The El Paisa Colombian Food restaurant is located at the intersection of 17th Street and Alamitos. It does have a private parking lot that I believe it shares with a small laundry mat; that's important because street parking in the area is limited. Overall, this is one of the best restaurants I've visited in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood though I did find it a little over priced.
I think I ordered the Bandeja Paisa, upon the recommendation of the waiter. First for the good news: The food is rather good and tastes very authentic. The steak, chicharrón, which I can only describe as deep fried fat from a pork chop and side dishes were all excellent. The beans and biscuit were a little bland. But clearly they have an serious eye on the quality of the food as even the hot sauce and water stood out. Additionally the variety of food you get on one plate is rather impressive.
The venue itself is very clean and tastefully decorated with Colombian memorabilia. There is more than enough seating and the seating itself is spread out. Even at maximum capacity which is 48, it wouldn't feel crowded. The service was very good. The food arrived quickly, and was still thoroughly cooked. The only place I wasn't happy was the price. Credit cards require a minimum of a $10 purchase, which is a little expensive for lunch. My lunch came to about $16.
So overall, the El Paisa is a little overpriced, costing it about a half a star. Regardless, it's one of the better restaurants I've eaten at in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood, and I would definitely recommend it as a dinner destination.
El Paisa
1640 Orange Ave
(562) 333-811
While the outside declares this a French Bakery, and there
are a lot of breads, the main attraction is clearly the premade meals.
Most of those meals, while not necessarily Cambodian, are of an Asian flavor. Know in advance the Lily Kim Bakery does not accept credit cards, so you will
have to bring cash. $10 is more than enough for a decent meal here.
Generally speaking within the Aspara Plaza on Alamitos and Anahiem, the Lily Kim Bakery is probably the most popular attraction. The family owned store features a counter of plates of pre-made meals to go, neatly wrapped in saran wrap. The prices of the food range from $2.50 to a high of about $6.50, and $6.50 gets you a lot of food. They also have all the usual drinks you would find at a 7-11, an equally expansive rack of chips and an impressive smoothie menu that will run you about $2.50.
The food, is good, I wouldn't rate it as exceptional. Here's the main reason: everything is served cold. That means, the Lily Kim Restaurant is probably better suited as a take out store, than it suits dining in. .That is reinforced by the fact there are only two tables and no outside seating. I was there at a time that wasn't busy and you had to join an occupied table to sit down.
The restaurant itself is usually pretty packed around breakfast and lunch time, but since most everything is made in advance service is still very quick. And the person behind the counter was very friendly and helpful when I asked about different dishes. Cleanliness could have used a little work, but I think that was partly because I showed up later in the day. The venue could add a star just by giving customers access to a microwave to heat the food up when you're eating in.
In terms of overall expectations, quality may not be up to par, but it's about the best you will get in the area at that price. I haven't seen an entire meal for $2.50 in years. Three stars seems unfair, since they clearly are trying to make the best impression on their customers; and four is too generous because there are some very simple issues, that could very easily be cleaned up.
The Lily Kim Bakery
1171 E Anaheim St
(562) 218-7818
El Sauz Restaurant is a Mexican Food restaurant located at 1616 Anaheim Street. That's on the South side of Anaheim and Walnut. The restaurant has comfortable seating, decent food and pleasant service.
The cheese enchiladas and the main course I had were almost as good as you would find at most major chains. The picture on the left is an accurate depiction of the portion size, very generous for the price.
It took the server a while to seat me. I think this was a communication gap. Regular customers seem to seat themselves at any available table. My impression was the server expected I knew this, but it's not the way I am used to being seated in most restaurants.
On the inside, El Sauz Restaurant is quiet, clean and friendly; It's easy to hold a conversation or meeting. And the servers took care of our orders quickly and politely. The one huge weakness I saw were the complimentary chips and salsa. I love good salsa. The salsa was average at best and the chips were just a little stale. I realize that was the complimentary part of the meal, but it's also their customer's first impression. There are people who do not give you a chance at a second impression.
Overall, I would call El Sauz Restaurant a three star restaurant, with pretty good main course meals. It can also boast fast friendly service and good seating. That said, there's definitely still a little room to improve.
Siem Reap Cambodian Restaurant
1810 East Anaheim St.
Long Beach, CA 562-591-7414
Cambodian cuisine has elements of Vietnamese and Thai food, yet from overlapping palettes of flavors and ingredients comes distinct mélanges of tastes, textures, and aromas.
The menu may look a bit unfamiliar but the staff are used to serving first timers and they are always ready to describe a dish or make a recommendation. The Cambodian national dish, “amok trey” is a gingery, delicate tasting coconut fish curry served in a coconut. The fish melts in your mouth.
Cambodian hot and sour soup is a different beast from the Chinese soup of the same name. The taste is a bit lighter, a bit more sour, and less peppery. I’ve had this dish in Cambodia and the house hot and sour soup here did not disappoint. A boba drink for dessert tops off the meal.
The prices at Siem Reap are reasonable and the service is good. For me, Siem Reap Restaurant was the first place I tried Cambodian food. It’s a good place for anyone to try Cambodian food.
Jeff Leon: Jeff is a musician and comedian who has appeared in New York, California and on Last Comic Standing. You can check out Jeff's comedy at his website by clicking on his name.
