewer combinations, and thus a lower probability of winning.

This NBA season featured more outright tanking than usual because of the potential of drafting Oden and Durant, with teams like Memphis, Boston, and Milwaukee purposely resting their best players in order to lose games. However, while Memphis had the worst record and received the best chance of getting the number one pick, the Grizzlies only have a 25% chance of actually winning it. It is, however, 50 times better than the Clippers’ odds.

The good news for Clipper Nation in an otherwise disappointing season is that the draft is extremely deep. Last year’s implementation of an age minimum, which prevented high schoolers from going directly to the pros, created an artificially-strong class of rookies for this upcoming season. So with the Clippers likely to pick 14th overall, barring a lottery miracle which vaults them into the top three, there will still be some quality players available that can help the team immediately.

And the team certainly needs help. The Clips obviously took a major step back by not advancing to the playoffs after their breakthrough 2006 season. The biggest hole appears to be at point guard, preferably one who can shoot the three-pointer given the team’s lack of outside shooting ability (29th in made 3-pointers). After the horrific injury suffered by Shaun Livingston, the Clippers are suddenly super-thin at the position, with Livingston’s recovery uncertain and Sam Cassell barely able to stay upright. Jason Hart did an admirable job filling in after being picked up off of waivers, but he’s better suited for a backup role, as is Daniel Ewing. The problem is that the draft is relatively weak at point guard. However, some mock drafts are projecting All-American point guard Acie Law IV as the pick here, a gutsy player who plays more like a combo guard with his shooter’s mentality and terrific scoring ability.

Of course, the Clips could also use another frontcourt player to take some of the pressure off of Elton Brand. The team tied up big money in long-term contracts for starting center Chris Kaman and backup center/forward Tim Thomas, and they both played like ass all year. Although the team likes the potential of rookie Paul Davis, it could use a more versatile athlete that can play the power forward or small forward. Potential picks here could be Georgia Tech freshman Thaddeus Young, a raw forward with a ton of upside but questionable drive; Florida St. senior Al Thornton, a 3rd team All-America and dynamic scorer from both the post and the wing; and Georgetown junior forward Jeff Green, also a 3rd team All-America with less explosiveness than Young or Thornton but great all-around skills.

While the draft lottery used to be an annual rite of passage for GM Elgin Baylor and the Clippers, the franchise is no longer a bottomfeeder and doesn’t need a savior. What it does need is a player that can contribute right away and help propel the team back into the playoffs and out of the lottery next season. Given the Clippers’ recent track record with first round busts, this is no small task. But if the Clips somehow manage to buck the odds and hit the lottery tonight, they’ll be in a position that even Baylor will have a hard time screwing up.

The NBA Draft Lottery results will be revealed prior to the Spurs-Jazz game on ESPN at 5:30 pm tonight.

Flickr photo by MarkyBon

Hey Daddy-O, Let's Go to the Drive-In!

(Originally posted on LAist on May 21)

Out here in Tinseltown, movies are part of our livelihood. They are meant to be an event, an experience, a true artform to be appreciated. It is ironic then, that the one of the great moviegoing traditions of yesteryear, the drive-in theater, has been nearly wiped out from the Southern California landscape.

But this past weekend marked a comeback of sorts with the grand opening of the Star-Vu Drive-In in Costa Mesa. Located at the Orange County Fairgrounds, the Star-Vu is the first drive-in to run in Orange County since the Highway 39 Drive-In in Westminster was razed in 1997 to build a Wal-Mart. (Ain’t progress grand?) Currently, the Vineland Drive-In in City of Industry is the only other drive-in in LA/OC.

The Star-Vu runs off of an inflatable, 65’ by 33’ screen, with a capacity of 300 vehicles. It has the usual amenities of a drive-in, with a Fairgrounds-operated concession stand in the back, as well as a kiddie play area. The audio is transmitted via FM radio. Tickets run $8.50 per person and $5 for kids (with a $.50 surcharge if you purchase online), and the theater plays two shows a night, seven days a week.

I was able to catch the 8 pm Saturday showing of Shrek the Third, and while the movie left something to be desired (read: save your money and catch it on Netflix), the uniqueness of the drive-in experience still made it a worthwhile trip. The energy in the sold-out crowd made it feel more like a tailgate party, with kids running around and people hanging out while the sun went down. There were a lot of people who came out in their pickups and watched in the bed of the truck to make it an evening under the stars, as well as countless others in the standard-issue Orange County big-ass SUVs and minivans that popped the trunk open. Of course, because of the theater’s vehicle policy, I was able to secure some prime front center seats in my Accord because all of the big cars are required to park in the back or on the sides.

