The recently opened Pita Fresh Diner is just a few blocks from my new place in sunny North Hollywood, and, as I’m still heart broken over the closing of Extreme Pita in my wife’s hometown of Glendora, I knew I had to try it out.  I like Zankou just fine, but, generally the restaurants are a bit smelly, the staff rude, and the waits never ending.  To say I’m dying to have a new Pita place is an understatement.

Pita Fresh is nestled in a strip of businesses just past Vineland on Lankershim. It’s clean, spacious, and smells great. The staff is one big happy family (literally) and were extremely polite. The menu is fairly limited but, they have a chicken kabob pita, so I’m all set. They offer both plate and pita versions of all of their dishes.  Like Zankou (which coincidentally just opened a new store over on Riverside literally a half mile from Pita Fresh) the food took about fifteen minutes, but, man was it worth it.

The pita was stuffed with huge chunks of chicken, seasoned beautifully, and accompanied by grilled tomatoes, a hummus-esque spread, and diced vegtables. It had a strong, fresh taste (look at that truth in advertising!), and despite being relatively small was completely filling. Best of all, at only $5.00 it’s the perfect value. This is restaurant quality middle eastern food at an affordable price served fresh. Can you ask for anything more?

Well, technically, I suppose you could. Extreme Pita, which really is the gold standard of Pita places as far as I’m concerned, offered a much wider selection, and a lot more in the way of personalization. Imagine Subway for Pitas with actual high quality ingredients and you get the idea. This is, again, more akin to Zankou. But, for price, taste, and quality, I think I’ll be doing Pita Fresh every time.

They offer a decent selection of bottled drinks at a fair price, and my pita came with a couple of different kinds of sliced pickles which were… interesting. There was plenty of street parking, even at lunchtime, and while there were a few people in the restaurant it was mostly empty. They seemed to have a pretty huge stack of To Go orders waiting to fly out, so, hopefully, they’ll make it through the first months to be here for a long, long time.

All in all a damn fine meal at a damn fine price. Highly recommended!
Rating:

Pita Fresh Diner
4715 Lankershim Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 91602
(818) 508-7600
www.pitafreshdiner.com

This review is going to be a bit harder than I expected.  Galco’s was the sandwich shop that started me on my crazy “find the best sandwich in L.A.” adventure, and consequently it has a warm place in my heart.  I liked it so much that we chose them to cater our wedding last year.  Unfortunately, the shop is sort of in the middle of nowhere, so, I haven’t gone in literally six months or more.

So first things first.  Galco’s is a grocery store that specializes in retro and specialty soda.  They have bottles of everything from Manhattan Special to Fuckola.   They have easily the best selection that I’ve ever seen, and as a big soda fan, it’s pretty close to paradise.  And, they have a huge selection of Diet sodas, which is great for diabetic bastards like me.  They also have a decent selection of microbrews and specialty liquers.  Along one wall is an ever changing selection of cool retro candy.

But, the real treat of the place is along the back wall, where the deli counter sits with it’s suprisingly satisfying (if somewhat brief) menu offering hot and cold sandwiches, in 6″ and 12″ varieties, and many with the option for double meat.  Sandwiches cost around 5 bucks for the sixer, and 7 bucks for the twelve.

I’m partial to the Blockbuster (a.k.a. the Original) which is essentially a beautifully layered italian (of the mustard and mayo variety.)   The bread is top notch, and the meats taste freshly cut.  The mayo/mustard combo is much subtler than on just about any other like sandwich I’ve had in town.

So… why’s this review so hard?  The sandwich is great, the store itself is awesome… Well, the problem is the staff.  The owner of the shop is an amazingly cordial, attentive guy.  He’s exactly what the shop should be like.

Unfortunately over the past year or so, the rest of the staff has seemed to have forgotten the lesson of their boss.  Despite the fact that there were a ton of people in the store, the guy working the register today didn’t get off his cell phone.  At first, I thought that it was a business call, until I got closer, and realized he was talking to a friend.  He only gets off the phone to say, “Thanks.”  There’s no other interaction at all.  Frankly, it really spoiled the experience.  I normally would just eat at the store, but he just packed my stuff up and pointed me towards the door.

So, disappointing service aside, Galco’s can be an amazing experience, with great food and great drinks.

Rating:

Galco’s Soda Pop Stop
5702 York Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
http://www.sodapopstop.com/

Spent the last week or so with the family in the sparkling town of Des Moines, Iowa.  A few weeks back, while watching Rick Sebak’s excellent Sandwich documentary, we learned about the legendary chain known for it’s loose meat burgers (made famous, at least around our house, by the last few seasons of Roseanne).  So, we were thrilled to find out there was one at the mall around the corner from my parent’s house!

The Maid-Rite is more of a burger than a traditional sandwich, but, for those not from the mid-west, it’s quite the strange little guy, and well worth a few hundred words on the site, I reckon.  It’s a small chain, with a few dozen or so location around the mid-west.  They’re speciality, as I mentioned, is a loose meat sandwich, which means essentially ground chuck on a bun.  They throw some onions and pickles as well as ketchup and mustard and present it to you as a burger that rivals even Los Angeles’ own In-N-Out as far as being much more than you expect it to be.

If you got  Maid-Rite, you get a spoon.  That’s because there’s going to be left overs.  Except, here’s the amazing part.  It’s  not a messy sandwich.  Because it’s relatively low grease, there’s very little dripping of anything other than glorious mid-western grown beef.   Each sandwich is suprisingly filling, and despite being only slightly bigger than a McDonald’s hamburger, I found myself more or less full after just two of them.  They do cost a bit more than your usual fast food, but, again, there’s a big step up in terms of quality.

That right there is the remnants, for which the spoon is required.   It’s just a great sandwich, that fills you up and leaves you feeling that grand old feeling of home.

So, look, if you find yourself in the Mid-West, do yourself a favor and look up how close you are to a Maid-Rite.  Swing by the website here: http://www.maid-rite.com/

I give it a Rating:

I’ve driven past this new little place a few times before it had opened, and was anxiously looking forward to it.  I’d gone by in the evening, but they’re only a day time lunch joint. But, still, it’s about a block and a half from my house, and doesn’t seem to have the 30 minute wait associated with Mario’s. I tried to stop by on Tuesday, after voting, but, I was there too late, and they were already closed up.  Today, I had my first free lunch time in a while, so I ventured out and around the corner. I finally made it in during their business hours.

Chevy’s Sandwiches is a cozy Armenian style sandwich shop.  I think it’s probably most similar to the Java Time subs over on Glendale that Gary reviewed a few months ago.  Their menu is fairly in depth, with a range of hot and cold sandwiches, vegetarian and meat loving.  As the sandwiches are Armenian, aside from the Armenian names, you get a full description of each one.

Me being me, I went for the closest facsicimile of an Italian they had, which was the Tabooleh sandwich.  Made with mortadella and assorted other Italian meats, this is a really fresh sandwich just LOADED with veggies.  It comes with both red peppers and jalapenos (by request), as well as some hot sauce, so this is a spicy Italian.   The bread is typical Armenian style bread, thing and crunchy, but, again, very fresh, and quite tasty.

Frankly, if they offered one, I probably would’ve done a double meat version of the sandwich, as there just wasn’t a lot of animal products on there.  But, they more than make up, as you can see, with the HUGE chunks of vegetables. Everything tastes great, and the combination of mustard, mayo, hot sauce, and the veggies creates a truly flavorful and unique experience.

The restaurant itself is clean, the staff is courteous, and the service was fantastic.  The price is right too, with most sandwiches hovering around 5 to 6 bucks for a twelve (or so) incher.   Parking seems to be limited to street only, and as the restaurant is across the street from a school, that may be a problem.  There’s no soda fountain, only a small fridge, but, it’s stocked with a fairly wide selection of beverages.  They also offer a few other Armenian style lunch snacks, including pastries and soups, a selection of bagged chips, and a Good Humor style freezer with various frozen treats.

I think I may have found my new favorite sub place in Glendale.

Rating: [4]

Chevy’s Sandwiches

109 N Chevy Chase Dr
Glendale, CA 91206
(818) 545-1100

Apparently, this place used to be called the Rainbow Sub & Yogurt.  Judging from Yelp reviews, not much has changed. It’s a tiny place hidden away in a plaza on Verdugo, right before it crosses Chevy Chase (and a block from the big hospital). It’s most definitely the kind of place you’d just drive by without noticing. Lucky for me, I’m a walker.