There are some other distinct advantages of drive-ins. For one, you can actually talk during the movie without disrupting other people, particularly when things get boring (and there were unfortunately far too many of those moments during Shrek). And while it’s not technically legal, it’s quite a bit easier to smuggle in your own refreshments since you don’t have to try to fit a sandwich in your pocket or a bag of popcorn under your shirt.

The major drawback of the Star-Vu is the poor contrast ratio of the screen. The picture (not surprisingly for an outdoor venue) isn’t super bright, and it’s difficult to make out the screen images during scenes at night or in the dark. With a movie like Shrek where the animators stick little hidden jokes in the periphery, it’s a bit harder to keep tabs on what’s going on. Still, the picture quality is actually quite good for a projector of that magnitude, though it’s nowhere close to as sharp as being in a real theater.

Now, some tips for those planning on making the trip down to Costa Mesa. Make sure to purchase your tickets online, as the limited capacity and high initial demand will make it near impossible to drive up and get tickets. Also, get there early to secure a good viewing location. My viewing angle was fine since I was in the third row of cars, but the back rows are like sitting in the rear of the Hollywood Bowl (i.e., you need binoculars).

With all of the sprawling megaplexes currently dominating the industry, the Star-Vu definitely brings a refreshing twist to movie-viewing. Though most of us are too young to remember when drive-ins were the thing to do on a Saturday night, it’s nice to be able to restore the tradition in the 21st century. It will be even more enjoyable when they start showing some better movies.



Star-Vu Drive-In
Orange County Fairgrounds
Enter at Gate 2 (Fairview/Vanguard)
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

photo by Oberonia Photography
video by Sal Gomez of the Southern California Drive-In Movie Society who has a review and photos here

What’s Cookin’ Behind the Curtain – Going Loco for Calamari

(Originally posted on LAist on May 18)



LAist has been giving a lot of love recently to the many fine eating establishments that exist all over the basin. No matter what type of cuisine you like, there’s a long list of restaurants that can meet the grade.

However, there’s also been a noticeable lack of Orange County representation in these reviews. True, 95% of the non-five-star restaurants in OC are chains not worthy of being reviewed, unless you want to debate whether the chicken marsala is better at Cheesecake Factory or Macaroni Grill. But contrary to popular opinion, there are some great eats down behind the orange curtain if you know where to look.

So, in an effort to help inform the eager LA foodie, and to throw a bone to our loyal suburban readers, LAist will be running a weekly feature on the best local eateries in OC that are worth a visit.

This week's installment takes us down to the beautiful shores of Laguna Beach. Let’s face it, is there a better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than popping down to the beach and catching some rays? Each of our local beaches has something to offer, whether it be the pier at Santa Monica, the “entertainment” at Venice, or the surf at San Clemente. At Laguna, it’s the art galleries. And Taco Loco.

Taco Loco is a glorified taco stand about a half mile south of main beach on PCH. From the outside, it looks like any other beach shack, with no inside seating and a handful of little tables on the patio. The staff all wears tie-dye shirts and sport some nappy dreds. But the food is far from ordinary beach fare.

As Carrie pointed out yesterday, LAist has an unhealthy obsession with tacos. But when you have access to so many fantastic taco joints, why wouldn’t you love tacos? As far as Taco Loco is concerned, it’s all about the kick-ass blackened calamari tacos.

My friend Amy introduced me to this place, and I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical at first about how exceptional Taco Loco could be. Admittedly, I love calamari and I love tacos, so why wouldn’t it work? Oh, yes. It works pretty damn well. The calamari is cooked perfectly so it retains its chewy, but firm texture, with homemade seasoning. What really makes the taco is the addition of a homemade guacamole with diced avocadoes, diced tomatoes, and cilantro (sort of a guac de gallo) that provides a cool zesty contrast to the kick of the calamari.

But Taco Loco isn’t your usual taco stand in that it offers a wide assortment of dishes. Besides the standard Mexican fare, it serves everything from carnitas nachos to mushroom and tofu fajitas to blackened swordfish salad to ceviche. The quesadillas are served with half flour, half blue corn tortillas, which give surprisingly distinct tastes when sampled with identical filling. And if you don’t like tortillas, they serve a full complement of “burgers”, which consist of the same ingredients as the tacos except on a hamburger bun.

The nice thing about Taco Loco is that the ingredients are fresh, especially relative to the usual taco stand, where you don’t really want to see what’s behind the counter. Of course, this should be unsurprising given the “natural” vibe that the place throws off. Indeed, besides all of the standard meat and seafood dishes, all dishes are offered with tofu or veggie phish. Hemp burgers and even hemp brownies are proudly displayed on the menu.