There’s plenty of parking, and while the place is small, I get the impression it’s never that crowded, so the few table inside are probably perfect. The first thing you notice, when you walk in, is those low, low prices. These are discount subs, baby. The most expensive subs are $5.50 for a12″.  And that’s an actual 12″, which, for those unclear, is a massive sandwich. It’s not a broad menu (and is lacking an Italian sub), but, there’s something for everybody.

I went with the Turkey and Avocado, hoping that it was at least half as good as the similar Turkey and Avocado over at The Sub King in Burbank (Review forthcoming). They offer both white and wheat bread, which, for a diabetic fellow like me, is a BIG plus. I got the whole wheat, and, was pleasently surprised that it’s a legitimate, thick whole wheat. The meat is stacked high, and the veggies were fresh and crunchy. The Avocado was somewhere between fresh and guacamole. I could’ve really used more avocado, but, overall, it’s a great tasting sandwich.

And did I mention it’s huge?

See?

Also on the menu, smoothies, frozen yogurt (TCBY not Pinkberry), and a smattering of salads. I got the Tuna Salad, and was pleasantly surprised at both it’s size and quality. For $3.50 you expect a lot of lettuce and not much else, but this one has cucumbers, pickles, tomatoes, onions, and that fancy purple lettuce.

The staff was nice enough, and the sandwich was made quickly and cleanly right in front of me.

So, for $5.50, and just a short walk away, I’ve got to give this place 4 stars. It’s better than Subway, and cheaper, too! Perfect for a mid-day snack, and, big enough to give you leftovers for a late afternoon snack.

Rating:

Corner Sub
333 N Verdugo Rd
Glendale, CA 91206
(818) 244-6346

Eater LA knows…

“Ken Davitian and crew have always had a hot dog concept in mind and thought no better time than now to fill the void left by establishments like The Weiner Factory. Ken’s son Robert Davitian will be taking the reigns of the new concept at 14333 Ventura Blvd. The first question I asked, of course was, are the dogs steamed or grilled. Steamed was the answer. Seems this family grew up on Pink’s and some place called Chronis’s on Whittier Blvd that I had not heard of. Then I asked who was going to make their hot dogs. They will be using a variety, there were quite a few Robert named but here is what I remember, Papa Cantellas all beef hot dog – the same dog The Stand uses, a Sabrett dog like the Weiner Factory used, a Hebrew National and even a Wagu Beef dog from New Zealand.”

You can check out Gary’s review of the other The Dip here.

Dave’s Chillin-n-Grillin has a modest sign that I passed by many, many times. Word on the internet was that we’d been making a grave mistake, and it looks like they’re right. Citysearch gave them a 9.2 for their sandwiches, and their Smoothies have been called the second best in Los Angeles.

The first thing I noticed was that there was no soda fountain, which is usually a strike against a place. Add to that that they don’t accept credit cards, and I had a sinking feeling. As we were heading out for the ATM, the girl behind the counter shouted to us, “But, please place your orders, and then they’ll be ready for you when you get back.” Whats that, I thought, kindness in Los Angeles? Why! This must be Lee’s!

A quick trip across the street to the Bank of America later, and we’d taken our seats and had some amazing sandwiches being served to us. The staff were laughing, friendly, gregarious, and quite charming. And the sandwiches were even better.

Italian Sub 10″ and Rasberry Rainbow Smoothie – $12.00

The Italian is easily the 2nd best I’ve had in the city. Dave’s is apparently all about the fresh and healthy sandwich, and the Italian sub is no exception. It’s the least greasy Italian Sub I’ve ever had, and yet manages to be just as yummy as any other. It’s the usual of array of meats and veggies, with some pickled peppers for good measure. The bread is a bit chewier than I like, but, it’s very fresh bread with a great flavor and just enough doughiness.

The real winner, suprisingly, was the Rasberry Rainbow Sherbert Smoothie. Being a diabetic, I don’t often get to have smoothies and the like, but, made with low fat sherbert and fresh fruit, and no sugar etc., I figured it would be okay. And holy crap was it worth it. Easily one of the best smoothies I’ve ever had, and the perfect compliment to the sub.

The restaurant is hip, clean, and parking in the neighborhood is plentiful. Dave’s is really a jewel hidden on Colorado Blvd.

Italian Sub Rating:

Rasberry Rainbow Sherbert Smoothie Rating:

Overall Rating:

Dave’s Chillin’ n Grillin’
2152 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041-1242
Phone: (323) 490-0988

This was friend and reader Greg M.’s favorite sub shop in L.A. for the time he lived here. I’ve been a few times and have thoroughly enjoyed it every time. Nestled in what appears to be a small office building right across from that big plaza with the Best Buy, the PSC (as the cool kids will call it) doesn’t seem like it’s going to be much. At first glance, it’s just a hallway with a set of barn doors. But, that’s only half of the restaurant, off to the left is more tables and in a slightly more ‘restauranty’ setting.

The walls are covered in bizarre tchotckies including baseball cabs nailed up by the brim, children’s drawings, and gigantic descriptions of their trademark sandwiches. Unlike just about every other sandwich shop in the city, there’s actually a waitress to help you, so you get to sit down and let the food come to you.

Their sandwiches are… unique. They take traditional style sandwiches and remake them into bizarre jumbo versions. For example, the Cheese Steak that I had was closer to a steak sandwich than a traditional Cheese Steak. Thick layers of steakwith a 1/2″ thick cut of cheese on top, plus grilled peppers and onions on thick whole wheat toast.

It’s really pretty excellent, and it’s a great value as most sandwiches run in the 6 to 8 dollar range, and are easily two meals worth. Both Christina and I had leftovers to bring home and enjoy all over again.  Christina had the Chicken sandwich on an onion roll, and loved it.  She found it to be huge, loaded with veggies, and, suprisingly, pretty light.  They really do manage to keep the grease down on their food, which is a nice change of pace.

Probably the biggest strike against the PSC is the uniqueness of the sandwiches. Because each sandwich is so radically conceived, there’s no sense of nostalgia or comfort that, for me anyways, is a big part of my love of sandwiches. It takes me back to my youth in Pittsburgh eating hoagies and Primanti Brother’s sandwiches.

But, still, the food is excellent, they have a deep menu, and a remarkably friendly staff. And these sandwiches really are HUGE. Considering they’re on regular bread, rather than rolls, it’s amazing how much food you get.

They do have limited hours (between 9 and 2 Monday through Friday, and a couple hours midday on Saturday, I believe.) Parking on the street, and behind the place. It’s just a hop and a jump from the Gold Line station, too, if you’re that way inclined.

Highly recommended.

Rating:

Pasadena Sandwich Company

259 Sierra Madre Villa
Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 578-1616
(626) 578-1548
www.pasadenasandwichcompany.com

The owner, John, and I go back about six years. Back when I first moved to LA. When I was poor. When I was hungry. And when I lived right by this place. So I used to walk there in the evenings before they closed to see if they were throwing anything away and if they were, maybe they’d give it to me instead of –

Seriously, what the hell am I talking about? That shit ain’t even true.

But I wish I did know the owner. Because I could tell him this:
A) You have the second best French Dip Sandwiches in Los Angeles.

B) Your prices are pretty terrible.

I made a mistake and just ordered the regular Dip. That means meat (cut thick), bun (cut thick), and NO CHEESE. Honestly, I feel bad for even reviewing it because I so missed the mark on ordering. But so long as we’re being honest, is there really any other way to eat this sort of sandwich without provolone cheese?

No. There isn’t. So it should just be automatic. You should have to order it without provolone if you don’t want it. Rather than me having to order it with provolone. Does that make sense? Trust me. It does.

But even with my terrible ordering skillz, the sandwich was great. Nice and chewy. I ordered the half which wasn’t really enough. The whole is over 10 bucks so make sure you come flush with just getting paid if you plan on eating.

You’ll notice that, yes, once again, I took a picture of the pickle bar. That’s not the technical term but that’s what I call it. I don’t mind telling you this:

Any place that has a pickle bar gets an automatic one star from me.

So if you ever go to a place that’s just plain awful terrible and it still got one star from me? Please note the pickle bar in the corner.

The Dip (reviewed)
Hollywood & Highland Center
6801 Hollywood Boulevard
2nd Level
Hollywood, CA 90028

The Dip (not reviewed)
14333 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

http://www.esquire.com/features/food-drink/sandwiches

Right there you’ll find Esquire’s picks for the best sandwiches in the U.S. of A. There’s a couple of L.A. spots that’ll be moved into our list quickly.