And like any true taco stand, Taco Loco is open late, until 2 am on Friday through Sunday, and midnight the rest of the week. So whether it’s after a night out at the bars or a little skinny dip in the Pacific, when you get a case of the late night munchies, you can get your fix.

Even though the food is awesome, it’s the entire experience that makes Taco Loco worth the trip. There’s something divine about watching the sun set over the horizon, breathing the ocean air, while popping a fresh taco with a cold bottle of Dos Equis (just be sure to sit at the tables behind the sidewalk so you don’t get ticketed for public alcohol consumption). All of the artists that inhabit Laguna Beach couldn’t paint a better picture than that.

Taco Loco
640 S. Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

(Originally posted on LAist on May 3)

Saturday is going to be huge.

I’m not even talking about Cinco de Mayo. Granted, Cinco de Mayo will be a huge day of cultural celebration for the many Mexican-Americans in LA, as well as the many boozers who will be, um, celebrating in their own way by double fisting Coronas.

What I’m talking about is a boxing match.

Wait, a boxing match? Seriously?

Yes, I know, boxing is full of corruption and politics, more notable for its shady promoters like Don King or Hollywood caricatures like Rocky Balboa than anything that actually happens in the ring. And the action is boring and slow as compared to Mixed Martial Arts like UFC and PRIDE fighting. Quite frankly, boxing is soon to go the way of the dinosaur, the dodo, and professional hockey (what, the NHL still exists, you say?).

For one day at least, things will be different. Saturday night's fight between hometown hero (or antihero, depending on your perspective) Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not just the biggest story in boxing in several years (and quite possibly the last important story about boxing ever), and not just one of the biggest sports stories of the year, but one of the biggest events of the year. The fight itself is only a small part of a broader construct about culture, social class, and history.

From a boxing perspective, both men are great champions, having dominated the sport like few men over the last 25 years. At 34, De La Hoya is the aging, past-his-prime superstar, winner of an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and the only boxer in history to win a world championship at six weight classes. He’s known for being a tough competitor in the ring, though he has only fought once since September 2004. On the other hand, the 30-year old Mayweather is widely considered the best current pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and is undefeated as a professional. He’s known for his exceedingly fast hands and strong defense, but has been criticized for just doing enough to win rather than fighting his hardest.

But the more compelling reasons for caring about this fight are found in who the fighters are and what they represent. De La Hoya is the “Golden Boy”, the biggest draw in the entire sport; he’s Madison Av. He’s not only a star inside the ring, but outside the ring as well, dabbling in acting, singing (a Grammy-nominated Latin Pop CD), fashion, and business. He’s got model-like looks and is always well-spoken in front of the camera (at least for a boxer).

Mayweather is the “Pretty Boy”, one of the cockiest and brashest characters in the sport; he’s much more 8 Mile. While De La Hoya has tried to keep things civil, Mayweather has been talking junk to Oscar to his face, or on camera every chance he’s gotten. His focus is solely on his craft. Floyd is also good friends with 50 Cent, who will be accompanying him to the ring on Saturday, and has reportedly wagered $1 million on a Mayweather win.

The contrasts go beyond personality. De La Hoya is a Mexican-American, born in Montebello and raised in East LA with meager resources but a strong family supporting him. He’s both revered in the Latino community for his widespread success and his financial investments in Latino neighborhoods, as well as hated because of the perceived notion that he’s become somewhat of a corporate sellout and turned his back on his roots by moving to Puerto Rico (he married a Boricua singer in 2001). And he sees the fight not just as in terms of his place in boxing history, but as an opportunity to expand his Golden Boy Productions promotions business and redefine boxing.

Mayweather is African-American, born in Michigan and raised in a boxing family with an, er, interesting relationship. His dad, Floyd Sr., was a pro boxer and his trainer and agent. At least until Floyd Jr. fired his own dad from both jobs, and gave the training responsibilities to his uncle, Roger. (Oh by the way, Floyd Sr. trained Oscar for six years and nearly hired Floyd Sr. to be his trainer for this fight before good ol’ Dad wanted too much money - nice) You could say that the only thing Floyd Jr. is loyal to is his own legacy, carrying that perpetual chip on his shoulder. And the only thing he cares about is proving that he is the defining fighter (as opposed to superstar) of his generation.

So the question is, which guy sounds like your kind of guy? The classy gentleman or the edgy thug? The polished businessman with an agenda or the emotional fighter on a simple mission to win. The guy who scrapped to make himself a success, or the guy who has been groomed for this moment since he was born? The legend or the challenger to the throne?

Regardless of where you stand, it will make for compelling drama. Especially after you’ve thrown down a 12-pack.

Me? Team Pretty Boy.

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Junior Middleweight World Championship
MGM Grand, Las Vegas
PPV telecast starts at 6 pm

AP photo by Jae C. Hong